Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched a fierce counterattack against the latest findings of the official Covid-19 inquiry, calling the report “completely incomprehensible” and accusing investigators of failing to answer the most crucial questions about the pandemic.
In a blistering statement posted on social media — and an op-ed in the Daily Mail — Johnson insisted that the nation is still debating “what went wrong” more than three years after the crisis subsided.
Inquiry Slams “Chaotic” Government Response
The report, led by retired judge Heather Hallett, delivered a scathing verdict on Johnson’s leadership during the pandemic. It accused his government of moving too slowly, lacking urgency, and imposing the first national lockdown far too late.
Britain, which locked down later than most European nations, suffered one of the highest Covid-19 death tolls in Europe, exceeding 128,500 deaths by mid-July 2021. Families who lost loved ones are now demanding that Johnson be stripped of all privileges granted to former prime ministers.
The group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK accused Johnson of “one of the most serious betrayals of the British public in modern history.”
Johnson Pushes Back: “We Did Our Best Under Impossible Conditions”
Johnson responded by acknowledging mistakes but defended the overall effort of his government.
“We all tried our very best, in extremely difficult circumstances, to make the right decisions and save lives,” he wrote.
But he blasted Thursday’s report as confused and contradictory, particularly its assessment of lockdowns — describing them as both devastating and necessary.
According to Johnson, the inquiry fails to answer two essential questions:
- Where did the virus actually come from?
- Were lockdowns worth the massive cost the country paid?
He also argued that imposing restrictions earlier than late March 2020 would have contradicted scientific advice at the time, which warned that the public might “tire of restrictions” if introduced too soon.
A Nation Still Reckoning With Its Pandemic Past
The clash between Johnson and the inquiry underscores the unresolved tensions surrounding Britain’s Covid-19 response. As public anger lingers and families seek accountability, Johnson continues to fight for his political legacy — while the official investigation pushes a narrative of government failure.
The debate over lockdowns, leadership, and responsibility is far from over. And for millions in the U.K., the wounds of the pandemic remain painfully fresh.