Bereaved family members whose loved ones died of Covid have gathered in west London as the first public hearings in the inquiry into the government’s response to the pandemic began, more than three years after the virus was first reported in Wuhan, China.
Dressed in red and holding photographs of their those lost to the virus, members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group stood outside Dorland House in Paddington on Tuesday and spoke emotionally of the government’s failings during the pandemic, which has claimed more than 227,000 lives in the UK.
“The public really needs to know that we weren’t given this inquiry, we fought for this inquiry,” said 55-year-old Charlie Williams from Birmingham, who has campaigned with the group since its early beginnings.
In 2021, Boris Johnson first announced a loose timeframe for launching a full public inquiry. Two years later, three prime ministers, along with numerous cabinet ministers and senior civil servants, are among up to 70 witnesses likely to contribute to the first module, looking at the country’s resilience to and preparedness for the pandemic, in the coming weeks.
The proceedings are starting amid a dispute between the government and the inquiry over the disclosure of ministers’ unredacted texts and other documents. The Cabinet Office has argued such a release would set a precedent for serving ministers and there have been calls for the chair of the inquiry to resign if the government succeeds in its high court attempt to limit its powers.
The inquiry has set up a listening exercise called “Every Story Matters”, allowing people to share their experiences. But only one of more than 6,000 members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice campaign group has been called as a witness for the first module, prompting concerns that the account will not be representational nor the evidence heard comprehensive.
“It’s to remind the country what happened and we need answers, we’ve got to learn the lessons,” said Williams. His 85-year-old father, Vernute, was one of 27 people who died after positive Covid patients from a local hospital were relocated to his Coventry care home.
“We are going to be fighting all the way for transparency and honesty as we have from day one,” he said.
Rabinder Sherwood, 50, stood outside the inquiry holding a photograph of her parents, who died in January 2021 within 10 days of each other as a result, she says, of a “decision-making matrix” the government issued to hospitals across the country.
“They’ve gone, and so all I have is to fight to make sure our voices are heard,” said Sherwood tearfully. Her parents were denied intensive care, she said, and “Do Not Attempt Resuscitation” notices were imposed without the family’s consent.
While she supports the inquiry, she worries that if they hear from only one campaigner, it will not be comprehensive and mistakes will happen again.
Referring to the dispute over disclosures to the inquiry, she said: “Just give the inquiry the material they’ve asked for, you are hurting us all by holding on to it and it’s just so distasteful. What have they got to hide?
“Please don’t hold this up any further than it needs to be. We fought for two years to get this far, please just don’t delay it any further.”
While Mark Blackburn, 55 also supports the inquiry, he said it cannot be a “pleasing exercise”. Standing outside with a photograph of his parents, he said he attended to ensure the group’s presence was felt, and their calls for transparency heard.
“What this country wants is transparent, honest politics,” said Blackburn. “What we want is for politicians in this country to make decisions on what the people want first, rather than thinking about how it might affect their reputation before they make the decision,” he said.
After a routine operation at the beginning of the pandemic, his father returned home feeling unwell and without being tested for Covid-19. Six days later he was returned to hospital and died. Within 15 days, his mother also died.
“You could call that state murder,” said Blackburn who was unable to visit them in hospital. A funeral was held for both of his parents, with six people in attendance due to restrictions at the time.
“It might have been easier if I was holding my mum’s hand and she was shot, because I said goodbye to her on a Facetime call, in mask.”
