"Inquiry reveals Boris Johnson's belief that elderly individuals ought to accept their fate amidst Covid, witnesses say"

During the Covid inquiry, it was revealed that Boris Johnson agreed with some Conservative MPs who believed that Covid was "nature's way of dealing with old people". This allegation came from diary entries made by former chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance. Dominic Cummings, a former adviser, testified that the government had no plan and was in a state of "complete chaos". Offensive messages sent by Cummings about cabinet ministers and top officials were also shown. Lee Cain, the former communications director for No 10, described the pandemic as the "wrong crisis" for Johnson and stated that he was a challenging character to work with due to his indecisiveness. The government's handling of the Covid crisis was further exposed through candid testimony by former advisers. Diary entries from Sir Patrick highlighted his frustrations in dealing with Johnson. In these entries, Sir Patrick wrote that Johnson was "obsessed with older people accepting their fate" and agreed with the idea that Covid was nature's way of dealing with old people. Brenda Doherty, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, expressed her shock and dismay at reading Johnson's messages. She held him personally responsible for the high death toll in the UK. Johnson's spokesman has not yet commented on the evidence presented at the hearings, but he claimed Johnson is fully cooperating with the inquiry. Both Johnson and his successor Rishi Sunak will provide evidence to the inquiry later this year. During the inquiry, Mr Cain emphasized Johnson's indecisiveness as a significant factor in the delayed crisis response. Mr Cain stated that he found Johnson's style of operating exhausting and believed that the prime minister was not up to the task of handling the pandemic. In his testimony, Cummings did not hold back as he criticized the government's incompetence during the pandemic. He apologized for his offensive language but argued that the real issue was the "dysfunctional system" within the Cabinet Office. Cummings highlighted the lack of planning and neglect of vulnerable people, such as victims of domestic abuse, during the national lockdown. The Covid inquiry will continue with further testimonies scheduled for the coming days.