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Joanna Taylor
Jan 27, 2021
Boris Johnson claimed his government “did everything we could” to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and save lives.
Asked whether some of the 100,000 deaths from the virus in the UK could have been prevented, he said during a press conference:
“We did everything we could to minimise suffering and minimise loss of life in the country as a result of the pandemic and I am deeply sorry as a result of every life lost. What I can say is that the government will continue to minimise life lost as we go forward. I continue to urge people to follow that guidance, stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives.”
Elsewhere during the press conference, he promised to take “full responsibility” for the government’s actions throughout the pandemic. He said:
“I am deeply sorry for every life that has been lost and as prime minister I take full responsibility for everything the government has done.”
But people don’t think that refusing to apologise for or even acknowledge the government’s failings looks much like taking “full responsibility”. And people are criticising Johnson for claiming to have done everything in his power to save lives when so many have been lost.
MPs including Angela Rayner and Caroline Lucas hit back at the prime minister.
When the Prime Minister says "we did everything we could" the public will reflect on why we have 100,000 deaths and… https://t.co/PPE0EIvKH0— Angela Rayner (@Angela Rayner) 1611682332
So sad & angry as we reach this grim milestone 100,000 UK lives lost 100,000 times nurses & doctors have to tell… https://t.co/1TvGPBrr0m— Caroline Lucas (@Caroline Lucas) 1611679579
The Prime Minister has just claimed his Government "did everything we could" to minimise Covid deaths. The Prime M… https://t.co/BdR57bh0wQ— Richard Burgon MP (@Richard Burgon MP) 1611686669
The “we did everything we could”comment will haunt the Prime Minister, and so it should.— Justin Madders MP (@Justin Madders MP) 1611686882
After 100,000 have died, the reality is that we had a Prime Minister critically unsuited to a time of crisis. He is… https://t.co/AKZVAY0rmt— John McDonnell MP (@John McDonnell MP) 1611735599
Other people listed ways in which Johnson and his government did not do everything they could to protective lives from Covid-19.
"We truly did everything we could" ❌Locked down late 3 times ❌Sent infected people to care homes ❌Kept Cummings ❌P… https://t.co/ugvTfyILdE— Adam Schwarz (@Adam Schwarz) 1611684331
Not sure the "we did everything we could" line works when you paid people to go out to restaurants, made Christmas… https://t.co/MI1n4I7KIa— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) 1611683297
Boris Johnson, 3/2/20: "coronavirus will trigger a panic and a desire for market segregation that go beyond what is… https://t.co/Ri6RQVEOFW— James Oh Brien (@James Oh Brien) 1611682071
"We truly did everything we could to minimise loss of life." No, @BorisJohnson, you absolutely did not. You didn'… https://t.co/A6vxudPboU— Rachel Clarke (@Rachel Clarke) 1611681614
Boris Johnson claims his Government did “everything we could” to avoid deaths. Really? More than half the 100,000… https://t.co/rO9bI47C89— Pippa Crerar (@Pippa Crerar) 1611700871
‘We did everything we could’ .... no you didn’t @BorisJohnson You dismissed and minimised the challenge in the earl… https://t.co/3oOcEoDthT— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@ALASTAIR CAMPBELL) 1611681897
Rishi Sunak’s ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ scheme, which caused a “significant” increase in Covid-19 cases according to a Warwick University study, was particularly criticised.
We did everything we could. https://t.co/fP0HKoWmjO— David Whitley (@David Whitley) 1611682227
"Take it on the chin" "Let it move through the population" "I shook hands with everyone" "It's very important that… https://t.co/tSrTJiLcFP— Alan Ferrier (@Alan Ferrier) 1611683836
“We did everything we could” - Boris Johnson. Shaking hands with Covid patients Didn’t lock down soon enough Unloc… https://t.co/aQAusvJLNT— Liam Young (@Liam Young) 1611684774
As was the government’s rush to defend Dominic Cummings for breaking national lockdown rules.
“We did everything we could” https://t.co/rZOlNE0LE8— Larry the Cat (@Larry the Cat) 1611696164
Some may question PM's claim 'we truly did everything we could' with issues like these: Missed Cobra meetings Lat… https://t.co/OsS8vEYpde— Joel Taylor (@Joel Taylor) 1611687266
Boris Johnson -Skip 5 Cobra meetings -Late lockdown -Care homes tragedy -PPE fiasco -Back Cummings -Sack civil serv… https://t.co/z7e45oLBv6— Paul Johnson (@Paul Johnson) 1611681923
In all, people found the prime minister’s refusal to acknowledge his mistakes directly “obscene" and “callous”.
Some called for him to resign.
‘We did everything we could’ is just sickening, callous and untrue any way you slice it.— Eleanor Penny (@Eleanor Penny) 1611693869
the more I think about ‘we did everything we could’ the more obscene it becomes— Ava-Santina (@Ava-Santina) 1611683817
If "the government did everything it could to minimise deaths" can I politely suggest that we need a different government?— Dr Helen Salisbury (@Dr Helen Salisbury) 1611686443
If Boris Johnson truly takes full responsibility he’d resign— Toby Earle (@Toby Earle) 1611683784
The Covid-19 death toll in the UK is among the highest in Europe.
More people have now died from the virus than the Great Plague and every terror attack and war since 1945 in the UK alone.
It would be the least the government could do to approach these statistics with humility and hold their hands up for their mistakes and the mismanagement that clearly has occurred over the course of the last year.