Dominic Cummings reportedly claimed that during a tense meeting in October 2020, Rishi Sunak’s stance was to “let people die” rather than enforce another lockdown, as revealed in a diary entry by Sir Patrick Vallance, the former chief scientific adviser. This entry highlighted heated discussions involving Boris Johnson’s reluctance for lockdowns, expressing sentiments like “letting it all rip” and suggesting that those succumbing to the virus had “had a good innings.”
The entry outlined a clash between Johnson and Cummings, with the latter urging the Prime Minister to act and save lives. Johnson, visibly frustrated, seemed averse to another national lockdown. The meeting concluded with a decision to reinforce the existing tier system and consider a national lockdown.
Sir Patrick’s notes indicated Cummings attributing a belief to Sunak, suggesting he was fine with the idea of letting people die. These revelations were part of a larger context where scientific advisers felt excluded from key strategy discussions by both Number 10 and the Cabinet Office, at times encountering resistance when presenting inconvenient evidence.
Additionally, Sir Patrick Vallance disclosed that scientific and medical advisers weren’t informed about Rishi Sunak’s “Eat Out To Help Out” scheme until it was publicly announced. He stated that the advisors’ concerns about increased transmission risk would have been clear and likely understood by ministers.
When questioned, Sir Patrick acknowledged instances where pressure was applied to alter advice, citing a WhatsApp exchange with Matt Hancock as an example. He highlighted challenges in ensuring scientific evidence was properly heard and considered, especially when it contradicted desired narratives.
Regarding Boris Johnson’s comprehension of scientific concepts, Sir Patrick’s entries reflected struggles in explaining statistics and graphs to the Prime Minister. Johnson’s difficulty grasping certain concepts was noted, though Sir Patrick emphasised this wasn’t a unique challenge among leaders in Western democracies.
As the inquiry progresses, various aspects of decision-making and leadership during the pandemic are being scrutinised, shedding light on internal conflicts and challenges faced by scientific advisers in influencing policy.
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