Covid inquiry highlights: Gasps as Boris Johnson says evidence 'doesn't stack up'

Boris Johnson has launched an emotional defence of his leadership during the Covid pandemic, saying it was “simply not right” to say he didn’t care about people’s suffering.
Having come close to losing his own life to Covid, Mr Johnson appeared close to tears as he told the Covid Inquiry he knew from experience “what an appalling disease this is”.
His voice faltered as he recalled his time in hospital in April 2020 and he appeared to be welling up as he addressed Hugo Keith KC, counsel to the Inquiry.
#boris #politics #uk
Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now:
www.telegraph....
Get the latest headlines: www.telegraph....
Telegraph.co.uk and / telegraphtv are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.

[@marty1459]

The Telegraph must feel pretty embarrassed watching this, oh wait, no they won't because they are shameless cheerleaders of this clown.

[@tank-x7i]

I can think of another word for Telegraph beginning C but it isn`t cheerleaders !!!!!

[@nickybee3731]

Sadly, it's hard to describe them as anything else.

[@geowoo8884]

I fully understand..but my misery in this time is so dark..I cant think of a bright day. Sorry!

[@wills4794]

The Telegraph shamelessly promoted this incompetent, corrupt and lazy man , knowing full well how awful he is. Despicable media outlet .

[@jananders1351]

Ghastly individual that he is. He squirms and wriggles and obfuscates as ever. "I wish to just blame anybody and everybody but me"

[@SuperJim44]

Although he said clearly he takes full responsibility so mute point

[@spikeannoyed]

@@SuperJim44it’s just words… he says he takes responsibly…. Very easy to say. He hasn’t actually done it

[@jananders1351]

@@SuperJim44 except for anything that happened

[@slowloris1847]

​@@SuperJim44"Takes full responsibility", while taking no responsibility at all with every other action. It's a moot (not mute) point by the way - Johnson is unfortunately never silent (it might be the only way for his lying to stop).

[@brianhardy6919]

Ridiculous comment mate. "I don't believe your evidence stacks up" comes less than 5 mins after "I take full responsibility " - u really fell for this? 😂 ​@SuperJim44

[@petebrandon8164]

What an unkempt unprincipled liar he is. Shame on us that this was our Prime Minister for so long. Everlasting shame. And that he was protected by his cronies- shame on them. 😢

[@thomascatlow9281]

Shame on the people who voted for the self-serving corrupt tories .

[@davidbaxter4910]

AGREED. David Baxter.

[@davidrussell7105]

Never forget that the Telegraph were instrumental in the rise of Johnson. They knew who he was. They knew he was a liar and totally chaotic, and yet they still championed him.

[@FDCAFOK]

Even when he was London mayor. He's long been known as a liar.

[@tomatwalden]

What, the Torygraph !? 😂

[@janlievens6964]

Boris should be the 1st person sent to Rwanda

[@trevorhart545]

Poor Rwanda

[@veronicaasemota976]

I like him to be sent to our city, LIVERPOOL , without the bulletproof vest like the time he turned up here with a vest on and about 20 armed police around him

[@Ricimer671]

What a rotten thing to say! I am sure most Rwanda's are decent, hard working people!

[@danielokeefe2072]

The Rwanda bill will never be law and, terrifyingly, they know this. £300m and counting.

[@VSmithy]

❤

[@Brokout]

Remember that the billionaire owned Telegraph has been one of Johnson’s biggest supporters and still continue to fight daily for the tory party

[@johngovus2734]

He needs help best thing is to put him in prison where he can’t do anymore damage

[@heathermoore9892]

People need to grow up ,Boris was not to blame for all life’s lost, flue cause lots of deaths sadly can’t be avoided,as for people calling him names ,why didn’t they take relations home,and who would exspect to go into a hospital with coved on wards

[@badbooks476]

@johngovus. Here here & in prison he would be thrown around like a dogs toy

[@MrAlfafil]

And still he lies. He is sick and requires immediate psychiatric help.

