By Ben Kerrigan-
Rishi Sunak defends the Eat Out to Help Out scheme that he introduced in August 2020 as chancellor, telling the the Covid inquiry it was designed to save jobs, and took place after the “safe reopening” of pubs and restaurants.
He also says the policy was proposed a month before it began – and so could have been challenged by advisers.
The inquiry earlier heard that some advisers were not consulted, with some later questioning the wisdom of the policy.
Sunak also says he did not back a national “circuit breaker” in September 2020, and thought a regional system was a better idea
Earlier, Rishi Sunak defended Boris Johnson’s decision making during the Covid pandemic in March 2020
Lawyer for one of Inquiry’s core participants reprimanded by Baroness Hallett
The lawyer for one of the Inquiry’s core participants has been reprimanded by Baroness Hallett for making an “inappropriate” comment to the Prime Minister.
The Covid Inquiry, delving into the UK government’s handling of the pandemic, concluded its oral evidence for the day, marking the end of part two of the proceedings. The day’s events took an unexpected turn as tensions flared during an exchange between Prime Minister and counsel Leslie Thomas KC.
Baroness Hallett, chair of the inquiry, reprimanded Leslie Thomas, the lawyer representing the Federation of Ethnic Minority Healthcare Organisations (FEMHO), for what she deemed an “inappropriate” comment directed at the Prime Minister.
Thomas cut across the Prime Minister while discussing the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, stating, “I know that you wouldn’t be trying to talk me down on the clock.” Baroness Hallett interrupted, declaring the comment inappropriate and instructing Chancellor Rishi Sunak to ignore it.
Rishi Sunak, questioned about Downing Street’s belief that the Treasury was “pejoratively associated with death,” expressed unawareness of such sentiments.
Refuting the characterization of the Treasury as a “pro-death squad,” Sunak defended the hardworking individuals at the Treasury who supported him throughout the pandemic.
In a subsequent exchange at 3:19 PM, Sunak dismissed the claim that he was “violently opposed to lockdown,” stating it was an unfair characterization. He clarified his position, asserting opposition to a circuit breaker in September 2020, not a general aversion to lockdowns.
Sunak further disclosed that there was less consensus within the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) than the public was led to believe. He remarked, “Sage’s views were presented as a consensus or a single view,” expressing regret for not ensuring a broader awareness of the internal debates.
The Chancellor defended the controversial Eat Out To Help Out scheme, stating he did not view it as a risk. Sunak argued that those who believed the scheme was a risk should have raised concerns when something could have been done about it. He emphasized the scheme’s implementation within the context of a safe reopening and defended its necessity to safeguard jobs.