Boris Johnson struggled to understand much of the science during his time as Prime Minister, according to former chief scientific advisor Patrick Vallance. Vallance testified at the UK’s public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday and noted that he and others encountered repeated difficulties in getting Johnson to comprehend scientific evidence and advice. However, he also mentioned that leaders in many countries faced similar problems in understanding scientific data. The inquiry is ongoing, with Johnson scheduled to address it before Christmas after stepping down as Prime Minister in September 2022 following revelations of rule-breaking parties at his Downing Street residence during the pandemic.
Patrick Vallance, a former chief scientific advisor, testified at the UK’s public inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday about his struggles to communicate scientific evidence and advice to Boris Johnson while he was Prime Minister. Despite facing repeated difficulties getting Johnson to understand the science behind decisions related to the pandemic, Vallance noted that leaders in many countries also faced challenges in comprehending scientific data. The inquiry continues with Boris Johnson scheduled to address it before Christmas after stepping down as Prime Minister due to rule-breaking parties at his Downing Street residence during the pandemic.