[@gijgij4541]

Under the Mental Health Act 1983, psychopathic personality disorder is clearly differentiated from treatable psychiatric conditions.

[@willlawrence8756]

AT HIS AGE, best to get a pet and retire to a cottage in the hills, best therapy for him and everyone. Buy him some good books.....

[@eleanorclub]

⁠Covid brain...? Very likely.

[@alanmoss3603]

Nope, he's just evil!

[@gwynethbennellick427]

He just waffles on hoping the KC will lose the will to live.

[@Ese_osa]

I wonder how he will do when questioned about his trip to Ukraine to stop the peace truce

[@daydays12]

What peace truce??? And what has that, whatever it is, got to do with the covid pandemic enquiry?

[@themakerofmagic]

a lot of people in the UK don't know there was the opportunity for a truce. The Borris wanted his glory war...he certainly got it. Regime change in Russia was their objective.......................

[@davidfoster9890]

Someone needs to keep abreast methinks....

[@willlawrence8756]

shows his incapacity to be sensible...500,000 Ukrainians now dead/injured thanks to Boris!@@daydays12

[@S.Trades]

@@daydays12 it has a lot to do with his judgement and integrity.

[@johncopeland3826]

A complete load of Piffle alongside utter bollox ... Pifflox !

[@thevelocityispurezen]

Alexander Boris de Piffle Johnson and his Inverted Pyramid of Pifflox

[@keith890]

He not human 😡😡😡

[@davidruddock1422]

more sloping shoulder than a Wardrobe, everyone can see from his Situational awareness, He B Johnson, is searching his empty brain, he has no clue.

[@Peter-ud9bx]

Yes, he is thick. And a fake. His crocodile tears when talking about old people are disgusting.

[@GaryV-p3h]

What's the story lying Tory.

[@BboyCorrosive]

Eat out to help out was ridiculous, yeh let's all help the NHS and the economy by eating junk food at chain places.

[@christaubert2175]

Time for political accountability for all MPs in office.

[@josephjones1093]

I think they should allow the reaction from those affected so closely, not screaming or anything like that but gasps of despair should be allowed.

[@paulqueenan178]

What's wrong with this is , he is immune from prosecution 🤬

[@PeterCompson]

💯just a compulsive lier

[@AtlasCanTakeIt]

What's wrong with this is, The Telegraph platformed and championed this lying buffoon to the last, and many people in these comments probably voted for him. I hope they're ashamed of themselves.

[@shauncorless8965]

I've lied cheated all through my life I'm not stopping now 😮

[@Gorilla007-r6t]

Boris is so awesome and cuddly the way he tussles his hair and wears a cutsie bobble hat ! Adorable !! FFS 😡

[@user-dj3yv6je9n]

The representation to the public was compeltely contrary to any private conversation and that whats matters

[@daveg1683]

Narcissists in Power.... Humanity's worst idea ever? 🤔

[@HarduntheRanger]

He's not getting emotional, he's desperately trying to figure out how to lie out of this one

[@gijgij4541]

He don't like it up him, Mr Mainwaring...

[@davidharris5736]

He did at the italian bunga bunga party.

[@peterhagan8454]

does he mean his own father should die as he has had his time as well, what a regrettable individual

[@johnmc3862]

Incredible that this guy isn’t in jail.

[@tirednsleepy44]

Love how he blames civil servants but no mention of MP’s

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

Someone needs prison .....

[@fasteddy664]

He should be locked up

[@maddogg1987]

God, I love how uncomfortable he is!

[@brianmacadam4793]

BOJO is quite an actor

[@S.Trades]

This must be the first time johnson has struggled to tell lies!

[@Lreserved]

What is it with people putting the waterworks on? So shallow.

[@Bobby-xr4bo]

Get him wired up to a truth detector then question him

[@josephinebennington7247]

How does such a contraption differ from a lie detector?

