Re: Boris Johnson vows to set up Covid inquiry in this Parliamentary session
BJ talks the talk:
https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-...-2022-12304332
Boris Johnson revealed the news in a COVID-19 statement to MPs on Wednesday, telling the Commons it will be able to take oral evidence under oath and put "the state's actions under the microscope".
The PM says the state "has an obligation" to examine its actions "rigorously" and "candidly" and "learn every lesson".
He did not reveal when the inquiry would be expected to produce its final report, saying only: "I think we owe it to the country to have as much transparency as we possibly can and we owe it to the country to produce answers in a reasonable timescale."
Downing Street declined to say whether it will report back
before the next general election, which is due in 2024. "The timescale is down to the chairman, that is something that we will want to agree with the chairperson when they are appointed," the PM's spokesman said.
Under questioning from Sir Keir, Mr Johnson confirmed that preparatory work to establish the inquiry's terms of reference and its chair "will happen before the spring of next year. We will be getting it under way, we will be taking some key decisions," he added.
The 2021-22 session started with the State Opening on 11 May 2021. All BJ intends to do by May 2022 is start the paperwork and appoint a mouthpiece .....
Perhaps the truly "independent" reports due out before then will provide an insight into the government's disastrous reponse to the pandemic.
More than 127,000 people have died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test since the pandemic began last year, while more than 150,000 deaths have mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate.
Many others were infected and died but their symptoms were unrecognised, their details unrecorded or, worse, their names were redacted by rule changes .....