Covid inquiry live: Rishi Sunak to face claims Eat Out to Help Out scheme spread coronavirus

Rishi Sunak is set to be questioned on his actions during the Covid-19 pandemic when he appears before the inquiry on Monday.

The prime minister, who was chancellor during the pandemic, is expected to be challenged over claims the Eat Out to Help Out scheme spread the disease.

The plan formed part of Mr Sunak’s summer economic update in July 2020, and provided 50% off the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks.

WhatsApp messages shown to the Covid-19 Inquiry have revealed that government advisers referred to Mr Sunak as “Dr Death” during the pandemic, because of concerns about the impact of his push to keep economic activity going.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, is said to have privately referred to the scheme to boost the restaurant industry as “eat out to help out the virus”.

The PM is the latest member of the Covid-19 cabinet to face the inquiry. Last week, former prime minister Boris Johnson defended his actions and hit out at “dramatic” representations of the Partygate revelations.

Key Points

• Baroness Hallett: ‘Partygate exacerbated pain of Covid bereaved’

• Partygate stories have been a ‘travesty of the truth’, says Johnson

• Boris Johnson admits he called his own rules ‘stupid'

• Johnson: ‘Perplexed’ Vallance and Whitty were not consulted on Eat Out to Help Out

Eat Out to Help Out scheme - the numbers

11:53 , Alex Ross

We haven’t got to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme yet.

It’s a project which has been blamed for more Covid deaths, and it will be interested to see how Mr Sunak’s reflects on the scheme he led.

Here’s what the scheme looked like in numbers:

Eat To Out Help Out in numbers: How much did the scheme really affect Covid cases?

Nothing defends Boris Johnson’s indecision

11:37 , Archie Mitchell at the Covid-19 Inquiry

Rishi Sunak has said it is “not necessarily a bad thing” that Boris Johnson changed his mind on policies.

He has been asked about the former PM’s reputation for “oscillating” over key decisions during the pandemic, which the inquiry has repeatedly heard about.

But Mr Sunak defended his old boss, saying there is “nothing wrong” with it.

“It’s not surprising that that happens and I don’t think it is a bad thing, it shows that someone is engaging with the process and hearing from different people before getting to a final decision,” Mr Sunak said.

'My responsibility as chancellor was to make sure the prime minister knew financial impacts of lockdown’

11:27 , Archie Mitchell at the Covid-19 Inquiry

The prime minister has said his “constitutional responsibility” as chancellor was to make sure Boris Johnson knew the financial impact of lockdowns.

Rishi Sunak is being grilled on whether he was arguing behind closed doors against measures to curtail the spread of Covid.

He told the inquiry that it is “not particularly controversial to say” there are impacts of lockdowns and “it was my particular responsibility to make sure the economic ones were considered”.

An article read to the inquiry includes a quote from Mr Sunak saying he was not allowed to talk about “the trade-off” in public.

‘Boris and I had informal chats'

11:26 , Alex Ross

Rishi Sunak said it was a “practical reality of being neighbours and sharing a garden” that he and Boris Johnson had informal chats, but insisted all decisions were made within formal structures.

The PM told the inquiry: “If you happen to be neighbours, it’s impossible not to see each other outside of a formal CovidS meeting.

“That’s just the practical reality of being neighbours and sharing a garden, and living in the same building. So, it would be weird not to have had conversations about life, family, friends, work, at the same time.

“In terms of decision-making structures, I’m very clear that there was rigorous and proper debate and deliberation with colleagues in those structures after they were set up, and even before that more generally, and that was my consistent view throughout.”

A lack of paper trail?

11:21 , Alex Ross

Now Rishi Sunak is shown a story published by The Spectator which quotes him as saying: “Everything I did was seen through the prism of: “You’re trying to be difficult, trying to be leader”.

“I’d say alot of stuff to him in private. There’s some written record of everything.”

Why was it not important to leave a paper trail, asks Hugo Keith KC.

“Of course I’d have conversations with the PM,” Mr Sunak tells the inquiry. “In terms of written records, at multiple moments I would write to him so so he could have it in one place and thoughts and analysis from me with regards to perhaps exit road maps or the two metre to one metre rule, there will be others.... there is lots of different bits of evidence which you have where I did write to him formally at particular points where I thought it made sense to lay out a set of arguments from me to him.”

First few weeks of Covid was ‘extremely difficult’

11:11 , Archie Mitchell at the Covid-19 Inquiry

Rishi Sunak has brushed off Dominic Cummings’s criticism of the Cabinet Office when Covid struck as like a “gearbox with sand in it”.

The prime minister said he would not “sit here and say that people were not doing the best they could… I think they were”.

But he said the first few weeks handling the pandemic were “extremely difficult for everyone”.

Mr Sunak, who was chancellor during the pandemic, said decision-making improved when a central taskforce was set up.

‘Felt fine to me'

11:09 , Alex Ross

Mr Sunak is asked about his working with No 10 and the Cabinet Office during the early weeks of the pandemic.

He responds by saying his interactions with the two “felt fine to me”. He adds he was able to input advice to Boris Johnson when decisions were made, saying he never felt “shut out”.

His recollection of the time is that there were “lots of people around the table” at the early meetings, and the government largely acted upon advice from Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) in regards to intervention.

