Facts

 On BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Home Secretary Priti Patel said that the “government has consistently throughout this year been ahead of the curve in terms of proactive measures with regards to coronavirus.” 

By 26 June 2020, the UK had the highest cumulative excess mortality rate in Europe. The UK was slow to start testing, while for a long time Boris Johnson was slow to grasp the significance of the crisis, slow to stop public events, ditched the test and trace strategy only to return to it later and missed the deadline for a joint EU ventilator procurement scheme.

Verdict

Priti Patel’s claim that the Johnson government had “consistently throughout this year been ahead of the curve in terms of proactive measures with regards to coronavirus” displayed a culpable level of complacency, and ignored the terrible consequences of government mistakes.