During an inquiry into the UK’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was reported that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made controversial statements about the government’s response to the crisis. According to the inquiry, Sunak suggested that the government should “just let people die” instead of implementing a second national lockdown. This revelation came from a note written by Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser on the Covid-19 pandemic, in his diary on 25 October 2020. The note detailed a meeting attended by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sunak.

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 instead of addressing each part individually.

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