Covid Inquiry: ‘We don’t want your apology’, protesters tell Boris Johnson

Four people who were removed from Boris Johnson's Covid-19 Inquiry hearing said they "didn't want his apology".
By Luke O'Reilly and Sophie Wingate
Published 6th Dec 2023, 13:21 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The former Prime Minister's evidence was interrupted on Wednesday morning as he began an apology for the "suffering" during the pandemic.

Baroness Heather Hallett, chairwoman of the inquiry, ordered ushers to remove the women from the room.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They said they stood up as he began apologising to hold up signs that read: "The Dead can't hear your apologies".

(left to right) Kirsten Hackman, Michelle Rumball, Fran Hall and Kathryn Butcher, who were removed from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry as Boris Johnson began his evidence with an apology to victims of the pandemic at Dorland House in London, during its second investigation (Module 2) exploring core UK decision-making and political governance. Photo : Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire(left to right) Kirsten Hackman, Michelle Rumball, Fran Hall and Kathryn Butcher, who were removed from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry as Boris Johnson began his evidence with an apology to victims of the pandemic at Dorland House in London, during its second investigation (Module 2) exploring core UK decision-making and political governance. Photo : Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire
(left to right) Kirsten Hackman, Michelle Rumball, Fran Hall and Kathryn Butcher, who were removed from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry as Boris Johnson began his evidence with an apology to victims of the pandemic at Dorland House in London, during its second investigation (Module 2) exploring core UK decision-making and political governance. Photo : Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire

Speaking outside Dorland House in west London, Kathryn Butcher, 59, told reporters afterwards: "We didn't want his apology.

"When he tried to apologise we stood up. We didn't block anybody. We were told to sit down."

Fran Hall, 62, from Denham, Buckinghamshire, said that Baroness Hallett warned them that they would be asked to leave if they did not sit down.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Lady Hallett warned us to sit down and we didn't, we stood.

"She warned us that if we didn't sit down she would have to ask the ushers to ask us to leave."

Ms Hall said that she lost her 65-year-old husband, Steve Mead, to Covid-19 in October 2020.

She said her only regret was that their seats are now sitting empty inside the inquiry.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ms Butcher, from London, said she lost her 56-year-old sister-in-law, Myrna Saunders, to Covid-19 in late March 2020.

She said that the former Prime Minister saw their signs.

"He looked around once when Lady Hallett told us to sit down," she said.

"He looked at us quickly.

"He would have seen what the signs said."

Related topics:Prime MinisterCovid InquiryBoris JohnsonLondonCovid-19

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.