Covid Inquiry: Government Short Cummings?
Newscast
10/31/23
•39m
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Figures at the centre of the government decisions during the coronavirus pandemic give evidence to the UK Covid-19 inquiry.
First up was Lee Cain, who was a senior aide to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Then it was Dominic Cummings, who was Mr Johnson’s chief adviser until he resigned in late 2020.
The inquiry heard the pandemic was the wrong crisis for Boris Johnson’s skillset, the government had “no plan” to help vulnerable people in lockdown and diary entries also read out suggest Mr Johnson believed old people should get the virus to protect others.
To talk us through the latest revelations, Adam is joined by Chris Mason and former Downing Street Director of Communications, Guto Harri.
And, Adam meets with Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Michelle Donelan, to look ahead to this week’s AI Safety Summit.
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere
Today's Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Chris Gray with Alex Collins, Gemma Roper and Sam McLaren. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The editors are Jonathan Aspinwall and Sam Bonham.
Previous Episode
WhatsAppening at the Covid Inquiry?
October 30, 2023
•34m
It was a day of explosive evidence and revealing WhatsApp messages at today’s session of the Covid inquiry.
First up was former senior civil servant Martin Reynolds, who apologised “unreservedly” for organising BYOB lockdown parties. He also faced questions on why messages in a WhatsApp group of government officials were ‘set to disappear’.
He was then followed by another aide, Imran Shafi, who said he thought Boris Johnson had questioned why the economy was being destroyed "for people who will die anyway soon".
To talk us through the latest findings from the Covid inquiry, Adam and Chris are joined by BBC health reporter Jim Reed and the Institute for Government’s Dr Catherine Haddon.
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere Today's Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by George Dabby with Gemma Roper and Alex Collins. The technical producer was Gareth Jones. The senior news editors are Sam Bonham and Jonathan Aspinwall.
Next Episode
Why Were Women 'Invisible' During Covid?
November 1, 2023
•35m
It’s been another extraordinary day of testimony at the Covid Inquiry. Wednesday’s session began with Helen MacNamara, a top official at Downing Street during the height of the pandemic. She described a “macho” culture at No 10 in which women “became invisible overnight”.
She also said she’d struggle to pick “a single day” in which Covid restrictions were followed and recalled meetings at which people were “laughing at the Italians” in the early days of the crisis.
Adam’s joined once again by the BBC’s health reporter Jim Reed and Dr Catherine Haddon from the Institute for Government to unpack today’s evidence.
And, as the UK AI Summit gets underway, we speak to the BBC’s technology editor Zoe Kleinman after her interview with Rishi Sunak on the day the UK unveiled a global agreement on how to manage the riskiest forms of AI.
You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere
Today's Newscast was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by George Dabby with Gemma Roper and Sam McLaren. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The senior news editors are Jonathan Aspinwall and Sam Bonham.
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