The News Agents
Matt Hancock takes the stand
Dec 1, 2023
Prominent figure in the Covid Inquiry's testimony, Matt Hancock, discusses allegations and admissions related to the delayed lockdown and his claims against Dominic Cummings. Veteran Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge reflects on her battles with the far right, the far left, and the impact of her Jewish identity on her politics.
36:32
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Quick takeaways
- Implementing the national lockdown in March 2020 three weeks earlier could have saved lives, according to Matt Hancock's testimony at the COVID inquiry.
- Rishi Sunak's Eat Out to Help Out scheme, implemented without consulting Chief Scientific Advisors, raised concerns about increased virus transmission through inter-household mixing in enclosed environments.
Deep dives
Matt Hancock's testimony at the COVID inquiry
In his appearance at the COVID inquiry, former health secretary Matt Hancock admitted that if the national lockdown in March 2020 had been implemented three weeks earlier, it could have saved many lives. He claimed to have advised Prime Minister Boris Johnson to implement the lockdown 10 days before it happened, but provided no evidence to support this claim. His testimony was met with accusations of lying from Dominic Cummings and sparked debates about the government's handling of the pandemic.
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