Boris Johnson Admits UK Planned Mass School Closures at Start of Covid Crisis

In his testimony to the UK Covid‑19 Inquiry, Boris Johnson acknowledged that the UK government had 'consideration' on the table for mass school closures at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, telling the panel it would have been 'surprising' if such planning had not taken place.

He stated that the Department for Education (DfE) 'looked to me as though ... was preparing for that' by March 2020. Yet his account clashes with evidence from the DfE's permanent secretary, who told the Inquiry a formal contingency plan for school closures was only commissioned on 17 March 2020 — one day before schools were locked down.

His comments come in response to claims made by former education secretary Sir Gavin Williamson, who told the inquiry last week that he had not instructed officials to assess the impact of school closures in early 2020. Williamson said the advice at the time did not recommend closures, and No 10 had not commissioned such planning.

A 'Nightmare' Decision With Lasting Consequences

Johnson acknowledged that the decision to close schools was one of the most difficult and painful choices made during the pandemic. He described the repeated shutdowns of classrooms as 'awful' and a 'nightmare idea,' adding that children had paid a 'huge, huge price to protect the rest of society.'

'I was very much hoping that we wouldn't have to close schools. I thought it was a nightmare idea,' he said, reflecting on the early days of the crisis. However, as other countries began implementing closures, the UK government was compelled to consider the measure seriously.

Despite his regret, Johnson defended the government's handling of the situation, arguing that officials had indeed planned for the possibility, even if the final decision came swiftly. He rejected the notion that the government had been caught off guard, stating that the DfE had been actively involved in contingency discussions.

Internal Tensions and Regulatory Fallout

The inquiry also heard that Mr Johnson was left in a 'homicidal mood' over the fallout from the exam grading fiasco that followed school closures.

In a WhatsApp message to his then-chief adviser Dominic Cummings, the former prime minister expressed frustration with the Department for Education and called for leadership changes, writing:

'We need a plan for the dept of education. We need a perm sec, and we need better ministers, and quite frankly, we need an agenda of reform. We can't go on like this. I am thinking of going into number ten and firing people.

The exam debacle, in which thousands of students received downgraded results due to an algorithm-based assessment system, became one of the most controversial episodes of the pandemic response. Johnson's remarks highlight the internal tensions within the government as it struggled to manage the educational impact of the crisis.

A Rapid Policy Shift

The timeline of events leading to school closures has also come under scrutiny. Sir Gavin Williamson described a 'discombobulating 24-hour sea-change' in policy, noting that the government moved from keeping schools open on 16 March 2020 to announcing closures just two days later.

Johnson's testimony suggests that while the public messaging may have shifted rapidly, internal planning for closures had been underway. He maintained that the government had to act decisively despite mounting scientific advice and international precedent.

Inquiry Continues to Examine Pandemic Decisions

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is continuing to examine the government's decision-making during the early stages of the pandemic, with a particular focus on how policies affected children and education. Johnson's appearance follows testimony from several senior officials, including scientific advisers and cabinet ministers.

As the inquiry progresses, it is expected to shed further light on the balance between public health priorities and the social costs of lockdown measures. For now, Johnson's defence of the government's planning efforts offers a glimpse into the complex and often chaotic nature of crisis management at the highest levels.