Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, faced interruptions from protesters while attempting to apologize for the Covid-19 related deaths during his tenure. This incident occurred during Johnson’s Wednesday morning testimony at the UK’s public Covid inquiry, an initiative he launched in May 2021.
As Johnson began his opening remarks, expressing regret for the pandemic’s toll, he was heckled by a group believed to be family members of those who lost their lives to Covid-19. Four individuals stood up, displaying signs stating “the dead can’t hear your apologies,” as reported by PA Media news agency. They were subsequently removed from the hearing by inquiry chair Heather Hallet.
Kathryn Butcher, a 59-year-old Londoner who lost her sister-in-law, Myrna Saunders, to Covid-19 in March 2020, expressed that they didn’t seek Johnson’s apology. Johnson acknowledged the demonstrators’ signs during the protest.
The UK, under Johnson’s leadership, faced significant criticism for its handling of the pandemic, which resulted in over 200,000 deaths, one of Europe’s highest tolls. Johnson expressed his understanding and sorrow for the victims and their families, hoping the inquiry would provide needed answers.
Despite his initial apology, Johnson refrained from detailing specific mistakes by his government, defending his administration’s efforts as based on the information and understanding they had at the time. He did concede that there were unquestionable aspects that could have been handled differently.
The inquiry scrutinizes Johnson’s and his team’s decision-making processes during the pandemic, including the implementation of lockdowns and the timing of various decisions. Johnson’s testimony has been marred by controversy, as he was unable to provide WhatsApp messages from his personal phone to the inquiry, citing technical issues.
Johnson’s leadership style and decision-making during the pandemic have been heavily criticized, including by his former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings. Johnson’s response to this criticism was that such scrutiny and questioning of his competence were to be expected.
Johnson’s tenure was further tainted by the “Partygate” scandal, where he and his team were found to have violated Covid lockdown rules, leading to Johnson being fined while in office – a first for a sitting Prime Minister. This scandal significantly contributed to his loss of support within the Conservative Party, ultimately leading to his resignation.
