During a recent interview, BBC political editor Chris Mason questioned Rishi Sunak, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, about the government’s reluctance to fully disclose messages exchanged between ministers and officials regarding the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mason suggested that Sunak’s concerns about potential embarrassment might be the reason behind this resistance.
In response, Prime Minister Boris Johnson dismissed these claims, stating that he had no worries about the content of the messages being revealed. He emphasized the importance of learning from the mistakes made during the pandemic and assured that the government was fully cooperating with and providing information to the COVID-19 inquiry. However, Johnson mentioned that there was one specific legal matter on which he could not comment.
The COVID-19 inquiry, set to commence public hearings next week, has faced criticism as the government has withheld certain phone messages, arguing that they are irrelevant to its pandemic response. Despite this, the inquiry aims to shed light on the decision-making processes and actions taken by the government throughout the crisis.