UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stood by the nation's management of the COVID-19 crisis in a recent inquiry. He disputed claims of a dysfunctional government made in the inquiry and maintained that his "Eat out to help out" program, which offered dining discounts, had backing during its launch.
The investigation has delved into the UK's pandemic strategy, associated with over 230,000 deaths, amid allegations that
Boris Johnson's administration was marred by chaos and indecision.
Once an obscure figure, Sunak rose to Chancellor of the Exchequer as the pandemic hit, swiftly unleashing extensive financial support to sustain businesses and jobs.
Critics have scrutinized his discount dining scheme for potentially spurring an infection surge, though Sunak insists it received no objections from scientists or ministers beforehand. He emphasized the scheme was in line with the safe revival of the hospitality sector and aimed to protect numerous jobs in the field.
During the inquiry, there have been arguments that Sunak may have favored economic concerns over health, especially since the economy shrank by 10% in 2020. Sunak expressed his regret to the bereaved and showed a commitment to learning from the events to better handle future health crises.
He agreed with the former PM
Johnson that vigorous debate was healthy, given the gravity of the decisions impacting health, education, the economy, and long-term effects.
Sunak ascended to the role of prime minister in October 2022 after the departures of
Johnson and Liz Truss.