Boris Johnson’s testimony to the Covid inquiry on Wednesday began with an apology to victims of the pandemic and their relatives, but when pressed to specify what he was apologising for, the former prime minister could not say. That tension between affected sincerity and evasion of responsibility characterised Mr Johnson’s appearance.
The function of the inquiry is not to solicit contrition but to establish facts. That task is hampered in Mr Johnson’s case by the disappearance of thousands of WhatsApp messages dating from the crucial period in early 2020 when vital decisions were being taken – or not taken. Mr Johnson’s explanation for this gap in the record was too garbled to be convincing.
