MPs and peers fear the Covid Inquiry has already decided lockdowns were not hard enough
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The Covid Inquiry appears to have already decided lockdown was “necessary”, a group of MPs and peers have told Rishi Sunak.
The group, which includes Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former Tory leader, said the inquiry has so far been almost exclusively focused on whether pandemic interventions should have been implemented “harder, sooner and for longer”.
In the latest attack on the public inquiry’s impartiality, they suggested it had failed to consider whether there was any alternative to lockdown to deal with the crisis.
The scathing comments come in a letter sent to Mr Sunak on Wednesday and signed by more than 20 MPs, peers and scientific experts, demanding he intervenes to change the official scope of the inquiry.
They are calling on the Prime Minister to ensure the harms of lockdowns and school closures are properly considered, and that censorship of critics by the Government’s secret disinformation unit – previously revealed by the Telegraph – is examined.
The letter, whose signatories include Lord Frost and Lord Goldsmith, also asks Mr Sunak to take action to ensure witnesses are treated fairly, following accusations of bias against lockdown sceptics
The Covid Inquiry declined to comment on the letter but has previously strongly rejected any suggestion it has predetermined its findings.
The letter reads: “The inquiry is creating the impression – reflected in extensive print media and social media commentaries – of having predetermined that lockdowns were necessary, proportionate and justified, notwithstanding the very extensive documented harms they have caused, and continue to cause.
“On numerous occasions the inquiry appears to have failed to consider whether there was any alternative to the lockdowns that were imposed on this country and has instead appeared to be almost exclusively focused on whether lockdowns should have been implemented harder, sooner and for longer.”
They also note that the selection of witnesses “has given the impression that the inquiry has consistently selected and favoured those who supported lockdown policies”.
Prof Carl Heneghan, an Oxford academic who has previously given evidence, has accused the inquiry of giving witnesses “differential treatment”.
“It is critical that the very significant public expense of the inquiry is not wasted, and that the inquiry adopts an inquisitive open-minded approach to its proceedings so that lessons can genuinely be learned, rather than appearing to be predetermined,” the letter to the Prime Minister adds.
It was organised by children’s rights campaign group UsForThem, which last week wrote to Baroness Hallett, the inquiry’s chairman, saying it may bring a judicial review against any final findings if the course of the inquiry is not corrected.
The other signatories are Ian Paisley, Sammy Wilson, Sir Desmond Swayne, Sir Robert Syms, Philip Davies, Miriam Cates, Chris Gree , Danny Kruger, Baroness Foster, Baroness Fox, Lord Moylan, Lord Strathcarron, Lord Robathan, Prof Karol Sikora, Prof David Paton and Prof David Livermore.
Molly Kingsley, the group’s founder, told The Telegraph: “Apparent pre-determinations during its hearings, and its persistent failure to address the central question – were the immense, certain harms of lockdowns and interventions proportionate to the actual and perceived benefits of those policies – are compromising this inquiry.
“Worse than just a huge waste of money, on its current trajectory the inquiry risks setting us up to repeat catastrophic errors. It must either course-correct, or be abandoned.”
A spokesman for the inquiry previously said: “The UK Covid-19 Inquiry rejects any suggestion that it has pre-determined its findings.
“The inquiry is entirely independent and Baroness Hallett has made clear that she will not reach any conclusion until she has considered all of the evidence.
“The inquiry will be considering important issues such as the impact of lockdowns and the impact of the pandemic on children and young people, the care sector, as well as business and procurement in due course. Our modular approach is clearly set out on our website.”
