Gove Apologises for Government's COVID-19 Mistakes at Inquiry

Former chancellor defends Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock, criticises Cabinet Office, and suggests virus may have been 'man-made'

Michael Gove, former chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, apologised for the government's mistakes during the COVID-19 pandemic at the ongoing inquiry, stating that the UK was too slow to enter lockdown in early 2020 and again in the autumn when the virus resurged.
Gove defended former health secretary Matt Hancock, insisting 'too much was asked' of his department at the beginning of the pandemic.
He also defended Boris Johnson against claims of dithering and dysfunctionality, stating that restricting people's freedoms went 'deeply against his instincts'.
Gove suggested that the country was unprepared to deal with COVID-19 and part of the problem could be because the virus may have been 'man-made'.
He criticised the Cabinet Office, stating that it was not equipped to deal with a crisis and was 'flawed'.