[@rosssimpson6268]

Wouldn't work - lying is part of his normal speech!

[@keithfowler2013]

A fine example of a private education 😂😂😂😂😂

[@nathanb2882]

I’m not defending him, but we got off far more lightly than many other countries like Canada, New Zealand and Australia for example. Nobody was forced to take vaccines here, which is one thing that has aged very well. I can’t be the only person surrounded by people who are sick and dying at the moment. 11 people who I know personally so far this year, and I’m not including several elderly I know who have died just in case they died of natural causes. So the real number is far higher. Either I’m living a disproportionate anomaly right now, or people are in denial.

[@nickclarke-hands5535]

Throw away the key , he couldn't run a bath !

[@iainhair6888]

Shocking he is trying not to smirk when answering,appears therefore to be lying !!

[@Steve-yr1bv]

build back better 666

[@WotsisFace]

😶

[@paulwalker1793]

The government then under Johnson. And this government now do not care. It's time they went

[@eamonnleyden7040]

Just love the faces of the law staff sitting behind trying not to laugh at him.

[@johnsime4644]

Why are there so may staff watching?

[@graemecatty9921]

And politicians wonder why they're held in such low regard.

[@dotgovdotbollox]

Arrest THAT man

[@sue1034]

why does it look like they are sat in a green room??? 🤣

[@flowerpower7288]

When will these heartless reptiles face criminal proceedings?

[@ritawing1064]

"Segment the most vulnerable"...ouch!

[@1967clem]

"Let the virus rip" a common phrase.....??? Maybe in is circles it was said, but out in the real world we were doing our best to avoid spreading it. What does that tell us about him and the people around him...? 😧

[@macpac22]

Should be in jail. All of them got off with zero punishment. Farce.

[@48Trebor]

How on earth does he remember that he forgot

[@BR-qf3wq]

Take him to the Tower

[@davidgreen7849]

What are all those folk sitting behind actually doing ? Anyone know ?

[@Mrrossj01]

Boris. A politician. His lips are moving. We should all remember that the virus did rip, right through this joke.

[@WO2Royalengineersretired]

What the bloody hell is he on about?

[@donnahetherington3170]

Well his best mate daves back

[@pygmalion1963]

Criminal Negligence

[@Kiltoonie]

He's hopeless: a decent leader like Churchill or Thatcher would have 'Let it rip' and be damned.

[@rossspenser8314]

Fool

[@kitschkub1379]

Is the guy at 5:14 wearing a Mike from Monsters inc tie?

[@Anigmama]

He blusters and stutters, checking each lie as he utters it.

[@davie12]

He's at a whole new level of inarticulate.

[@ChangesOneTim]

The usual bluster, balderdash and bollocks that we quickly came to expect from the man. At least he didn't try to alter his tone or look any less insincere in front of the inquiry chair and her KC.

[@karenjakobsen3607]

Passing the buck, lying, not accepting responsibility, continued denial. "It wasnae me" "it was that big boy there". Pathetic.

[@worldofameiso5491]

When he said 'let it rip they've had a good innings', did he include his own father in that group?

[@willowtree9291]

I was thinking the same.

[@flux3744]

Why aren’t we questioning tony Blair about Iraq like we are Boris about this?…

[@andrewbravery5114]

Chilcott inquiry happened a while back. Now we're onto this human failure

[@TinaButcher-r6m]

Already had many months of daily enquiry into that, do try to keep up

[@michaelmyers3709]

Because the covid disaster is more current and relevant.

[@pelcenglishcourses1841]

Bring back Cameron.

[@macmcc3201]

Another clown😂

[@peterrat100]

This man is so arrogant that he believes that because he’s saying it, it’s the truth.

[@ashleystyles6888]

NICK CLEGG IS SECURITY DIRECTOR AT META AND HE HAS THE MESSAGES

[@CeeGilesy]

So! When will the Tech guys retrieve the "MISSING" WhatsApp messages?

