Union body claims policies left Britain ‘hugely unprepared’, in report before opening hearing of inquiry Years of austerity overseen by David Cameron and George Osborne left Britain “hugely unprepared” for Covid, with consequences that were “painful and tragic”, union leaders have claimed. In an attempt to frame the opening hearing of the UK Covid inquiry next week as a trial of public sector cuts, the Trades Union Congress will argue in a report that the policies of the former prime minister and his chancellor led to “unsafe staffing in public services, a broken safety net and decimated workp ..read more

Since the pandemic there has been a steep rise in cases of ADHD among children. Here, experts discuss why, parents describe their struggles and campaigners say what needs to change Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is shrouded in misunderstanding, uncertainty and controversy. There is, for example, no definitive agreement on how many people have the condition. In the UK, one survey has put the incident rate in childhood (five to 15 years old) at just over 2% (3.62% of boys and 0.85% of girls). ADHD support groups cite figures of 5%. One UK s ..read more

The public interest demands the full disclosure of what went on inside government during our deadliest peacetime emergency in more than a century It is marked in calendars around Westminster and Whitehall as a day to dread. On 13 June, the public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic will start taking oral evidence. A procession of those at the heart of government decision-taking and blunder-making will be interrogated under oath about their actions and inactions. Heather Hallett, the retired judge in the chair, is said to be disappointed that she did not make lord chief justice. Yet there ..read more

Cabinet Office lawyers warn ex-prime minister of consequences if he tries to ‘frustrate or undermine’ work of the investigation Boris Johnson has been warned that he could lose public funding for legal advice if he tries to “frustrate or undermine” the government’s position on the Covid-19 inquiry. Cabinet Office lawyers told the former prime minister that money would “cease to be available” if he breaks conditions such as releasing evidence without permission, the Sunday Times reported. Johnson has been at the centre of a row as ministers launched a high court bid to challenge the inquiry’s ..read more

Leading scientist attacks prime minister as criticism mounts of government approach to science during the crisis Rishi Sunak is facing a barrage of criticism in the run-up to the official Covid-19 inquiry as a leading scientist attacks his “spectacularly stupid” Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which is believed to have caused a sudden rise in cases of the virus. The prime minister’s role as chancellor during the pandemic is under increasing scrutiny – as is that of his predecessor at No 10, Boris Johnson – in an escalating Covid blame game at Westminster as Lady Hallett prepares to open her invest ..read more

The Human Cell Atlas is already helping to ensure safer pregnancies, and scientists believe it will help them understand many other conditions It provides oxygen and nutrients for a growing baby, removes waste products as they build up in its blood, and protects the life of the foetus. Yet the placenta, the temporary organ that cherishes the unborn, is a puzzle. It carries the DNA of the newly formed child but manages to elude immune responses from its genetically distinct mother. Understanding how the placenta survives and functions is of critical importance in ensuring pregnancies are health ..read more

Boris Johnson has bypassed ministers’ attempts to keep his unredacted messages secret by handing them over directly to the Covid inquiry ..read more

Former PM bypasses government’s attempts to keep unredacted communications secret UK politics live – latest updates Boris Johnson has bypassed the government’s attempt to keep his unredacted WhatsApp messages secret by handing them over directly to the Covid inquiry. In a move that will further frustrate Downing Street, the former prime minister circumvented the Cabinet Office, which is seeking to hold up the process by launching legal action ..read more

As Boris Johnson hands over WhatsApp messages, PM is going to high court to stem remit of public inquiry first set up by Cabinet Office UK politics live – latest updates When Boris Johnson first announced a public inquiry into Covid, many observers saw it as an attempt to kick difficult questions into the long grass. Two years on, in a twist that may well amuse the former prime minister, that long grass is littered with political bear traps for Rishi Sunak. Such are the complexities of this week’s developments, it can be easy to overlook the sheer strangeness of what is actually going on: a ..read more

From Sweden to the US, the handling of the pandemic has been questioned. In some cases criminal proceedings are under way Britain’s public Covid-19 inquiry, led by the retired judge Heather Hallett, is far from the first independent commission in the world to begin examining a country’s experience confronting the pandemic. Their formats, mandates – and their progress – vary widely according to systems and traditions, but their task is essentially the same: to assess preparedness, make a record of decision-making, review government responses and learn lessons for the future ..read more