Overview
- Johnson told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry that children paid a “huge, huge price” and that the loss of education was a disaster he regrets.
- He denied a systemic failure to plan for potential school shutdowns, saying he assumed the Department for Education was preparing contingencies from February 2020.
- Former education secretary Gavin Williamson and senior DfE figures have testified there was no timely, commissioned planning, creating a sharp contradiction.
- Johnson acknowledged the 2020 exam grading model failed many pupils and confirmed WhatsApp messages showing he considered sacking Williamson over the fiasco.
- He said school closures should be a last resort in any future pandemic, suggested children might have been exempted from some rules, apologized for mistakes, and noted the January 2021 closure decision could have been taken sooner.