He adds that government actions were not driven by economic advice.

‘Saw Boris more than I saw my own wife'

11:03 , Alex Ross

Rishi Sunak said he saw Boris Johnson more than his wife during the pandemic.

Asked whether he had opportunities to make his views on Covid restrictions plain to the then-prime minister, former chancellor Mr Sunak said: “As a general rule, I always felt that I could.

“I mean, I saw the prime minister probably more than I saw my own wife for this period of time.

“We were working very closely together as I was with my other Cabinet colleagues, and as a general rule I was able to participate in everything that I felt I needed to in order to get the evidence, analysis, to him in a way that he could use it to make decisions.”

‘Not a clash between public health and economics… but we needed to consider range of lockdown impacts,’ Sunak

10:52 , Archie Mitchell

Rishi Sunak has said he did not see there being a “clash” between public health and the economy during the pandemic, but that ministers needed to consider the “totality” of the impacts of lockdown.

The prime minister said his job as chancellor during the pandemic was to advise Boris Johnson on the financial impact of decisions around Covid measures.

“One of the consistent arguments I made from the beginning was making sure we collectively and the prime minister considered the totality of the impacts of the decisions that we were making,” Mr Sunak said.

He has been accused of having pushed back on restrictions to curtail infections on the grounds they would damage the economy.

Rishi Sunak: ‘I have changed my phone… WhatsApps did not come across’

10:43 , Archie Mitchell

Rishi Sunak said he is “not a prolific user of WhatsApp” and blamed the changing of his phone for his inability to hand over messages to the inquiry.

He said he had changed his phone multiple times over the years since the pandemic and messages had not come across.

The inquiry’s lead counsel Hugo Keith KC pressed the prime minister on why he did not protect messages that may later become relevant to the Covid probe.

Mr Keith asked Mr Sunak if he was warned by officials about the need to protect his message history.

“I do not recall anyone in my office making that recommendation or observation to me at the time,” the PM said.

He added that his private office recorded decisions.

Starts with an apology

10:38 , Archie Mitchell

Rishi Sunak has opened his Covid inquiry evidence with an apology “to all of those who lost loved ones”.

“I just wanted to start by saying how deeply sorry I am,” the prime minister said.

“I’ve thought a lot about this over the past couple of years, it’s important that we learn the lessons so that we can be better prepared in the future,” Mr Sunak said.

He promised to give evidence “in the spirit of constructive candour”.

We are under way at the Covid Inquiry this morning

10:34 , Alex Ross

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is being sworn in at the inquiry in central London as he faces a day of questioning over decisions taken as chancellor during the pandemic.

In particular, he will be quizzed about the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which has been blamed for contributing to Covid deaths.

There’ll also be questions about those missing WhatsApp messages Mr Sunak blamed on a change of phone.

Eat Out to Help Out - lack of consultation with scientists

10:25 , Alex Ross

It was billed as an initiative to help out the hospitality industry after the first lockdown, but it’s since been blamed for a rise of Covid deaths, as heard at the ongoing Covid-19 Inquiry.

And last week it emerged that England’s chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s former chief scientific adviser, were never told about the plan.

Mr Whitty told the hearing: “I think we should have been.”

Meanwhile, England’s former deputy chief medical officer, Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, told the inquiry that he first heard about Eat Out to Help Out on television and said the scheme “didn’t feel sensible to me”.

Mr Van-Tam added: “Had I been consulted I wouldn’t have made any distinction between Eat Out to Help Out and any other epidemiological event that brought different households into close contact with each other for the purposes of socialising, eating and consuming alcohol.

“But I would have said ‘this is exactly encouraging what we’ve been trying to suppress and get on top of in the last few months’.”

It’ll be interesting to hear what Rishi Sunak says on the consulting with scientists today.

Watch the hearing live

10:17 , Alex Ross

It’s not started yet, but at 10.30am, here’s where you can watch a live streaming of Rishi Sunak’s appearance at the Covid-19 inquiry

‘We wanted 63 questions, we have been granted one'

10:14 , Alex Ross

A lawyer for bereaved Covid families has said the group submitted an application to ask the prime minister 63 questions, but was granted just one.

Nicola Brook, representing the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, revealed the claim on Twitter.

Hearing begins in just over 30 minutes - what can we expect

10:02 , Alex Ross

Mr Sunak will mount a robust defence of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and his wider response to the pandemic when he takes the stand this morning.

The scheme initially saw Mr Sunak, having been widely praised for the furlough scheme, dubbed “dishy Rishi”. But it has been criticised by chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, who called it “Eat Out to Help Out...the virus”.

He will also face questions over his failure to hand over WhatsApp messages from his time as chancellor to the inquiry.

‘Dr Death’ Rishi Sunak to be grilled over Eat Out to Help out and missing WhatsApps

Protesters outside the Covid-19 Inquiry

09:52 , Alex Ross

Rishi Sunak was quick to enter Dorland House ahead of his appearance at the Covid-19 Inquiry, where he will answer questions on the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and a batch of missing WhatsApp messages.

