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Tony Kemp, David Head, David Plumpton, Robert Walker and Gillian Dalley respond to the Commons report into the government’s handling. of the pandemicIn recent months, ministers – when challenged over their handling of the Covid pandemic – have switched the conversation to their success in the vaccination programme and the number of deaths and serious illnesses this has prevented. Now we have a report that sheds light on just how catastrophic the Tory leadership has been during one of the most disastrous episodes in the history of this country (Covid response ‘one of UK’s worst ever public health failures’, 12 October).The report, led by two former Conservative ministers, one of whom, Jeremy Hunt, was health secretary from 2012 to 2018, was damning of this government in so many respects, but stopped short of pointing the finger of blame at any individuals. Why? Could it be to do with the fact that, after years of NHS cuts under his tenure, Hunt is not prepared to share the blame for the NHS being overwhelmed? Continue reading...