Charlie Williams lost his dad Rex to COVID early in the pandemic. 

He blames the Government. He blames former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Charlie queued in the cold to secure a front row seat at the COVID inquiry hearing.

It was the day he’d been waiting for as Mr Johnson was questioned on his government’s controversial handling of the pandemic.

“I have to be here. I absolutely could not miss this day. I want to hear what Boris Johnson has to say to families like mine,” Charlie said.

Rex was 85 when he died. He came to the UK in the 1950s from Jamaica.

He was part of the Windrush generation who made a life in Britain. He worked in a plastics factory in Coventry for over 30 years.

Boris Johnson at the COVID Inquiry: part one

The minutes, notes, and WhatsApp messages shared during Boris Johnson’s evidence at the COVID inquiry

Boris Johnson gives evidence to COVID inquiry – the key moments from day one

“He was a big figure there, everyone knew him. All the staff talked about him, he was very likeable and loved singing. He was always singing,” Charlie added.

As the former prime minister was questioned by the lead counsel to the inquiry Hugo Keith KC, Charlie says the families watching were looking at each other “in disbelief”.

He says the policy to allow untested patients to be discharged from hospital into care homes was a mistake.

“I knew this was bad from the very beginning because anyone with an ounce of common sense wouldn’t send COVID positive hospital patients into a care home,” he said.

“They said protect the vulnerable but they did the opposite.”

There may be a judge presiding over this inquiry, and KCs asking the questions, but this is not a court of law. It’s been set up to learn the lessons for a future pandemic.

But Charlie feels Boris Johnson should face criminal charges for his decisions.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Read more:
Key moments from day one of Boris’ evidence
The minutes, notes, and WhatsApp messages shared

In the lunch break I asked Charlie if he could accept ministers were making tough choices in a crisis.

“I can understand we were in an absolute crisis, the country was on its knees, and mistakes can be made in those situations,” he says.

“There’s no mistake here. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would know what the result was going to be, so it’s not a mistake, it was more of a sacrifice.”

Related posts:

PM will not attend Prince Philip’s funeral and will give up seat for a family member PM apologises ‘unreservedly’ over killing of 10 civilians in Ballymurphy Wait for COVID inquiry ‘hard to take’, says campaigner who lost father to virus ‘He has fallen short’: Demand for Matt Hancock to resign grows as Conservative MPs speak out Tory MP in Ukraine despite UK advising against all travel there is criticised by No 10 Johnson tries to win back MP support with an ambitious vision – but are his plans politically deliverable? Treasury trolled after opening account on instant messaging social platform Discord Sunak to meet Chinese president at G20 Government wins Brexit deal vote – despite Tory rebellion and DUP anger Stormont brake: How did your MP vote on key part of new Brexit deal? Probe finds Baroness Cox guilty of rule breach over failure to declare interests in private firm Is Rishi Sunak turning into Boris Johnson?