Is Rishi Sunak to blame for the UK’s second wave of Covid-19?
In autumn last year, Boris Johnson chose to follow the advice of his chancellor over that of key scientists - at great cost. thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-…
In autumn last year, Boris Johnson chose to follow the advice of his chancellor over that of key scientists - at great cost. thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-…
In mid-August pf 2020, as positive tests had risen to more than a thousand a day, The Commons all-party coronavirus group wrote directly to the prime minister.
“To minimise the risk of a second wave occurring . . . an urgent change in government approach is required,” it said.
“To minimise the risk of a second wave occurring . . . an urgent change in government approach is required,” it said.
The letter was waiting for Johnson when he returned from his holiday on the coast of Scotland. He never replied, and went on to ignore the MPs’ advice concerning a zero-Covid strategy.
Meanwhile, Eat Out to Help Out continued; a measure which, according to researchers from Warwick University, increasing Covid-19 cases by between 8% and 17%. 
“It wasn’t about support for restaurants, otherwise it would have counted for takeaways,” a Sage source said. “It was to break our fear and it worked…It just seemed insane.”
On September 16, Whitty and Vallance urged the prime minister — who had ruled out a second lockdown — to impose a short circuit breaker to bring R under control.
Without drastic intervention, they argued, the country was now on track for 200 - 500 deaths a day by early November
Without drastic intervention, they argued, the country was now on track for 200 - 500 deaths a day by early November
Sunak later met with Johnson to express deep concern about the damage a lockdown would do to business and jobs.
Rumours circulated afterwards that Sunak had threatened to resign if there was a lockdown, but this has been denied.
Rumours circulated afterwards that Sunak had threatened to resign if there was a lockdown, but this has been denied.
Invitations were sent out to a series of experts to join in a clandestine rendezvous with the prime minister.
Three of the four academics invited to speak, including Sunetra Gupta, were advocates of letting the virus run its course with the use of lighter restrictions.
Three of the four academics invited to speak, including Sunetra Gupta, were advocates of letting the virus run its course with the use of lighter restrictions.
In the end, Johnson took the political path of least resistance, appeasing his chancellor and those who felt the economy’s short-term prospects should be the priority.
But mostly, he was winging it.
But mostly, he was winging it.
Johnson’s delay had an enormous human cost.
According to estimates from Imperial College, more than 2.5 million people were infected between the day the prime minister ignored his expert advisers’ calls for a circuit breaker and the end of the second lockdown on December 1.
According to estimates from Imperial College, more than 2.5 million people were infected between the day the prime minister ignored his expert advisers’ calls for a circuit breaker and the end of the second lockdown on December 1.
You can read the full account here: thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-…
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