Timing of a public inquiry into covid-19

Seven people lost their  lives in the train crash at Southall on 19th of September, 1997.   Many others were injured.

At Ladbroke Grove, on 5th of October, 1999, there was a crash in which 31 people lost their lives and many others were injured.    

There was a common cause, namely the lack of protection against trains proceeding through red lights. That meant that there was a danger which the travelling public faced.

There was great public concern about the extent of deaths and injuries.

But no-one suggested that we wait until all possible deaths from unprotected train travel had occurred before holding a Public Inquiry . Indeed such a later Inquiry then would have had much less significance since the major cause would have been eliminated

Professor Uff and Lord Cullen worked separately  and then together to make recommendations  as soon as possible – published  in 2001 in Lord Cullen’s case

The need to learn lessons was taken seriously.   

Reasons for proceeding with a  Public Inquiry into the handling of Covid  now  include (1) so that there is opportunity to apply the lessons as soon as possible (2) to learn lessons before memories dim – Matt Hancock has already forgotten about running out of PPE last year .

Of course the government doesn't want a Public Inquiry. They are already facing a National Audit Office report which is quite scathing in terms of the “associates” contracting for PPE which will have cost lives; If you procure the wrong product, then somebody doesn't have the right product, and is at risk of catching covid-19, and in the worst case of dying from it

The government is wrong to continually postpone the Public Inquiry and say that lessons can be learned later but not now.     

Start it within a month, please, Prime Minister

               

               

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