In a recent inquiry into the UK’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was reportedly quoted suggesting that the government should opt to “just let people die” rather than implementing a second national lockdown. The revelation, shared on Monday, stemmed from a meeting involving Sunak, who was the finance minister at the time, and then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to a diary entry by Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser during the pandemic.
Vallance’s diary noted a statement by Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s senior adviser, who conveyed Sunak’s perspective on handling the crisis. Vallance recorded Cummings saying, “Rishi thinks just let people die and that’s okay. This all feels like a complete lack of leadership.” Sunak’s spokesperson responded by stating that the prime minister would present his position during his testimony to the inquiry, opting not to address each aspect separately.
The ongoing inquiry is scrutinizing the UK government’s response to the pandemic, which resulted in significant economic shutdowns and over 220,000 deaths in Britain. Officials have acknowledged the government’s lack of preparedness and cited a “toxic” and “macho” culture as hindering the crisis response. Sunak faces the risk that evidence presented in the inquiry may challenge his attempt to portray himself as a departure from the perceived chaotic leadership of Johnson, despite holding a prominent role in that government.
Previous testimony has revealed Sunak’s controversial “Eat Out to Help Out” policy, criticized by health experts for potentially contributing to virus spread. The policy, which subsidized meals in pubs and restaurants, led to Sunak being labeled “Dr. Death” by a government scientific adviser during the summer of 2020.