He was heckled as he entered. Here’s some pictures of the protesters stood outside. One shows a woman holding a poster appearing to say “Covid likes this” in reference to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

The project offered diners 50 per cent off food in August 2020, and was launched following the first lockdown. But it has since been blamed for contributing to spreading the virus, and resulting in more deaths.

Eat Out to Help Out scheme a “bad idea” - say more than half of people

09:46 , Alex Ross

More than half of people think the Eat Out to Help Out scheme was a “bad idea” - that’s according to a YouGov survey for the Times which has been published ahead of the PM’s appearance before the Covid inquiry.

The scheme was rolled out by then chancellor Rishi Sunak in August 2020, and offered half-price food and non-alcoholic drinks at restaurants on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

It was part of Sunak’s plan to help the hospitality industry after the first lockdown.

But it has since received criticism, including at the inquiry. Sir Patrick Vallance said it was “highly likely” to have increased Covid deaths.

The results of the YouGov poll showed 52 per cent thought the scheme was a “bad idea”, with 32 per cent saying it was a good idea.

It also found 56 per cent of people thought the government handled the pandemic “badly”. Just 29 per cent thought it was handled “well”.

Gove defends Sunak on Eat Out to Help Out

09:36 , Alex Ross

Michael Gove refused to criticise any of his cabinet collegues when he appeared before the Covid Inquiry last week - and on Sunday, he continued in that vein when he defended Rishi Sunak over the Eat out to Help Out scheme.

The scheme encouraged people to eat out more in August 2020 after restaurants and pubs had reopened after the first lockdown.

But Sir Patrick Vallance, who was the chief scientific adviser at the time, has said it was “highly likely” to have increased Covid deaths.

Speaking on Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Mr Gove said: “That’s Sir Patrick’s view and I have enormous respect for Sir Patrick having worked for him closely.

“However, I think it’s important to say that the Eat Out to Help Out scheme was announced a month before it was implemented. And in the period pre-announcement and post-implementation, it was not the case that there was a public critique of it.

“It was an effective way of ensuring that the hospitality industry was supported through a very difficult period and it was entirely within the broad outlines of rules about social mixing that prevailed at the time.”

‘We don’t believe you'

09:20 , Alex Ross

Most voters do not believe prime minister Rishi Sunak’s claim he had not been able to provide WhatsApp messages from his time as Chancellor, according to a poll done by campaign groups 38 Degreese and Covid-19 Bedreaved Families for Justice.

The poll of 1,091 people showed 59% of people said Rishi Sunak should have been able to hand over the missing WhatsApp messages, while 52% said the government handled the pandemic badly.

It comes ahead of Sunak’s appearance at the Covid-19 Inquiry today.

Susie Flintham, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said: “The tragic truth is based on his decision making during the pandemic, the public are right not to trust Sunak.

“The inquiry has heard that Eat Out to Help Out defied all of the scientific advice and according to Patrick Vallance was “highly likely to have increased the number of deaths”. How many people would have gone to pubs and restaurants if they had known Chris Whitty was calling the scheme “eat out to help out the virus” as we know now?”

Rishi Sunak heckled as he arrives

09:19 , Alex Ross

Rishi Sunak was quick to get out of his car and walk up the steps into Dorland House.

He didn’t look toward the protesters who heckled him as he entered the building. One person shouted: “Lives are more important than money”.

Watch it here:

Rishi Sunak arrives at Dorland House for the Covid-19 Inquiry

09:08 , Alex Ross

WhatsApp messages, or lack of

08:55 , Alex Ross

In October, we reported how Rishi Sunak had told the Covid-19 Inquiry that he had been unable provide WhatsApp messages from his time as Chancellor because he failed to back them up.

In a witness statement, the prime minister said he did not have access because his phone changed several times, The Guardian claimed.

It comes after Boris Johnson was also quizzed over missing WhatsApp messages during his appearance before the inquest last week.

A government spokesperson said: “The prime minister and government is fully cooperating with the inquiry. We have submitted more than 55,000 documents in support of their work. We are clear that to ensure the integrity of the inquiry, evidence submitted should be heard in context and in full.”

Sunak ‘not sharing’ Covid texts ‘a disgrace direct from Boris playbook’

What was the Eat Out to Help Out scheme

08:36 , Alex Ross

The Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which was launched by the government in August 2020, offered diners 50% off food and non-alcoholic drinks at restaurants and cafes across the country.

It applied from Monday to Wednesday from 3 to 31 August 2020.

The idea was to drive up businesses - restaurants, cafes, hotels and members’ clubs - which had been heavily impacted by the Covid pandemic.

Overall, £849 million was claimed under the scheme across 78,116 places, according to the government. Over 160 million individual meals were claimed with the average claim being £5.24.

And according to figures provided by booking website OpenTable, the number of diners eating out on two applicable days toward the end of the scheme was double the amount eating at the outlets in the same days the year before.

At the time, then chancellor Rishi Sunak thanked diners and restaurants for making the scheme a success.

Restaurants unsure about future as Eat Out to Help Out scheme ends today

How effective were Covid lockdowns – and should we use them if another pandemic hits?

08:04 , Holly Evans

Boris Johnson has finally taken the stand at the Covid inquiry, an opportunity to defend himself against a barrage of criticism from politicians, advisers and civil servants who served with him as the pandemic engulfed the UK.

