Boris Johnson arrived at the Covid Inquiry three hours early on Wednesday morning as he prepared for his two-day evidence session.

The former prime minister is understood to believe that the inquiry should urgently examine the harms caused by lockdown.

In a written statement to the inquiry, extracts from which were published last month, Mr Johnson said: “It is true that I have reflected (no doubt out loud and no doubt many times) about whether the lockdowns would do (and did do) more harm than good.”

He is set to use today’s hearing to defend what he believes the Government got right during the pandemic, highlighting the success of the vaccine programme and the fact that the NHS did not collapse.

There were suggestions Mr Johnson arrived so early in order to avoid being confronted by bereaved families who have been at the inquiry every day and signalled their intent to challenge him over the pandemic response.

Chris Philp, the policing minister, joked it was “the first time Boris has ever been early for anything” while defending his record, adding: “I think he was trying to do the best he could in what were very difficult circumstances during the Covid pandemic.”

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