The infected blood inquiry reported today, finally, and it really is finally. ‘Subtle, pervasive and chilling’ was how the cover up has been described.
And I have to say, none of this is in any dispute. We know that 30,000 people were infected with bad blood. We know that 3000 people so far have died prematurely directly as a result.
I've been scratching my head over it because in 1987 after I'd been seriously ill with a blood borne cancer I was told that I should never ever give blood so I never did.
And yet, whilst I was being given that piece of advice, it seems the NHS and others were buying in blood from America and other places from high risk groups, like male prisoners. The whole thing beggars belief.
Nigel Farage was left furious by the infected blood scandal report
GB NEWS
And yet here in this country, nothing happens. Nothing happens within the NHS, nothing happens within the civil service, nothing happens within government. The odd backbencher asks a question here or there.
And it seems to me whether it's the postmasters or frankly, whether it's the COVID inquiry; the one common denominator is that nobody is ever held to account.
PM Rishi Sunak apologised to the Infected blood scandal victims
PAAs a result of what we saw today, I've no doubt the government will, within the next 48 hours, offer some level of compensation. Will anybody actually face serious criminal charges? I wonder.
It is nothing less than a total and utter disgrace and Rishi Sunak did today give an apology in the House of Commons, but you know what? He wasn't even born when most of this happened.
There isn't really much point in the Prime Minister apologising for what happened before. The question is, whether it's within the medical profession, whether it's within the government, who will be held accountable?
I know the answer. No one. Because they never are in this country. Sunak, later on in his speech, talked about moral failure. Well, that moral failure, I'm afraid, is all pervasive in British institutions.
In the end some sort of justice does get done but it's nowhere near enough. Why are we, over a quarter of a century behind Germany, France and Japan?
Something is very rotten at the heart of the British state and I really do seriously mean that.