London - Former UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, faced tough questioning on Wednesday as he defended his government's overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic during a testimony before an independent inquiry. Johnson's testimony came after his expulsion from office following revelations of raucous parties held at 10 Downing Street during lockdowns, which he was accused of misleading the public about.

In a departure from his usual bombastic style, Johnson began his testimony by expressing remorse, stating, "how sorry I am for the pain and the loss and the suffering." Acknowledging that mistakes were made, he maintained that his government had carefully considered the available evidence and that he had done his best under extraordinary circumstances.

One key point of contention was Britain's high coronavirus death toll, which was the highest in Europe. The inquiry's lawyer, Hugo Keith, emphasized the shocking loss of more than 230,000 lives and questioned Johnson about the government's actions. Johnson admitted that the number of deaths was significant but argued that when considering "excess deaths" in Europe, Britain fared comparatively better. He attributed vulnerabilities to factors such as the country's elderly population.

The lawyer also confronted Johnson about his earlier statements suggesting that the UK was well prepared with plans in place, which evidence suggested was not the case. Johnson conceded that, in retrospect, he should not have boasted about shaking hands with patients at a hospital shortly before the first lockdown, admitting, "I should have been more precautionary, but I wanted to be encouraging to people."

Criticism was also directed at Johnson's government for delaying the implementation of an initial lockdown. Johnson explained that he had concerns about public compliance with drastic restrictions in the absence of a vaccination program or other alternatives. However, some members of his Conservative Party now maintain that there should have been no lockdowns at all.

Earlier testimony from Johnson's top advisers painted a damning picture of his leadership. His former communications director, Lee Cain, described becoming exhausted working with him, while Dominic Cummings, his former top aide, derisively referred to him as "the trolley." The inquiry even heard details of a chaotic and backstabbing cabinet.

During his testimony, Johnson showed contrition and avoided his usual humor and Latin remarks. At one point, he appeared emotional when reflecting on the tragic year of 2020. However, some attendees at the inquiry held signs that read, "The dead can't hear your apologies," and four women were escorted out of the room.

Johnson's government invested significant resources in providing protective gear and seeking out ventilator designs, although none were ultimately used. Their test-and-trace program also faced challenges. However, the government succeeded in rapidly approving and distributing vaccines.

With elections approaching and criticism of the government's handling of the pandemic mounting, there is concern within Johnson's Conservative Party about the future. Johnson himself was replaced as Prime Minister by Liz Truss, who faced economic challenges after pursuing unfunded tax cuts. The current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is also under scrutiny for his performance as finance minister during the pandemic.

Johnson's testimony shed light on the decision-making process and missteps during the early stages of the pandemic. The inquiry will continue to examine the government's response to the crisis, with implications for future policy-making and public trust.

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