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Boris Johnson’s indecisiveness led to lockdown delays, Covid inquiry hears

The prime minister’s ‘oscillating’ was partly to blame for a 10-day delay in announcing a national lockdown

Boris Johnson’s indecisiveness led to lockdown delays, Covid inquiry hears
Lee Cain, who served as Downing Street director of communications under Boris Johnson, heading to the Covid inquiry on 31 October | Carl Court/Getty Images
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Boris Johnson’s inability to make decisions “significantly impacted the pace and clarity of decision-making” in the early days of the pandemic, his former communications director told the Covid inquiry today.

Lee Cain, who worked for Johnson in 2020, said the then prime minister “oscillated” over whether to lock down for ten days after a meeting between senior government figures decided it was both essential and inevitable.

Attendees to the meeting, which took place on 14 March 2020, included Cain, Johnson, and Johnson’s special adviser, Dominic Cummings.