Matt Hancock to appear before COVID inquiry

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock will be questioned by the COVID inquiry today on the UK’s resilience to and preparedness for the pandemic.

Mr Hancock is the first politician directly involved in the government’s response to the coronavirus to face the inquiry, followed by former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon who will appear on Thursday.

So far, former prime minister and former chancellor David Cameron and George Osborne have defended spending cuts during their time in office, claiming austerity had little effect on the NHS’s ability to react to the pandemic.

However, as a cabinet minister during the pandemic, Matt Hancock’s appearance is likely to enrage organisations like the COVID -19 Bereaved Families for Justice group and others who have been heavily critical of his record in government.

For now, the independent MP will only be questioned regarding the UK’s resilience and preparedness ahead of the spread of the coronavirus.

But this is likely to be the first of several appearances in front of the inquiry as Boris Johnson’s former government remains under heavy scrutiny.

Read more:
Austerity measures hit public health services, inquiry told
What we learned from the first week of the COVID inquiry
High levels of obesity and diabetes worsened pandemic in UK

Moreover, the former Health Secretary’s appearance will be a gift to Labour, reminding the public once again of the slew of political scandals under the Tories, most notably Hancock standing down after breaching COVID rules by kissing his then colleague and now partner Gina Coladangelo.