Video
Michael Gove admits UK was not prepared for the coronavirus
Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove previously blamed China for the government's slow response to coronavirus. Photograph: Pippa Fowles/Crown Copyright/10 Downing Street/PA Wire . - Credit: Archant
Michael Gove told a Commons public administration committee that the UK was not prepared for an epidemic like the coronavirus.
The chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster told MPs that disaster preparation plans did not factor in a highly contagious respiratory disease like Covid-19.
Gove said that the government's previous epidemic planning - known as Operation Cygnus - was focused on a response to a global influenza.
You may also want to watch:
He said: 'The government had a dossier on threats to the country, including a global influenza... but nothing quite like Covid-19.'
Most Read
- 1 Boris Johnson warned majority will be 'wiped out' over treatment towards north of England
- 2 Boris Johnson 'frantically repositioning' himself for Donald Trump to lose election
- 3 UKIP set to select 'Dr Gammons' as candidate for London mayoral election
- 4 James Cleverly mocked after telling people to 'look at how they're doing in Wales'
- 5 Piers Morgan must expose the government's Brexit betrayal
- 6 Minister says Dido Harding is working '19-hours a day' on Test and Trace
- 7 Third Tory MP who rejected extending free school meals is targeted with local protests
- 8 Second shop owner bans Tory MPs who voted against free school meals motion
- 9 Brexiteer Prue Leith quits Tory Party after government votes down motion to protect UK food standards
- 10 Piers Morgan calls Boris Johnson a 'blustering buffoon' in attack on PM's handling of Covid-19 pandemic
He added: 'The work that was done in exercise Cygnus was designed to anticipate what would happen in flu pandemic. The exact nature of this virus meant that response had to be recalibrated.'
Health minister Matt Hancock addressed parliament in March saying the UK was one of the best prepared countries to face a pandemic in the world. Britain is now on course to have one of the worst coronavirus death rates in Europe.
Gove insisted the government was constantly changing its response to the virus as more information on its behaviour came to light. He also refused to disclose what means the government used to assess the impact of social distancing measures.
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
