Rishi Sunak says he warned of Covid lockdown impact on schools and mental health during meetings during the pandemic.
Giving evidence to the coronavirus inquiry, the Prime Minister denied there had ever been a clash between public health and the economy while he was Chancellor but did admit to warning of the far-reaching impact lockdowns would have.
Asked by Hugo Keith KC during questioning at the Covid Inquiry about the “clash between public health, epidemiological considerations and economic and fiscal issues”, and his position, Sunak said: “I don’t think I ever referred to it as a clash.
“I think I saw my role as chancellor of the exchequer as making sure that the prime minister had the best possible advice, information, analysis relating to the economic impact or consequences of some of the decisions that he was having to make.”
Sunak denied clashing with public health officials
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He said that meetings on lockdown policy during the pandemic had taken into account the “totality of the impacts of the decisions that we were making”.
Highlighting that he had warned of the impact that the “stay at home” messaging would have on issues such as education and mental health, he said: “It wasn’t – I didn’t ever describe it as – a clash just between public health and economics.
“I think that’s to think about it in far too narrow a way.
“As many people have alluded to, and I did at the time, there were a range of impacts, many of them socio-economic, the impact on children’s education, on mental health, on the issue in the criminal justice system, as well as the pure economic impact.
Hugo Keith KC questioned the Prime Minister on Covid lockdowns
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“It was important that policymakers considered the totality of those.”
Sunak has faced criticism from some quarters for caring more about the economy when he was Chancellor than peoples’ lives.
One Government scientist, Prof Dame Angela McLean, even referred to Sunak as “Dr Death” in a WhatsApp exchange made public during the inquiry.
The message was sent in frustration at the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme, which was led by the then-Chancellor.
Sunak began his evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry by apologising to bereaved families for the Government’s actions.
After being sworn in on Monday morning, the Prime Minister said: “Thank you for having me here today.
“I just wanted to start by saying how deeply sorry I am to all of those who lost loved ones, family members, through the pandemic, and also all those who suffered in various different ways throughout the pandemic and as a result of the actions that were taken.
“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. It’s in that spirit and with enormous respect for all of those who are affected that I’m here today.
“I look forward to giving evidence in the spirit of constructive candour to help the inquiry with its deliberations.”