The use of lockdowns and their impact on the death toll remain fundamental questions: how effective were they in reducing the spread of the disease and if – or when – a similar pandemic hits us, what role should they play?

As a professor of infectious disease epidemiology, I spent the pandemic analysing the data on these questions.

Read more here

Were lockdowns effective and should we use them in future pandemics?

The questions Rishi Sunak will face at the Covid inquiry

07:41 , Holly Evans

As if Rishi Sunak didn’t have quite enough to worry about, he will spend his entire Monday at the Covid inquiry taking questions from various barristers, including Hugo Keith KC. The prime minister obviously played a key role during the pandemic, as he was chancellor of the Exchequer for most of it.

What did Sunak do during Covid?

He was promoted from chief secretary to the Treasury to chancellor on 13 February 2020, and so was in place just as the concerns about the Covid crisis were reaching a critical point.

He won much praise for the packages of measures that the Treasury, with the Bank of England, put in place to support the economy during the emergency restrictions on economic activity; conventional borrowing limits were disregarded in what was treated as a wartime situation. For that, and his empathetic and competent manner, Sunak enjoyed a boost to his image.

Read the full article from Sean O’Grady here

The questions Rishi Sunak will face at the Covid inquiry

Rishi Sunak to face Covid Inquiry today

07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Prime minister Rishi Sunak will appear before the Covid inquiry at 10am today, where he will be grilled over claims the Eat Out to Help Out scheme spread the disease.

Earlier it emerged in diary evidence from aides that Mr Sunak allegedly argued against strict lockdowns.

A diary excerpt from Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser during the pandemic, suggested that Mr Sunak was keen to let the virus run through the population.

WhatsApp messages shown to the Covid-19 Inquiry also revealed that government advisers referred to Mr Sunak as “Dr Death” during the pandemic, because of concerns about the impact of his push to keep economic activity going.

Tory peer Michelle Mone admits she was wrong to deny links to PPE firm

07:00 , Athena Stavrou

Baroness Michelle Mone has conceded she made an “error” in publicly denying her links to the PPE Medpro firm being investigated by the National Crime Agency.

PPE Medpro was awarded government contracts worth more than £200m to supply personal protective equipment after she recommended it to ministers.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has since issued breach of contract proceedings over the 2020 deal on the supply of gowns.

Lady Mone told a YouTube documentary that she and her husband Doug Barrowman would be cleared, arguing they have “done nothing wrong”.

She had initially denied having any links to PPE Medpro but admits in the film: “I made an error in what I said to the press.

“I regret not saying to the press straight away, ‘Yes, I am involved.’ And the government knew I was involved.”

Sunak to be questioned on claims scientists had ‘too much power'

06:10 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak is expected to be questioned about his previous claims that scientific advisers were handed too much power, and his views on the damage done by lockdowns.

In an interview during the Tory leadership contest last August, the former chancellor said the “problem” had been: “If you empower all these independent people you’re screwed.”

Mr Sunak also told The Spectator that he “wasn’t allowed to talk about the trade-offs” of Covid lockdowns – including its impact on the economy, schools and NHS waiting lists.

The Tory leader, Boris Johnson’s chancellor during the Covid crisis, is viewed as pushing against a second lockdown in the autumn of 2020, advocating for the opening up of the economy.

John Rentoul: 'Eat Out to Help Out’ was a good idea

05:10 , Athena Stavrou

The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul writes about why he believes the then chancellor had to protect public health and the economy - and why the Covid inquiry’s rewriting of history is dangerous.

Read the full article:

‘Eat Out to Help Out’ was a good idea | John Rentoul

Sunak to be grilled by lawyers bereaved families

04:10 , Athena Stavrou

The prime minister will be questioned at the covid inquiry by lead counsel Hugo Keith KC in west London on Monday.

However, he will also have to face lawyers representing bereaved families from the four UK nations, long Covid groups and the Trades Union Congress.

The union’s assistant general secretary Kate Bell said: “The Prime Minister must come clean about why these decisions were taken – especially when senior government advisers were warning that people couldn’t afford to stay home when sick.

“The failure to provide proper financial support was an act of self-sabotage that left millions brutally exposed to the pandemic.”

What did Sunak do during Covid?

03:10 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak was promoted from chief secretary to the Treasury to chancellor on 13 February 2020, and so was in place just as the concerns about the Covid crisis were reaching a critical point.

It has become apparent since the pandemic, especially in evidence given to the Covid inquiry, that the Treasury and Sunak put up some resistance to lockdown measures, on economic grounds.

On the other hand, they spent £800m on the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. This was seen at the time as a bold initiative to boost the hard-hit hospitality sector, but has since raised questions about it spreading the disease at a critical point.

Sunak also attended the birthday gathering for Boris Johnson, for which he was issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Michael Gove defends Eat Out to Help Out

02:10 , Athena Stavrou

Cabinet minister Michael Gove defended Mr Sunak on Sunday, arguing there was no “public critique” of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme before its launch in August 2020.

Mr Gove argued the policy was announced a month before it was implemented and during this time it was “not the case that there was a public critique”.

“It was an effective way of ensuring that the hospitality industry was supported through a very difficult period, and it was entirely within the broad outlines of rules about social mixing that prevailed at the time,” he told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme.

