Summary

  • Former Home Secretary Priti Patel has given evidence to the UK's Covid inquiry

  • She said she “completely agrees” Covid rules were confusing, and added that she did not think £10,000 fines had been proportionate

  • She also said there was "no technical capability" in early 2020 to stop infections coming in, and no sophisticated plans for what to do at the border in a pandemic

  • Earlier, a police boss said there was a "lack of clarity" about Covid rules during the pandemic

  • Martin Hewitt, the former chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council, also said officers tried to make enforcement a "last resort"

  • The inquiry is currently looking at pandemic decision-making. No-one will be found guilty or innocent; the purpose is to learn lessons

  • We are not providing text updates of the rest of the afternoon session - but you can watch the inquiry by clicking the play button at the top of the page

Live Reporting

Edited by Alex Therrien and Francesca Gillett

  1. Who is Martin Hewitt?

    Martin HewittGetty Images

    We’ll shortly be hearing from Martin Hewitt, who was chair of the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) during the pandemic.

    The NPCC plays an important role in co-ordinating policing issues across the UK, and Hewitt appeared at some of the government’s televised Covid briefings.

    Hewitt is likely to be asked about examples of "heavy-handed" policing of lockdown rules.

    In March 2020, shortly after fines for breaching lockdown rules were introduced, Hewitt said the police had been given clear guidance on using powers to encourage or force people to go home to prevent the spread of the virus.

    A few weeks later, he admitted there had been a "very small number" of errors in applying the new law, saying officers were "trying to do their best in very, very difficult and unusual circumstances".

    An NPCC report in July 2020 said that those from minority ethnic groups were 1.6 times more likely to be fined than white people. Hewitt said it was “a concern to see disparity” but added that it was a “complex picture”.

  2. Covid inquiry: Key things to know

    • It’s being chaired by Baroness Hallett - a former Court of Appeal judge who previously led the inquests into the 7 July London bombings in 2005
    • This part of the inquiry is covering decision making during the pandemic in Westminster and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
    • Any inquiry has the power to make people appear as witnesses, and to provide evidence. Inquiries are expected to publish conclusions and may make recommendations
    • But no-one will be found guilty or innocent - the process is about learning lessons. And any recommendations made at the end do not have to be adopted by governments
    • Members of the public are being encouraged to share their stories with the inquiry by filling in this form online

  3. What happened at the inquiry yesterday?

    Former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill gave evidence on WednesdayPA Media

    Former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill gave evidence on Wednesday

    On Wednesday, former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill's evidence generated plenty of headlines.

    The UK's former top civil servant apologised for suggesting that chickenpox-style parties could be held for Covid early in the pandemic in order to spread immunity.

    He acknowledged that the comment could have come across as "both heartless and thoughtless" but that he was thinking about how to manage the spread of the virus.

    Sedwill also said he made clear to then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson that he thought Matt Hancock should have been replaced as health secretary

    You can read more about what he said here.

  4. Former Home Secretary Priti Patel to give evidence at inquiry

    Alex Therrien
    Live reporter

    Person kneels down to write on the National Covid Memorial Wall in WestminsterPA Media

    The National Covid Memorial Wall was created in 2021 in Westminster to remember those who died during the pandemic

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the UK Covid inquiry.

    For the last month or so, the inquiry has been hearing evidence for its second investigation - examining UK decision-making and political governance during the pandemic.

    From 10:00 today, we expect to hear from Martin Hewitt, the former chair of the National Police Chiefs Council, and then former Home Secretary Priti Patel.

    Patel is likely to face questions about examples of what critics called the "heavy-handed" policing of lockdown rules, as well as the border controls in place during the pandemic.

    There will be both text coverage and a stream of today’s proceedings, which you can watch live at the top of the page by pressing the play button.