A large number of men and women from the bereaved families had gathered outside the anonymous Covid inquiry building in west London long before the proceedings were due to start. But not quite early enough. Boris Johnson had sneaked in shortly before seven in the morning. So brave. Always willing to stand by the decisions he made. Always willing to stand up and be counted. To look his accusers in the eye.
Heather Hallett, the inquiry chair, got things under way with a rebuke. Witnesses were not supposed to clear the path by briefing details of their defence to newspapers before their appearance. Johnson looked amazed. He had no idea how so much had been leaked to friendly sources. It was completely baffling. Nothing to do with him. Maybe these political editors were telepathic. Nor did he have a clue why so many of his allies had been writing pieces trashing the inquiry in the past few days. God moves in mysterious ways.
