Boris Johnson shown all the times he said 'let Covid rip' in uncomfortable inquiry moment
Rishi Sunak today told the Covid-19 Inquiry that launching the Eat Out to Help Out scheme was “the right thing to do”, adding it was designed to be safe within the lifting of lockdown measures.
The prime minister, who was chancellor at the time of the crisis, also defended the Treasury which was described as the “pro-death squad” by Boris Johnson because it wanted to ease lockdown restrictions quickly.
This afternoon, counsel Hugo Keith KC asked Mr Sunak why the Eat Out to Help Out scheme was rolled out without consultation with Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).
Mr Sunak said it was a “micro policy” designed “specifically in the context of the safe lifting of [COVID measures] that had already been signed off”.
Earlier in the day, Mr Sunak apologised to bereaved families for the government’s actions during the pandemic.
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.
