(C) OpenDemocracy This story was originally published by OpenDemocracy and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Covid inquiry: Matt Hancock claimed Scotland’s role was ‘fat fighting’ in pandemic [1] [] Date: 2024-02 Matt Hancock claimed the Scottish government should stick to “fat fighting” and leave “public health emergencies” to ministers in Westminster in a WhatsApp exchange on Covid. Texts sent between Hancock and Michael Gove in May 2020 reveal that the then health secretary was resistant to allowing a “four nations” approach to the Joint Biosecurity Centre, an organisation created to provide objective advice on the pandemic. The messages, which reveal tensions between the UK government and the Scottish government, were shown during Gove’s appearance at the Covid inquiry, which is currently taking place in Edinburgh. Hancock complained to Gove that he was “unhappy” with devolved nations being involved. He said it is “not true” that public health is devolved, adding that it is only “parts” that are devolved, such as “fat fighting” and not “public health emergencies”. What do you think? Win a £10 book voucher for sharing your views about openDemocracy. Tell us He also compared the Scottish government to local councils, saying: “We wouldn’t put English local authorities on the board!” When openDemocracy reached out to Hancock, he directed us to his statement to the inquiry. In it, he writes: "I recall thinking that it was madness that the devolved Governments would be taking their own lead on domestic public health policy; that kind of devolution is all very well for running the NHS and fighting obesity, but not for responding to a pandemic." "I respect the fact that health services are devolved, but a pandemic does not respect boundaries no matter how historic." Health has been a devolved issue in Scotland since 1999, but decisions over national restrictions in relation to the pandemic were initially taken by the UK government. The Coronavirus Act 2020 then gave Scotland powers to make “health protection regulations” such as lockdowns after March 2020. When asked whether this message exchange was “indicative of a wider attitude” that the UK was really in control of the management of the pandemic, Gove disagreed but said: “There were some within the UK government that occasionally found it irksome that they might have to deal with devolved administrations taking a different view.” The housing secretary, who was the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at the time, added: “Our view would have been that any response to a UK-wide threat should effectively be coordinated. “I think there was a pretty good general understanding of the need to respect the competence of the devolved administrations.” Giving evidence for the third time, Gove made clear his position on Scottish independence, telling the Covid inquiry that the “political aim of the SNP is to destroy the United Kingdom”. He also claimed that former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon had often used the pandemic to “seek political advantage” in regards to independence. Giving evidence on a grey Monday at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Gove was asked about his claims that Boris Johnson and Sturgeon “were not soulmates”. When asked whether this was an “understatement”, he responded wryly, “understatement is sometimes the most effective means of communication.” Sturgeon will appear at the inquiry on Wednesday. openDemocracy is fundraising to pay reporters to cover every day of the public hearings. Please support us by donating here. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/covid-19-inquiry-scotland-matt-hancock-fat-fighting-pandemic-emergency/ Published and (C) by OpenDemocracy Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-ND 4.0. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/opendemocracy/