According to reports, during an inquiry into the UK’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made controversial statements about the government’s response to the crisis. The inquiry revealed that Sunak suggested the government should “just let people die” instead of implementing a second national lockdown. The source of this information was a note written by Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser on the Covid-19 pandemic, in his diary on 25 October 2020. The note detailed a meeting attended by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sunak.
Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s top adviser during the pandemic, reportedly relayed what he heard at the meeting to Vallance. In response, Sunak’s spokesman stated that the British Prime Minister will present his position when he submits evidence to the inquiry rather than addressing each part individually.
The investigation into the UK’s response to the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing and expected to continue until summer 2026. It has already resulted in over 220,000 deaths globally.