Boris Johnson wanted to let Covid “rip” despite the fact people would die, while Rishi Sunak also thought that was “okay”, the public inquiry has heard.
The UK Covid Inquiry heard of the “shambolic” day on October 25 2020, when the country was heading towards a second national lockdown from chief scientific advisor Patrick Vallance’s pandemic diaries.
The diary entry highlights how the former prime minister wanted to let the virus spread.Johnson's most senior adviser, Dominic Cummings (DC), suggested Sunak also thought it was “okay” to just let people die.
Sunak was Chancellor at the time. The extract read: “PM meeting – begins to argue for letting it all rip. Saying yes there will be more casualties but so be it – ‘they have had a good innings’.“Not persuaded by (Jon) Edmunds, (Neil) Ferguson, (Jeremy) Farrar.