Quite a few serious people have suggested a public inquiry would be a good idea. THREAD.
Sadiq Khan: "This pandemic must be a wake-up call for our country and the Government’s current review is not enough... A public inquiry is crucial to ensure that communities are properly involved and to help build trust and confidence in its findings." london.gov.uk/press-releases…
The BMA Chair: "A tragic consequence of this... virus has been the increasing number of our colleagues who have lost their lives from contracting the infection, and what is more alarming is that so far 94% of those doctors have come from a BAME background" bma.org.uk/advice-and-sup…
The GMB Union: "An inquiry will provide key findings and offer clear recommendations for systemic or transformational change around the role of the public sector and race equality in Britain" gmb.org.uk/news/bame-brit…
Jermain Jackman: "Covid-19 is clearly now one of the biggest issues in post-war history, directing a spotlight on race and health inequalities.”
Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK: "the group was calling for a swift inquiry into the response to the pandemic so far to stop the government from continuing to make the same mistakes."
theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/m…
theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/m…
70 British BAME Figures: "Only an independent public inquiry will provide the answers we need. Such an inquiry is essential for all, especially for those who have lost loved ones as a result of the pandemic." nasuwt.org.uk/uploads/assets…
Professor Dame Anne Glover: "Faced with the potential of a second wave this winter, compounded with seasonal flu, we now need an urgent and independent public inquiry to ensure we all learn the lessons while we still have time to prepare.” mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
Professor Martin McKee: "We clearly failed in the first wave and, with the possibility of a second wave come winter, we must make every effort to learn the lessons and be better prepared...
Professor Martin McKee (continued): "The public inquiry must be fast, independent and transparent to ensure we never again allow our NHS and care workers – and all key workers – to fight this battle without the adequate support and protection." mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
Lord Kerslake: "There will need to be some sort of inquiry after we get through this to learn lessons,” “This is one where we might face the same situation again." theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
Dame Una O'Brien DCB, Former Department of Health permanent secretary: "work on a covid-19 inquiry must start now and will need innovation on a previously unimaginable scale." hsj.co.uk/free-for-non-s…
Dianne Abbott MP: "Yet another example of how #coronavirus has hit black people harder. Urgent need for an independent public inquiry into Covid and the BAME community"
Clive Lewis MP: "Public health isn’t just scientific affair. It’s undermined by the marginalisation, stress and poverty of race discrimination. A public inquiry into this will help address and guide the necessary post-pandemic social settlement"
Layla Moran: "Another devastating piece by @thesundaytimes. Underlines why a public inquiry into COVID is necessary ASAP >> 22 days of dither and delay on coronavirus that cost thousands of British lives"
The Doctors Association: "Almost 100,000 angry people have signed an open letter to Boris Johnson demanding a public inquiry into NHS staff deaths and appalling shortages of personal protective equipment during the Covid-19 crisis."
The PCS Union: "PCS backs call for inquiry into impact of Covid-19 on black workers. Black and minority ethnic groups are more than 4x times as likely to die from Covid-19 compared to people of white ethnicity."
Stephen Morgan MP:
The TUC: "Public inquiry needed over “grotesque failure” of planning on PPE" tuc.org.uk/news/public-in…
Sam Smethers, CEO of the Fawcett Society: ""@fawcettsociety has joined calls for a public inquiry. The fact that the govt has removed refs to structural racism in the PHE report is v worrying & counter-productive."
Bob Hudson Professor at the Centre for Health Services Studies: "A policy scandal of epic proportions: Why a public inquiry into adult social care and COVID-19 is necessary": blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpol…
Merris Amos Prof of Human Rights Law: "An Article 2 compliant inquiry should have started months ago, as soon as disproportionate impact was identified. Why is the response always too little too late?"
Stand up to Racism: "Now more and more people are demanding an independent inquiry, and Diane Abbott has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM)" standuptoracism.org.uk/lobby-your-mp-…
Fr. Patrick Pullicino, a neurologist" If we really want to move ahead, it has to be independent and people have to ask: why were the elderly treated in this way?" mattersindia.com/2020/05/cathol…
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, described an inquiry as “inevitable and the right thing to do” independent.co.uk/news/health/co…
Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, told The Independent: “There are clearly issues of real importance and questions to answer, and it would seem pretty logical that a public inquiry is a very good way of answering those questions." independent.co.uk/news/health/co…
Professor Ravi Mahajan, president of the Royal College of Anaesthetists: "With the UK currently having the highest death toll in Europe, it is critical that lessons are learned from how we all prepared for and responded to this pandemic." independent.co.uk/news/health/co…
Unite Union: "Inquiry needed as low paid workers at greatest risk of COVID-19 deaths" unitetheunion.org/news-events/ne…
Lord Truscott: "My Lords, never in the field of human suffering has the incompetence of a few caused the death of so many in our country. There must be a public inquiry into the Government’s handling of Covid-19" hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2020-05-…
Rachel Reeves: ""Black and minority ethnic Britons are disproportionately at risk. We need a public inquiry into that, which Baroness Lawrence called for today, and we need urgent action to protect the most vulnerable from this virus." hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-0…
This is but a sample of the many, many leading politicians, academics, professional bodies and others that have called for a public inquiry.
We at @GoodLawProject agree. Having a public inquiry one day is not enough. To be meaningful it must have sensible terms of reference; be independent, by which we mean not led by a handpicked civil servant; and be soon - we need to learn lessons before a second or third wave.
All of this is why, some time ago, and alongside @TheDA_UK, we wrote to the Government pointing out its legal obligation to hold one. (Letter here: crowdjustice.com/case/too-many-…)
We have since been joined by @wearehourglass_, a UK wide charity dedicated to calling time on the harm and abuse of older people, as a co-claimant. And @martinmckee and Michael Tun (theguardian.com/society/2020/a…) have given evidence in support.
And that is why, earlier today, we issued judicial review proceedings against the Government which is, we think, in breach of legal obligations to hold that inquiry. Please support us here: crowdjustice.com/case/too-many-…