Watch: Boris Johnson apologises to victims during Covid inquiry

01:10 , Athena Stavrou

During his testimony to the Covid-19 inquiry last week, former prime minister Boris Johnson apologised to victims.

Watch below:

Will Rishi Sunak’s covid evidence make a political difference to him?

00:10 , Sean O’Grady

Given everything else that’s gone wrong more recently, probably not much.

As so often, the public will regard the furlough scheme as no more than they were due, and take the view that the government had no alternative other than to support the economy.

Sunak won’t get much thanks for the good things he did, but plenty of criticism for ideas such as Eat Out to Help Out that, in hindsight, were unwise in both economic and public health terms.

Far from “following the science”, it looks as if Sunak and the Treasury sometimes went out of their way to exclude the medical and scientific experts, and even the health secretary, from decision-making.

That doesn’t accord with what Sunak was telling people at the time, or with his “reasonable guy” image.

Did Rishi consult experts on Eat Out to Help Out?

Sunday 10 December 2023 23:10 , Athena Stavrou

There will be much focus on Eat Out to Help Out as Rishi Sunak faces the Covid-19 Inquiry tomorrow and whether the Treasury and Sunak sought any medical or scientific advice about its efficacy or prospective risks.

Chris Whitty, Jonathan Van-Tam and Patrick Vallance all say that they knew nothing about it before it was launched.

Johnson stated in his witness statement that Whitty and Vallance “were properly consulted” but under cross-examination admitted that was only his assumption.

But Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, is said to have privately referred to the scheme to boost the restaurant industry as “eat out to help out the virus”.

Sir Patrick Vallance, who was chief scientific adviser, said he and Sir Chris could not recall being consulted in advance about the scheme that cost hundreds of millions of pounds.

Giving evidence to Baroness Hallett’s inquiry, Sir Patrick said the scheme was “highly likely” to have fuelled deaths.

What is the Covid-19 Inquiry?

Sunday 10 December 2023 22:10 , Athena Stavrou

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is a public inquiry that has been set up to examine the UK’s response to and impact of the pandemic.

The inquiry’s terms of reference, published in June 2022, set out a series of aims including examining the public health response to the pandemic, the response of the health and care sector to the pandemic and the economic response to the pandemic including government interventions.

The inquiry is being chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, a retired judge and crossbench peer who also led the inquests into the 7 July London bombings.

Public hearings began in June 2023 and are expected to continue until 2026.

Key takeaways from Boris Johnson’s testimony

Sunday 10 December 2023 21:10 , Athena Stavrou

While the current prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is set to face the Covid-19 Inquiry on Monday, the former prime minister gave his evidence last week.

Boris Johnson delivered two days of highly-charged Covid testimony, forcing him to face up to his administration’s failings during the crisis.

He stuck to his guns on lockdowns, describing the decision to impose a national lockdown in March 2020 as “probably timely”, adding: “I do not believe it should have been made earlier.”

However, he admitted the “possibility” that earlier interventions could have been introduced.

Mr Johnson did also admit in his statement that his tiered local lockdown system was a failure and admitted to “not remember any specific consideration” being given to the question of testing hospital patients before they were discharged to care homes in March 2020.

The former prime minister did however defend the decision for him to not chair the Cobra meetings held at the start of the pandemic.

Rishi Sunak thought government should ‘let people die’, Covid inquiry told

Sunday 10 December 2023 20:10 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak is set to face the Covid inquiry tomorrow, but he has been mentioned in the hearing multiple times since it began several weeks ago.

In one of the most explosive claims heard at the inquiry so far, the now prime minister, who was chancellor at the time, allegedly believed it was time to “just let people die and that’s okay” in the autumn of 2020.

The accusation, made by former chief of staff Dominic Cummings, was documented in Sir Patrick Vallance’s diary and was heard by the inquiry on November 20.

WhatsApp messages shown to the Covid-19 Inquiry also revealed that government advisers referred to Mr Sunak as “Dr Death” during the pandemic, because of concerns about the impact of his push to keep economic activity going.

What questions could Rishi Sunak face at the inquiry?

Sunday 10 December 2023 19:10 , Athena Stavrou

The prime minister is due to face the Covid-19 Inquiry tomorrow and respond to claims that his economic policies spread the disease further.

These are some of the key questions he will most likely have to answer:

- Did he seek medical or expert advice on Eat Out to Help out?

- Why was £800m was spent on East Out to Help Out which lasted just over a month, but just £385m was spent on the self-isolation support scheme in total throughout its 18-month existence?

- Was there a trade-off between public health and the economy?

- Why wasn’t more done for those required to self-isolate under government rules?

Rishi Sunak to face claims Eat Out to Help Out scheme spread coronavirus

Sunday 10 December 2023 18:10 , Athena Stavrou

Rishi Sunak is set to face the Covid-19 inquiry on Monday and respond to claims his Eat Out to Help Out scheme spread the disease.

The prime minister was chancellor at the time of the crisis and has been referred to as “Dr Death” in Whatsapp messages seen by the inquiry between government advisers.

The plan formed part of Mr Sunak’s summer economic update in July 2020, and provided 50% off the cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, is said to have privately referred to the scheme to boost the restaurant industry as “eat out to help out the virus”.

