Forgetful Rishi Sunak says he can't remember more than 20 times at Covid Inquiry
Rishi Sunak insisted his virus-spreading Eat Out To Help Out scheme was the “right thing to do” as he argued his “Dr Death” nickname was unfair.
The PM appeared rattled as he faced six hours of questions at the Covid Inquiry about his role as Chancellor during the pandemic. Mr Sunak, who normally prides himself on being a details man, repeatedly said he could not remember key meetings, emails and conversations.
He also admitted he had failed to provide any of his WhatsApp messages as he claimed they had all been lost when he changed mobile phone. In one awkward moment, he was forced to deny that he had described parents whose children are entitled to free school meals as “freeloaders”.
TUC Assistant General Secretary Kate Bell said: “Rishi Sunak said under oath that it was important to learn the lessons of Covid. Yet he failed to recollect vital details of public interest on more than 20 occasions. And he refused time and again to take any responsibility for his actions. Without proper candour and accountability from our leaders, we risk making the same mistakes again.”
Naomi Fulop of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK said that “over and over again” Mr Sunak had claimed “he could ‘not recall’ key moments from his time as Chancellor”. “The public does though,” she declared. “He was and continues to be a public health hazard - and for the sake of our safety he must resign."
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Mr Sunak dismissed criticism of his Eat Out To Help Scheme as he argued many hospitality jobs would have been put at risk with “devastating consequences” if it hadn't been introduced in August 2020. "In order to safeguard the jobs of 2million people working in the sector, you need people to go and use those businesses," he said.
Grilled on why Government scientists including Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty had not been consulted on the idea, Mr Sunak insisted the £840million discount scheme was a “micro policy”. Sir Chris is said to have privately referred to it as "Eat Out To Help Out The Virus", while Sir Patrick Vallance, who was chief scientific adviser, last month told the inquiry it was "highly likely" to have fuelled deaths. But Mr Sunak hit back arguing they had “ample opportunity to raise those concerns between the announcement of the scheme and its implementation”. “None of them chose to do so in any forum that they were in,” he added.
The inquiry has previously been shown a WhatsApp message in which Professor Dame Angela McLean, who is now Chief Scientific Adviser, described Mr Sunak as “Dr Death the Chancellor”, while Boris Johnson reportedly described the Treasury under his leadership the “pro-death squad”. Asked whether he was aware of what his former department was being called, Mr Sunak said: "I wasn't and I do not think it is a fair characterisation on the incredibly hard working people that I was lucky to be supported by at the Treasury."
At the beginning of his evidence, Mr Sunak said it was “important that we learn lessons” as he issued an apology to families who lost loved ones. "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,” he said.
"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.”
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