boris-johnson-long-nose

"...our test, track and trace system—which, contrary to what he said, was up and running on 1 June as I said it would be"

Boris Johnson, Prime Minister's Questions

3 June 2020

Facts

The Prime Minister boasted to Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs that “our test, track and trace system—which, contrary to what he said, was up and running on 1 June as I said it would be”

SAGE Committee member Jeremy Farrar later wrote: “it was not really functional nor anywhere near the capacity needed to make a difference.”

 While the system was running in some form by June 1st 2020, on 18 June, more than two weeks after the promised deadline, the New York Times reported that the program was beset with issues. 

Verdict

Boris Johnson’s claim that the track and trace system was “up and running” on June 1st 2020 was flimsy at best. His misleading statement remains on the Commons record in defiance of the Ministerial Code.

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