LET’S give the benefit of the doubt to PM Johnson that he was feart of the economic consequences of a lockdown in March-April 2020 and that Cheltenham and the Liverpool game had to go ahead.

After Cummings’s evidence on Wednesday it’s obvious there “was considerable debate” about the need and urgency to do so. Clearly the circumstances and initiatives were unusual and one can presume that was a learning curve and added to experience. Or was it? Did they learn anything from that experience?

Six months later the PM was advised on September 21 of the URGENT need to again lockdown.That was the scientific advice that he so often says he follows, yet no action was taken until October 30 with the result that tens of thousands died unnecessarily. Having experienced the results of the late lockdown in March, the Westminster government failed to apply that knowledge in September and this allowed the huge increase in the death toll between November and January 2021. This constitutes a massive dereliction of duty.

Paul Gillon
Leven