[@airpixelsuk]

Difficult to watch.

[@PureMadMetal]

Boris what a political plonker, this just lays bare the arrogance of this man's government.

[@lee19111981]

How about having an inquiry in to excess deaths !!!!

[@shymillz6356]

Sadly we are going to lose the elderly, is not what I expected to hear from someone who cares. I am most concerned for the wellbeing of the most vulnerable and will do everything possible to keep them safe is what someone who cares is most likely to say. He know that the elderly was going to die because its one of the covert plans.

[@user-dj3yv6je9n]

There was no forsight or desire to harm anyone just that

[@geowoo8884]

Parlance..a common and usual way of speaking.

[@barbaraandianackroyd9775]

Like a rabbit in the headlights.Hardly answered a question.Johnston couldn't remember or couldn't recall.His WhatsApp did a runner as well.His memory soon came back when it came to blame everyone else.Should have gone straight from inquiry to prison!

[@justkidding9751]

No remorse even though he knows it's all playing out in front of him. Just shows what he thinks of us all

[@JC-sd3vh]

Weasel

[@chadbaker48]

Boris couldn’t be any more offensive. He is entirely incompetent now as he was then.

[@AliG-iq4gd]

Didn't attend any parties, wasn't aware of any parties - but suddenly claims to speak with authority as to the nature of the parties................ "Guilty! take him down"

[@michaelayling8855]

He was referring to herd immunity which the swedes used and who are now in a better position.

[@woody1456]

bozo is the type that farts in a full lift !

[@lumpygravy38]

Proper consequences for displaying a frivolous, immoral attitude towards victims of a pandemic are overdue.

[@waynebrown67]

what happened to covid where did it go..?

[@nickclinton7661]

Wonder how many telegraph journalists will vote Tory when the time comes A few less than last time hopefully

[@abdulroufb807]

Democracy at its finest

[@cantthinkofagoodun1]

Lock them all up everyone of them. They are all complicit , everyone of them. He can’t believe he’s been questioned/framed for this ………he would have been ( like all the others ) assured he was untouchable. They never have and never will give a toss about us foot soldiers.

[@mikeb7379]

B.J by name B.J by nature.

[@waynewal971]

Not my fault gov, it wasn’t my phrase let it rip! loads of them used it not my fault all the evidence is not what it seems to be???? What a terrible human being this charlatan monster truly is! Shocking gaslighting!

[@ThomasKelly669]

How can he now be so careful of what comes out his mouth now, How can he speak so long and say nothing

[@neilgauld2817]

As a student he walked the streets and punched plebbs

[@TheSMILINGJOE]

Stammering , stuttering , shuffling, staggering, scrambling , he has no leg to stand on . How many times has he been in situations like this when facing a woman he has cheated on?

[@SirAreve]

Toxic haybale indeed

[@tednindo6761]

proven liar says evidence doesn't stack up... hmmm, who to believe... rubs chin

[@user-dj3yv6je9n]

The documents have been given so whats all this about? Its force major. Every country in the world was locked down and had casualties, i dont see the point in this fasade

[@Jack-lo1uc]

Waste of time enquiry, no one will be locked up as a result

[@spotable2]

Utter pond life (like the rest of Torie MP's)

[@davefishwick5807]

Blah, blah blah... nothing changes, can he actually speak properly without pausing and trying to think of something to cover up the truth? Getting on with the job 😂 he's been hoodwinking the British electorate from day 1.

[@sundial-el3nt]

🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓 81% of Americans supported Israel but did not support Hamas hostage deal as too many Hamas terrorists would be released and go back to terrorism. 73% supported President Trump and wanted him to be next President although Americans supported funding for Israel but did NOT support more money for Ukraine and thought EU should pay for the cost of war in Ukraine..Gallop polling..10 Dec 23..🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