To end of January 2020

Committee charged with preparing for pandemics scrapped by PM... and then it happened.

February 2020

What's the problem? Warnings given but largely unheeded.

March 2020

PM publishes "battle plan" but still little action until country put into belated lockdown.

April 2020

"Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives" - PM hospitalised after flouting own rules.

May 2020

First of several "roadmaps" and PM promises "world-beating" test, track and trace system.

June 2020

PPE contracts come under scrutiny and The Economist says the British state provided a case study in how not to respond to a pandemic.

July 2020

PM says there will be an independent enquiry eventually, unveils a "conditional roadmap" and urges "swift and decisive action".

August 2020

Government accused of being asleep at the wheel and health secretary announces abolition of Public Health England.

September 2020

Dominic Cummings says response to the crisis had been "a shit-show"; and Operation Moonshot announced.