He has given evidence to a committee. Johnson not fit to be Prime Minister, Hancock incompetent.
And has said that in retrospect the Government was too slow to react, and basically the whole system was failing. And fundamental mistakes were made in just about every aspect. He has claimed that Hancock is incompetent and should have been fired.
Cummings role is interesting. He was basically Mr.Brexit (I think?), he made a dreadful error with Barnard Castle, and seems like a total Pratt. But he was supported by Johnson, so criticism of Cummings is also a criticism of Johnson. Is he believable? it certainly sounded like he had evidence of some sort for many of his claims.
There seems to be a feeling (at the moment) that non of this matters as long as the vaccine rollout continues and there is no new surge. However there are too many deaths and problems for the NHS to cope with for years to come, to brush it under the carpet. Whilst some leeway can be allowed for the early days of the pandemic (but really not much) – it was not you or me making the decisions but a government with access to all the statistics, to evidence from other places around the world, to advice from experts. Except that following Brexit experts have been discredited, and politics and personal ratings were more important than the lives of the old, the ill, the poor, the non-white.
However he did also praise Rishi Sunak for the furlough scheme and financial management, and also Dominic Robb at the Foreign Office.
The only surpriseI have was that the accusation of incompetence was limited to Johnson and Hancock. At least Cummings had the balls to say sorry for his own mistakes and lack of meaningful action. Oh for a political at the moment to come clean and admit they got it, not a bit wrong, but disastrously wrong. And they are still doing it – can no one advise them on public relations? Is it too much to hope for a judgement day regarding the management of this virus will be held, individuals will be held responsible and sacked if necessary. Financial fraud should be criminally prosecuted.
And Hancock to speak to Parliament this morning – my guess is total denial, praise of vaccine and stop harping on!
And a further issue. A nurse was refused access to the plane to visit her mother in Dublin. She works for the NHS and had been tested with the correct test – but the government requires the test to have been carried out by a private company (at great cost). Evil and corrupt.