Chopper's Politics

In January 2021, the first Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccines made their way into people’s arms. By mid-march, 11 million people had received the jab.

After successive lockdowns, it felt like a way out. 

But now, more than two years on, storm clouds are gathering.

Today, 80 of them are preparing to sue Astrazeneca. They say that until now, no one has wanted to hear their stories. So we’re telling them.

In the face of major disasters, it is perhaps inevitable that there will be missteps. And when the dust settles, people are asked to account for their actions.

How is history going to judge the government’s response to COVID?

In this last episode of the Lockdown Files podcast, the investigations team at the Telegraph investigates potential mistakes at the heart of the pandemic response.

Shutting schools, a lack of oversight with financial support and questions over whether lockdown would ever happen in the same way again.

Finally, the team catches up with the latest news from the public inquiry and hears from a relative of someone who died as they watch the evidence unfold.

Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |

Is it ever ok to scare the public?

In this episode, the reporters dig into leaked messages which show a discussion between Matt Hancock and one of his team. They say “We frighten the pants off everyone with the new strain” and “When do we deploy the new variant”. 

The exchanges speak to a so-called “Project Fear”, which prompts the team to ask government ministers about whether decisions made were the right ones… 

We also speak to the adviser behind some of the government's messaging… 

And to a mum whose children are still dealing with the fall out tells her family’s story.  

Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |

If you have any information that could help the investigation, you can email the team on [email protected] |

Tens of thousands of care home residents died during the pandemic. Many people see it as the government’s biggest failure. Matt Hancock’s Whatsapp messages lifted the lid on conversations behind key decisions. But it wasn’t just the messages which were revealing… The team behind the Lockdown Files unearths new documents suggesting an unnerving offer made to care homes in Durham and Birmingham. 

Read more about the Lockdown Files here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/lockdown-files |

For 30 days’ free access to The Telegraph: www.telegraph.co.uk/lockdownfilespodcast |

The Investigations team looks back on the early days of the pandemic. How prepared was the government? Was lockdown inevitable? But they hit a stumbling block - they may have 100,000 messages, but there’s a gap in March. 

So the team decide that if they can’t read where those key decisions were made, they’d do the next best thing: speak to people who were in the room where it happened