Expectations are low for Boris Johnson at the Covid inquiry

Boris Johnson will be led into the Covid inquiry this morning like a condemned man. We have all seen enough of this inquiry to know the line of questioning he will receive: one that will try to portray him as a bumbling fool who rejected scientific advice to lock down, killing many thousands of people in the process. He will also be presented as a callous individual who allegedly said it didn’t matter if elderly people died because they had had their time. Johnson’s enemies will just regret that Brexit can’t be added to the list of charges against him.

With expectations so low, it is only natural that he will over-deliver, reminding people of the great communicator he is and why he once enjoyed mass popularity. If he does as he is reportedly planning to, and starts asking the inquiry why it is not looking into the harms caused by lockdowns he will be doing the country a big favour. 

In doing so, Boris would be explaining why, by implication, he was so reluctant to close schools and enforce social distancing through legal sanctions.