Eat Out to Help Out scheme set to be scrutinised

Friday 8 December 2023 07:00 , Sam Rkaina

Prof Edmunds told the inquiry on Thursday the Dr Death reference “could well be” about the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which was devised by then-chancellor Mr Sunak and deployed a month earlier in a bid to kickstart the restaurant industry following lockdown.

The announcement that Mr Sunak will face a whole day of questioning on Monday came as former prime minister Boris Johnson began his second day of questioning.

Baroness Hallett’s inquiry has heard that scientists and then-health secretary Matt Hancock were left out of discussions around the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which offered discounted meals in summer 2020 to help the hospitality trade after lockdown measures were lifted.

Mr Hancock told the inquiry he was not told about the scheme until the day it was announced and “argued very strongly” against the possibility of extending it at the end of August 2020.

The inquiry has also heard that former Government chief scientific adviser Professor Sir Patrick Vallance, England’s chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty and their former deputies Dame Angela and Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam were also not told about the scheme.

Sunak to face Covid-19 inquiry questioning on Monday

Friday 8 December 2023 06:00 , Sam Rkaina

Rishi Sunak will be questioned about his actions during the Covid-19 pandemic when he appears before the hearing on Monday.

The Prime Minister was chancellor during the crisis and is likely to be questioned about the impact of his policies such as the Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Government advisers referred to Mr Sunak as “Dr Death” during the pandemic, WhatsApp messages shown to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry have revealed, because of concerns about the impact of his push to keep economic activity going.

The correspondence between epidemiologist Professor John Edmunds and Professor Dame Angela McLean – now chief scientific adviser to the Government – took place during a meeting in September 2020.

Dame Angela messaged Prof Edmunds, referring to “Dr Death the Chancellor”, the inquiry was told.

Boris booed - again

Friday 8 December 2023 05:00 , Sam Rkaina

Boris Johnson was jeered as he left the Covid-19 inquiry after two days of giving evidence.

Protesters outside shouted “murderer” and “shame on you” as he left Dorland House in west London to his awaiting car.

Boris Johnson appears to talk down the clock on questions about Covid’s impact on minorities

Friday 8 December 2023 04:00 , Sam Rkaina

Recap: Johnson described schools facemask policy as ‘totally f***** up’

Friday 8 December 2023 03:00 , Sam Rkaina

Boris Johnson referred to his own Government’s facemask policy as “f***** up” in the summer of 2020, the Covid-19 Inquiry has heard.

It also emerged the former prime minister would “bullshit ‘no surrender’ ideas” from his ministers and then come to regret it later.

Mr Johnson was being questioned on Thursday about his u-turn on policies around facemasks in secondary schools in August 2020.

At the time, then-education secretary Gavin Williamson had insisted measures being adopted by schools to limit the spread of coronavirus meant masks were not required.

However, the Government revised its recommendations following updated guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which said: “Children aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults”.

A statement from the Department for Education on August 25 2020 said that “nationwide, while the government is not recommending face coverings are necessary, schools will have the discretion to require face coverings in communal areas if they believe that is right in their particular circumstances”.

Gasps as Boris Johnson snaps at Covid inquiry lawyer over death toll figures

Friday 8 December 2023 02:02 , Sam Rkaina

Recap: Johnson calls partygate portrayals ‘absurd’ as he finishes Covid evidence

Friday 8 December 2023 01:14 , Sam Rkaina

Boris Johnson lashed out at some of the “absolutely absurd” characterisations of the partygate debacle as he completed two days of at-times combative and emotional evidence to the Covid-19 Inquiry.

The former prime minister insisted on Thursday he was not “reconciled” to Covid deaths or believed it necessary to “let it rip” in the autumn of 2020.

On the final day of his highly-anticipated appearance, he said he was “perplexed” at claims from top scientists that ministers failed to consult them on Rishi Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.

Much of the questioning on Thursday focused on the sequence of decision-making leading to the second national lockdown and later restrictions, while also touching on revelations of rule-breaking inside Number 10.

Mr Johnson appeared to become emotional during some of the discussions as he rejected suggestions he did not care about the suffering of the public and discussed his own admittance to intensive care.

It came as inquiry lead counsel Hugo Keith KC pressed Mr Johnson about the lockdown-breaching parties that were held in Downing Street and the impact on public confidence.

Boris Johnson ‘sad’ his testimony for Covid Inquiry is over as he asks for new investigation

Friday 8 December 2023 00:01 , Sam Rkaina

John Rentoul answers your burning questions as Boris Johnson is grilled at the Covid inquiry

Thursday 7 December 2023 23:12 , Sam Rkaina

The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul explains all you need to know as Boris Johnson faces the Covid inquiry.

It comes after former Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced two days of questioning at the Covid inquiry - with answers that have illicited more questions from our readers.

Click here for analysis of what Mr Johnson did - and didn’t - say during his public grilling.

Watch: Johnson shown all times he said ‘let Covid rip’ in uncomfortable inquiry moment

Thursday 7 December 2023 22:00 , Tara Cobham

Johnson claims Partygate coverage is ‘million miles’ from truth

Thursday 7 December 2023 21:30 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson embarked on an extraordinary re-writing of history over Partygate as he gave evidence to the Covid inquiry, insisting the public’s perception of lockdown-breaching parties in Number 10 was a “million miles” from the truth.

