The inquiry has determined that the Scottish government placed excessive dependence on UK ministers to guide the response to the Covid-19 pa...
The inquiry has determined that the Scottish government placed excessive dependence on UK ministers to guide the response to the Covid-19 pandemic and was "considerably unprepared" for the challenges ahead.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry concluded that the actions taken by each of the four UK governments in response to the virus "consistently reflected a situation of 'too little, too late'."
It claims that stringent lockdowns might have been prevented if voluntary measures and social distancing had been implemented sooner — and that thousands of lives could have been preserved with quicker response.
And it mentions that there was a "lack of confidence" between officials in Edinburgh and London, which influenced the way decisions were made.
The findings from Baroness Hallett, the head of the inquiry, criticize the "toxic and disorganized environment" within the UK government under Boris Johnson's leadership.
Although it acknowledges Nicola Sturgeon as a "serious and diligent leader," it points out the former first minister's conflicts with Johnson and her method of making decisions in a limited circle.
Lady Hallett admitted that leaders "were faced with difficult decisions" and "had to choose under intense pressure."
She stated, "In case of a future crisis, leaders from each of the four countries should strive to reduce political disagreements and focus on collaborative efforts for the benefit of the public."
The document, spanning over 760 pages, goes through the events of the pandemic one by one, analyzing political choices.
It mentions that all four countries did not implement more urgent emergency measures in early 2020, as the Covid-19 virus started to spread globally.
The Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish devolved governments are criticized for being "overly dependent on the UK government to guide the response," and for "not sufficiently carrying out their own preparations."
It mentions that the Scottish government lacked a genuine plan between January and March, with only tracking the virus's spread as their main focus.
The report concludes that when the potential for a lockdown was initially discussed throughout the UK, it was already too late and had become inevitable.
It claims that 23,000 fatalities might have been prevented in England alone if comprehensive restrictions had been implemented seven days earlier.
Baroness Hallett ultimately supported the decisions made by governments to enforce a compulsory lockdown – however, she stated that this "only became unavoidable due to the actions and failures of the four governments".
And she stated that the repetition of these errors later in 2020 was "unforgivable."
After the mandatory restrictions were introduced at the end of March that year, the report states "none of the four governments had a plan for when or how they would leave the lockdown."
It mentions that the UK government adopted a "high-risk" strategy for lifting restrictions in England during that summer, while the slower approach taken in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland helped lower the likelihood of additional lockdowns.
The report also commends the Scottish government for "the rapid implementation of strict, area-specific measures" during the autumn of 2020.
In the end, an additional lockdown was implemented because of the emergence of a new virus variant, and the report states, "all four governments did not acknowledge this danger and did not act until infection rates became severe."
The document criticizes Boris Johnson's management, highlighting a "toxic and disorganized environment" within the heart of the UK administration.
There were regular political disputes between the Scottish and UK governments throughout the pandemic, with each side accusing the other of advancing political agendas.
Former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, stated that Scottish officials sometimes assessed decisions "through a political perspective" to determine if deviating from the UK's approach would support the push for independence.
In the meantime, Sturgeon frequently had conflicts with Johnson, asserting that his trip to Scotland in July 2020 was utilized "as a political campaign device" for the Union.
The investigation stated that it had discovered no proof that either government "let political factors influence their pandemic-related choices".
Nevertheless, it mentioned that the relationship between Sturgeon and her UK counterparts was "deteriorated," and that neither party had taken steps to enhance it.
It mentioned that the perception of political maneuvering "impeded intergovernmental relations at a crucial moment when trust between the administrations was essential."
The document commends Sturgeon as a "committed and hardworking leader who accepted accountability for her choices."
Nevertheless, it states that this implied ministers and advisors "were frequently left out of the decision-making process," with significant decisions often being taken "beyond the official government frameworks."
A "Gold Command" team consisting of Sturgeon and senior ministers and advisers – including her deputy John Swinney – frequently convened before Scottish cabinet meetings, with no official records kept.
Sturgeon informed the inquiry that these were "not meetings for making decisions" – however, the report disputes this claim, stating that the involvement of this informal group "undermined the role of the Scottish cabinet and decreased the openness of the decision-making process."
It emphasizes that the choice to close schools in Scotland was made exclusively by Sturgeon and Swinney — and claims that the cabinet "should not have been excluded" from this process.
The report indicated that the Scottish cabinet ultimately approved decisions taken elsewhere instead of serving as the "final decision-making authority" — unlike the Welsh government's approach, where the cabinet was "fully involved throughout the pandemic" and choices were reached through agreement.
It also acknowledges that Sturgeon led 98% of Scottish government briefings shared with the public, implying that distributing the responsibility of communication would "lower the chance of public division."
- Covid investigation to release findings on political choices made during the health crisis
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