UK PM Rishi Sunak reportedly said 'Just let people die' - Covid inquiry hears
During the COVID-19 epidemic, prime minister Rishi Sunak was reported as stating the government should "just let people die" rather than force a second national lockdown, according to the study into how britain handled the crisis, which concluded on Monday. During COVID, Patrick Vallance, the government's main scientific adviser, made a note in his notebook on Oct. 25, 2020, about a meeting between then-Prime minister Boris Johnson and Sunak, the finance minister.
The journal entry presented to the inquiry detailed how Dominic Cummings, Johnson's most senior adviser during the epidemic, communicated to Vallance what he said he heard during the meeting. "Rishi thinks just let people die and that's okay," Vallance wrote in his diary. This all appears to be the result of a complete absence of leadership." Sunak's spokesperson said the prime minister will state his viewpoint while giving evidence to the panel "rather than responding to each one piecemeal."
The journal entry presented to the inquiry detailed how Dominic Cummings, Johnson's most senior adviser during the epidemic, communicated to Vallance what he said he heard during the meeting. "Rishi thinks just let people die and that's okay," Vallance wrote in his diary. This all appears to be the result of a complete absence of leadership." Sunak's spokesperson said the prime minister will state his viewpoint while giving evidence to the panel "rather than responding to each one piecemeal."
The investigation is looking into the government's reaction to the coronavirus epidemic, which shut down huge parts of the economy and killed over 220,000 individuals in the UK. It will operate until the summer of 2026.
Senior government officials have frequently said that the government was unprepared for the epidemic, and that the response to the health crisis was impeded by a "toxic" and "macho" attitude.
The risk for Sunak is that information from the probe contradicts his attempt to portray himself as a change from Johnson's chaotic leadership, despite the fact that he was one of the most senior ministers in that cabinet.
Previous evidence indicates that he was dubbed "Dr. Death" by one government scientific adviser in the summer of 2020 for his "Eat Out to Help Out" programme, which sponsored meals in bars and restaurants but was attacked by health professionals for spreading the virus.
Senior government officials have frequently said that the government was unprepared for the epidemic, and that the response to the health crisis was impeded by a "toxic" and "macho" attitude.
The risk for Sunak is that information from the probe contradicts his attempt to portray himself as a change from Johnson's chaotic leadership, despite the fact that he was one of the most senior ministers in that cabinet.
Previous evidence indicates that he was dubbed "Dr. Death" by one government scientific adviser in the summer of 2020 for his "Eat Out to Help Out" programme, which sponsored meals in bars and restaurants but was attacked by health professionals for spreading the virus.