Matt Hancock was heckled by a widower upon entering the Covid inquiry this morning, as he prepared to apologise to the victims of Covid.
As he exited a black 4x4 Jaguar, the former Health Secretary was met by six members of the Covid Families for Justice group.
Lorelei King, 69, confronted Hancock with two A4 posters, one of which depicted a photo of her late husband, who died in a care home in March 2020 at the age of 68, shaking Hancock’s hand.
The other poster showed her husband’s coffin with the caption: “This was my photo op after your “ring of protection” around care homes.”
Lorelei King confronted Matt Hancock this morning
Reuters
Speaking outside the Covid inquiry, King reflected: “We would visit by FaceTime. I noticed something was wrong – his breathing wasn't quite right.
“At that time there wasn't any testing available, and he died five days later.
“Care homes became charnel houses because there was no testing, there was insufficient PPE, but, most disastrously, it's because they discharged people from hospitals without testing them.”
King demanded that Hancock “tell the truth” to the inquiry, for the “bereaved families deserve that much.”
Once inside, Hancock took the opportunity to apologise en masse to the victims of Covid.
Covid Families for Justice
Reuters
Hancock said: "I am profoundly sorry for the impact that [the UK's attitude to pandemic preparedness] had.
"I'm profoundly sorry for each death that has occurred.
"I also understand why for some that would be hard to take that apology from me."
Hancock detailed that he felt aspects of the pandemic planning had been too focused on responding to the consequences of a pandemic rather than initial prevention.
He said the focus was: "Can we buy enough body bags, where are we going to bury the dead and that was completely wrong."
Yet, Hancock wished more effort was focused on: “How do you stop the disaster from happening in the first place? How do you suppress the virus?"
Protestors waited for Hancock's arrival
Reuters
Providing some context for a lack of impetus to prepare for the pandemic, Hancock said was assured that the “UK was one of the best countries in the world for responding to a pandemic.”
He said: "When you're assured by the leading global authority that the UK is the best prepared in the world, that is quite a significant reassurance, that turned out to be wrong.”
However, Hancock said that he asked about pandemic preparedness on his first day in the job, jotting down a note of ”more details please” on a briefing pack he was given.
Hugo Keith KC, counsel to the inquiry, has reminded Hancock that today’s proceedings are focusing on pandemic preparedness rather than response, which will be dealt with at a date further down the line.
This afternoon, the former chief executive of Public Health England, Duncan Selbie, will also be giving evidence to the inquiry.
