The UK’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the focus of an inquiry, and during a recent hearing, controversial statements were made by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. According to reports, Sunak suggested that the government should “just let people die” instead of implementing a second national lockdown during a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on October 25th, 2020. These revelations came from a diary entry written by Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser on the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dominic Cummings, Johnson’s top adviser during the pandemic, reportedly relayed what he heard at the meeting to Vallance. In response, Sunak’s spokesman stated that the British Prime Minister will present his position when he submits evidence to the inquiry rather than addressing each part individually.

The inquiry is investigating the government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in over 220,000 deaths. The investigation is expected to continue until the summer of 2026.