Coronavirus diary, Friday 19 June

We probably have all put off making decisions, especially important ones.

I remember in my office days putting the most difficult subject at the bottom of my daily jobs list.

Over the years British governments have made procrastination an art form. 

How? By ordering reviews, royal commissions and, the modern approach, public inquiries.

An early example: Lord Denning's report on the Profumo scandal, 1963

Our prime minister and his cautious ministers have excelled themselves in the battle against coronavirus.

Scarcely a week goes by without a decision being put off -  to use current jargon, they have kicked the can down the road or into the long grass.

The latest 'let's play for time' ruse is over the vexed two metre distance rule.

The PM has ordered an enquiry, to report its findings in two weeks. This, despite being bombarded with advice and the experience of other countries.

Then, no doubt, he will dither over his decision.

Our political history provides countless examples of the call an enquiry technique.

In modern times public inquiries have been the most popular, and effective way for governments of all political hues to play for time.

They have offered months, even years of respite. In the past fifty years there have never been fewer than nine running in one year.

According to the Institute for Government, between 1990 and 2019 sixty nine were launched, compared with thirteen  in the previous thirty years, at a total cost of more than £630million - and not all published their cost.

The peak year so far, 2010 saw thirty. 

Public inquiries, recognised legally by the Inquiries Act of 2005, are notoriously slow moving.

Few could match the snail like progress of the  hyponatraemia inquiry into the hospital deaths in Northern Ireland of five children which led to a new law, named Claire's Law after one of  them. That finally reported in 2018 after thirteen years.

Speaking volumes: the Bloody Sunday inquiry report

The Bloody Sunday enquiry into shootings during the Irish troubles cost £210 million.

The recent Grenfell inquiry into the London tower block fire disaster that killed 72 is the latest attempt to find answers.

All the inquiries have three basic objectives: what happened, why did it happen and how can it be stopped from happening again (what lessons can be learnt).

By far the most complex and important inquiry of all times must be the investigation into the coronavirus pandemic.
Britain's will be no doubt be one of many undertaken by affected countries.

It must not be as snail like as many in the past.