In comments that will infuriate families bereaved during the Covid pandemic, the former prime minister said the representation of repeated gatherings during the pandemic was “absolutely absurd”.

Pressed about the saga — which sparked his eventual downfall as PM — Mr Johnson said the way Partygate has been presented was a “travesty of truth”.

Archie Mitchell reports:

Johnson: Partygate coverage is ‘million miles’ from truth

In pictures: Bereaved families protest at inquiry on second day of Johnson’s evidence

Thursday 7 December 2023 21:00 , Tara Cobham

The key Covid revelations from Boris Johnson today

Thursday 7 December 2023 20:30 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson fell silent for three minutes at the Covid inquiry on Thursday morning as he was confronted by all the times he talked about “letting it rip” through the population.

The former prime minister has been in largely good spirits responding to questioning from Hugo Keith KC, the probe’s lead counsel.

But Mr Johnson looked distinctly uneasy as he was shown five damning diary extracts by Sir Patrick Vallance.

Archie Mitchell reports:

From Eat Out to Help Out to ‘let it rip’: The key Covid revelations today

Johnson says it is ‘very, very important’ to get answers to how virus originated

Thursday 7 December 2023 20:00 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson said it is “very, very important” to get the answers to how the virus originated at the end of giving two days of evidence at the UK Covid-19 inquiry.

The former prime minister said valuable testimony had been given to the inquiry, and that he hoped it would help to bring the issues of health and social care together.

Baroness Heather Hallett, chairwoman of the inquiry, thanked Mr Johnson for his evidence, saying: “Thank you very much indeed Mr Johnson, I know how difficult it must be to have two days giving evidence.”

Mr Johnson replied: “No. I am rather sad that it’s over. I may not see you again, so I just wanted to say one thing, which is that I do think all the testimony and the evidence is incredibly valuable.”

He added: “The issues of health and social care are absolutely critical, and the government that I led was embarked on a big programme to try and bring them together. I think the fact that we had those delayed discharge patients was very, very difficult in the NHS. I hope that this inquiry will give a kick to the powers that be to make sure that we really address that.”

Making a “final point”, Mr Johnson concluded: “I know it’s outside your scope, but I do think that the British public and future governments will need to be elucidated about exactly how this thing originated.

“I don’t think the inquiry can look into it yourselves, but some sort of prod to the world to get the answer to the real origins of Covid, I think is going to be very, very important.”

Argumentative, angry and arm-waving: The old Boris Johnson was back

Thursday 7 December 2023 19:30 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson spent much of the day apologising again, but the one time he actually looked embarrassed was when it was revealed he told a meeting: “F*** YOU Daily Mail”. Never mind 220,000 excess deaths, what would he tell the editor of his tabloid employer?

“I am sorry to have said this about the Daily Mail,” croaked the overpaid columnist when his words appeared on the big screen. It was his umpteenth saying of sorry, but this time, as the movies say, he meant it.

You knew this was going to be a tough day for Johnson because he started being nice to “hard worker” Matt Hancock. If a drowning man clutches at Hancock, he must be desperate. The former health secretary is more of a dead weight than a lifebelt these days but, crucially for Boris’s legal case, he had backed the PM on rejecting a circuit breaker lockdown in October 2020, perhaps one of the worst blunders of the pandemic.

Read more here:

Argumentative, angry and arm-waving: The old Boris was back | Joe Murphy

Bereaved daughter says Johnson ‘couldn’t even face us’ outside covid inquiry

Thursday 7 December 2023 19:21 , Eric Williams

Emma de Saint Esteban, a teacher who lost her father to Covid-19, said Johnson and members of his government “need to be made accountable” but said it would take years.

“Johnson has ruined a lot of people’s lives, including mine. As a teacher, I was labeled as an essential worker. I went into school and brought Covid back. Dad then caught it, went into hospital, and never came back.

“For a long time I have felt responsible. I’ve had to get help about it. But that’s why I’m here today - because ultimately he is responsible. I worked hard, I followed the rules, I did everything right. And all the while they were having parties. It’s disgusting.

“When I lost my dad I emailed Boris Johnson and James Cleverly, my MP. Neither got back to me.”

She continued stating that the former prime minister “couldn’t even face us” outside the inquiry.

“We’re nothing to that man,” she added saying that even Johnson’s appearance at the trial appeared disrespectful.

In pictures: Bereaved families protest outside Covid inquiry

Thursday 7 December 2023 19:11 , Eric Williams

Long Covid Support charity: ‘We did not get the answers today. Instead, we got more bluster’

Thursday 7 December 2023 19:09 , Eric Williams

As the Covid inquiry continues, many gathered to demonstrate outside Dorland House in London.

Clare Hastie, founder of the Long Covid Support charity, said: “We did not get the answers today. Instead, we got more bluster.”

Speaking about the support group members, Hastie said: “People are not recovering. They are getting worse.

“He [Johnson] doesn’t regret the dismissal or denial that has hurt so many of us and stopped proper research into treatment.”

