Global Courant
Members of Britain’s first public commission of inquiry into the response to Covid-19 have today urged the government to tell the truth after an attempt to ban the release of the dossier.
“If we don’t get to the truth, we won’t have the recommendations to save lives and everything will have gone to waste,” said Elkan Abrahamson, the lawyer representing the families of the victims of Covid-19.
The British government said last week that it will legally challenge the release of investigative documents into its handling of the Covid pandemic.
Government officials have announced they are seeking a judicial review of Judge Heather Hallett’s order to hand over all correspondence.
In particular, they object to the publication of unedited messages on the WhatsApp network, and the notes of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Johnson has been criticized during the health emergency for a negligent response to the high death toll.
Ministers are also accused of awarding contracts to supply protective equipment and cure Covid to their friends and clients, in violation of government guidelines.
In a letter to Judge Hallett, it is said: “The Cabinet requests a judicial review.”
“We do this with regret and with the assurance of full cooperation with the investigation according to the jurisdiction of the courts.”
The letter adds that if the reassessment is won, it will consider “banning the publication of messages and documents that are not related to the case under investigation, such as personal communications of members of the government.”
But Hallett says it is her duty to decide on investigations and accuses the government of trying to cover up the facts./AFP/
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