An independent public inquiry has strongly condemned former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the response as "toxic," "chaotic," and "too little, too late."The inquiry found that Johnson's delayed lockdown announcement contributed to a higher death toll, which could have been reduced by approximately 48% if introduced a week earlier.It also criticized poor coordination between Johnson and other leaders, highlighted the "Partygate" scandal, and issued recommendations to improve future emergency preparedness.