Why Matt Hancock’s weaselly apology isn’t going to win him forgiveness

The former health secretary talks a lot about his feelings – but has little understanding of how others feel about him, writes Tom Peck

As he left the inquiry, victims’ families turned their backs on him (AP)

You don’t really need to see Matt Hancock answering questions on why the UK wasn’t better prepared for a pandemic to know the answer.

The answer is right there: it’s Matt Hancock. If the question “Why did everything go so badly wrong?” either begins or ends with “Hancock”, then you already have the answer.

The very much former health secretary was taking the first of his many turns before the Covid inquiry on Tuesday morning. And you also won’t be shocked to learn that Mr Hancock’s answer was not that it was all his fault. Quite the opposite.