Coronavirus has been 'a disaster' for the UK, PM Johnson says

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the coronavirus crisis had been a disaster for the United Kingdom and while the government would look at what went wrong it was not the right time to have an inquiry into missteps.

"This has been a disaster," Johnson told Times Radio. "Let's not mince our words, I mean this has been an absolute nightmare for the country and the country has gone through a profound shock."

Johnson, who spent time in intensive care battling COVID-19, said the government owed it to all those who have died and suffered to look at exactly "what went wrong and when".

"I totally understand that and we will. I happen to think that the moment is not right now, ... when everybody is flat out, I don't think the moment is right now for consecrating a huge amount of official time to all of that.

"But we are learning lessons the whole time."

Asked about his senior adviser Dominic Cummings, he said: "Dom is outstanding."