Who needs an Inquiry?

It’s weird, watching Sunak and Johnson perform their obscure dance around how much information they are prepared to release to the Covid inquiry. Johnson’s clearly enjoying this new role in which he’s in favour of total transparency, but it’s Sunak who se the inquiry up. Doesn’ he think its chair is equipped to decide what is and isn’t relevant? and how much longer will it be before she tires of this childish game of bluff and walks away?

As a poliical stunt, it is of course trivial. But we need to remind ourselves what inquiries are for. inquiries are wha happenbs when something goes seriously wrong, and neds to be sorted out. Bloody Sunday, Iraq, Windrush, Grenfell…Ring any bells? That’s what a serious government resorts to when on reflection they realise they might have got it wrong, and need the help of someone rational, supported by considerable resources, to clarify what went wrong and try to put it right.

But Sunak, we already know, is not that kind of government. After the fiasco of Windrush, Wendy Williams produced a searing, thorough report on the mistakes made and the corrrective measures required. Even Priti Patel conceded hat this was an impressive piece of work, and resolved to implement all its recommendations. But then came Sunak, outsourcing the Home Office to the whims of Suella Braverman. She took ne look at the Williams report and decided it wasn’t for her. Nah, she said. “It’s not set in stone.” If you’re waiting for Rishi Sunak to do the right thing, don’t hold your breath.