'Anything less than full co-operation from PM is an insult to pandemic victims'

29 May 2023 , 21:18

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Rishi Sunak should tell the Cabinet Office to give the hearing what it wants (Image: PA)

Setting up a Covid public inquiry then denying it potentially crucial information smacks of sparing political blushes.

If he had nothing to hide, Rishi Sunak would instruct the Cabinet Office to give the hearing everything it wants – including his and Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and diaries.

Anything less than full co-operation and openness would insult the memory of the many thousands who died, and add to the anguish of those who survived the pandemic.

Learning lessons is vital and the embarrassment of ministers must be secondary to uncovering exactly what happened.

Most people appreciate that due to the unprecedented times, some decisions were simply wrong despite the best intentions.

Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade

Denying the hearing information is an insult to the victims of the pandemic (Getty Images)

But they also realise that rulers who didn’t follow the rules are afraid of transparency.

The public interest is served by them pub­­lishing, whether they’re later damned or not.

Police support

To leave people suffering mental health crises with nowhere to go would be a disaster for society.

Everybody understands why the Metropolitan Police and other forces are rebelling after being treated as a social services front line but the fact is that suddenly refusing to attend desperate calls would be a tragedy.

Successive Tory PMs failing to fulfil promises to significantly increase resources for mental health has led to unbearably long waits for appointments and an acute shortage of beds.

Leaving people suffering mental health crises with nowhere to go is a disaster (SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

We do need a plan to boost social services but until that is devised and implemented the police must continue responding, or the vacuum will be filled by heartache and deaths.

Dirty business

Hugely profitable privatised water companies discharging raw sewage into Windermere – and anywhere else in Britain – is a crime against our quality of life.

These dirty firms must clean up their acts immediately. Or far tougher regulation and restoring public ownership is the way forward.

Voice of the Mirror