Johnson rejects showing dismissive attitude to trade unions

Thursday 7 December 2023 19:00 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson was shown an extract from Sir Patrick Vallance’s diary in which he said “we can’t have the bollocks of consulting with employees and trade unions”.

The diary entry is dated July 2021. Asked by counsel Samuel Jacobs on behalf of the TUC if that showed a dismissive attitude to trade unions, Mr Johnson rejected that characterisation.

“This is July 2021, we’ve vaccinated a huge proportion of the population, faster than any other European country, I’m determined to get people back to work if I possibly can.”

He told the inquiry he had “nothing against consultation”.

“What I didn’t want to see was a drag anchor being put on people getting back into the workplace after the colossal changes that we’d been able to make in the pandemic.”

Watch: Johnson ‘sad’ testimony for Inquiry is over as he asks for new investigation

Thursday 7 December 2023 18:30 , Tara Cobham

Johnson would regret backing ministers’ ‘b******t “no surrender” ideas’

Thursday 7 December 2023 18:00 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson would back “b******t ‘no surrender’ ideas” from his ministers then come to regret it later, the Covid-19 Inquiry has heard.

The probe was shown WhatsApp messages between Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, Mr Johnson’s former chief adviser Dominic Cummings and former Downing Street director of communications Lee Cain from August 2020. In it they were discussing the u-turn on advice on facemasks in schools.

Mr Case said the former prime minister had been advised to “create permissive guidance around masks” weeks earlier “because we could foresee it was going to be a drama in Sept”.

The exchange claims then education secretary Gavin Williamson was in “no surrender mode” and “didn’t want to give an inch to the unions, so said we should hold firm. PM gave him full support in this approach.”

The messages go on to say: “At every turn, PM backs bullshit “no surrender” ideas from Hancock/Williamson/Shapps then totally regrets it later.”

Mr Case also referred to scientists as “slow and too purist”, adding that Number 10 was finding it “impossible to hold debatable positions” due to a “massive trust deficit” with the Government.

Watch: Gasps as Johnson snaps at Covid inquiry lawyer over death toll figures

Thursday 7 December 2023 17:30 , Tara Cobham

Gasps were heard in the public gallery at the Covid inquiry on Thursday (7 December) as Boris Johnson snapped at a lawyer over coronavirus death toll figures.

Pete Weatherby KC, representing Covid Bereaved Families for Justice, asked questions about the former prime minister’s statement in which he said the UK “ended the pandemic, or the most serious phases of it, well down the global league tables for excess mortality.”

Mr Weatherby described the statement as a “sweeping assertion” before Mr Johnson snapped: “I don’t believe that your evidence stacks up,” which was met with gasps.

Holly Patrick reports:

Gasps as Boris Johnson snaps at Covid inquiry lawyer over death toll figures

Johnson refers to Government’s facemask policy as ‘f***** up'

Thursday 7 December 2023 17:15 , Tara Cobham

Former prime minister Boris Johnson referred to the Government’s facemask policy in the summer of 2020 as “f***** up”, the Covid-19 Inquiry has heard.

Mr Johnson was shown a WhatsApp exchange between himself and former chief adviser Dominic Cummings from August 2020.

Mr Johnson wrote: “I am on a train trying to make sense of our totally f***** up facemask policy.”

When pressed by core participant Samuel Jacobs, who is representing Trades Union Congress (TUC), he said: “The adjective I use, which I won’t repeat, was intended to convey my sense that a mask policy which had been in position, one, was going to have to change because of changing scientific advice and changing appreciation of the value of masks.

“That was the reality. It was going to be politically difficult to to execute, but we were going to have to do it.”

‘Shame on you’: Johnson jeered as he leaves Covid inquiry after two days of evidence

Thursday 7 December 2023 17:13 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson was jeered as he left the Covid-19 inquiry after two days of giving evidence.

Protesters outside shouted “murderer” and “shame on you” as he left Dorland House in west London to his awaiting car.

Watch: Johnson accused of talking down clock on questions about Covid’s impact on minorities

Thursday 7 December 2023 16:58 , Tara Cobham

Baroness Hallet’s final back-and-forth with Johnson at inquiry

Thursday 7 December 2023 16:47 , Tara Cobham

As he finished giving evidence, Boris Johnson urged the UK Covid inquiry to look into the origins of coronavirus. Inquiry chair Baroness Hallet replied: “Mr Johnson, you set my terms of reference...”

Johnson ‘rather sad it’s all over’ as he finishes evidence

Thursday 7 December 2023 16:46 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson finished giving evidence on the second day of of his two-day grilling at the UK Covid inquiry by saying he was “rather sad that it’s all over”.

Johnson stands by ‘Freedom Day’ decision despite prevalence of Covid

Thursday 7 December 2023 16:43 , Tara Cobham

Boris Johnson has stood by his government’s decision to called 19 July 2021 ‘Freedom Day’ despite Covid remaining prevalent in the UK.

The former prime minister said: “It wasn’t an irrational choice of expression... I don’t think it was an inappropriate way to talk about it.”

Brian Stanton, on behalf of British Medical Association (BMA), asked if the government should have done more to encourage a precautionary approach, to which Mr Johnson replied: “Honestly, no.”