Sir Keir Starmer has blasted leaks and briefing against Cabinet ministers as “completely unacceptable” as he shut down reports he may face a leadership challenge.
Addressing the Liaison Committee on Monday afternoon, the prime minister said he has “made it clear” to his staff that such behaviour would not be tolerated.
It comes after a number of reports that top Labour figures, including health secretary Wes Streeting, former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, and mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, could be plotting a leadership challenge.
But Sir Keir said he had a “level of assurance” such briefings against him had not happened.
Earlier on Monday, resident doctors in England announced they will go on strike later this week after members voted to reject the government’s latest offer.
It comes as flu rates soar, with health chiefs warning the NHS is facing a “worst case scenario” December.
Speaking on Monday following the announcement of the ballot result, Mr Streeting labelled the strike “unconscionable” and slammed the action as “self -indulgent, irresponsible, and dangerous”.
Key Points
- Resident doctors vote to reject Streeting offer and go ahead with strike
- When will doctors go on strike?
- Streeting slams strikes as 'self -indulgent, irresponsible, and dangerous'
- Latest flu numbers as resident doctors vote to strike
- Starmer says he is 'gutted' about BMA resident doctors' strikes
Children’s operations cancelled as super flu piles pressure on intensive care units
16:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneChildren’s operations are being cancelled because paediatric intensive care units across the country are full as a result of the severe spike in flu cases, The Independent has been told.
Cardiac and other operations are being postponed, increasing the risk of medical emergencies, because of the pressure on children’s ICU beds, medics have warned.
The Independent’s heath correspondent Rebecca Thomas reports:
Children’s operations cancelled as super flu piles pressure on intensive care units
Value of UK passport drops in global index as a result of Reeves’ Budget
16:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
The UK’s attractiveness as an international destination for entrepreneurs and investment has been badly hit by Rachel Reeves’ Budget, according to the latest annual Nomad Capitalist Passport Index.
The index has revealed that the UK dropped 14 places from its position in 2024 of 21st to 35th. The fall is the biggest of any of the G7 countries with the UK overtaken by a string of European counterparts including Greece, Romania, Czech Republic, Italy and Hungary.
Khatia Gelbakhiani, chief growth officer at Nomad Capitalist said: “Britain’s collapse down the index is not an accident. It is the direct consequence of policy choices made by the Labour government.
“The abolition of the non-dom regime, the shift to a residence-based system that, for many, means worldwide taxation on an arising basis, and a Budget built around ever-higher taxes have fundamentally changed how the UK is viewed by globally mobile entrepreneurs and internationally active families.
“Freezing income-tax thresholds, raising taxes on dividends and property income, capping National Insurance relief on salary sacrifice pension contributions and introducing a mansion tax on homes over £2 million sends a clear signal that success is something to be penalised rather than welcomed.”
Starmer warns doctors that they do not have public support for strike action
15:50 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
With resident doctors expected to strike next week, the prime minister has warned that they have lost the support of the public and their NHS colleagues.
Sir Keir Starmer was pushed on the industrial action over the christmas period by resident doctors on his appearance before the Commons liaison committee.
And despite more than 80 per cent of doctors voting to support strike action for an eyewatering 29 per cent pay rise demand, Sir Keir said that they are in trouble with public perception.
He told MPs on the committee: “I would appeal to the doctors themselves to push back against the BMA.
“They are losing the sympathy of the public. They are losing the support of their colleagues.”
Starmer says he is 'gutted' about BMA resident doctors' strikes
15:32 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has said he is "gutted" about the upcoming BMA resident doctors' strikes, dubbing them irresponsible.
Asked on a scale of one to ten how gutted he is, the prime minister said: "Very gutted. Ten out of ten. Its irresponsible at any time, particularly at the moment.
"It comes off the back of a very substantial pay increase over the last year or so. There's a deal that we've put on the table that could have been taken forward and so I think its irresponsible action by the BMA and not for the first time."
Sunak suggests there should be ‘clawback’ if there was another furlough for the self-employed
15:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports from the Covid-19 inquiry:
Telling the Covid inquiry about help for the self-employed, the former chancellor suggests that if it was ever repeated the taxpayer should get some of the money back.
Mr Sunak suggested that under those circumstances the Treasury should “might want to consider a clawback if turnover did not ultimately fall down … you can claw it back through self-assessment” tax returns the following year.
For years Europe has not spent enough on defence, says PM
15:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Europe has underspent on defence for years now, the prime minister has said, promising to lead a conversation about ramping up defence capabilities in the face of "very real" threats from Russia.
Addressing the Liaison Committee, the prime minister said: "I do think that for too many years now, pretty well, all European countries have not done enough on defence and security, and we need to step up in terms of not just spend, but capability and coordination.
"And it falls to leaders now to make that argument, because the threat from Russia is very clear, very real. It's not just in Ukraine. And so part of the conversation, as I see it, that I have to lead, and quite rightly, is to make the argument for more defence and security... so that Europe is better able to defend itself."
Watch: Bondi Beach attack not an isolated incident, warns Keir Starmer
15:10 , Nicole Wootton-CaneGovernment has spent more than £100m so far responding to Covid inquiry
15:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe public inquiry into the Covid pandemic has cost the government more than £100 million to respond to so far, according to official figures.
Transparency data from the Cabinet Office shows the overall cost of responding to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, including for legal advice and dedicated staff working on preparing evidence.
The inquiry has now entered its third stage. It is due to run until the summer of 2026.
You can read more below:
Government has spent more than £100m so far responding to Covid inquiry
Starmer says he 'understands concern' from farmers over inheritance tax
14:56 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Sir Keir Starmer says he does "understand the concern" from farmers over the plan to impose inheritance tax on agricultural properties.
He added: "I met with the president of the NFU just last week, as I've met with him before, to run through particular concerns they have.
"I do think on agricultural property, property relief, there had to be sensible reform."
Starmer rejects cronyism allegations over football regulator appointment
14:52 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has hit back at allegations of cronyism following the appointment of football regulator David Kogan.
Mr Kogan had donated £2,500 to the PM's local Labour branch of Holborn and St Pancras in May 2024 and had also donated to Sir Keir’s Labour leadership campaign in 2020.
A £2,900 donation was also made to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy in 2020, when she was running for Labour leader. Asked about the allegations, he told the Liaison Committee: “In relation to David Kogan that he was first approached by the previous government for this role, and therefore, I reject the cronyism allegation which I don’t think should rightly be put.
“He was then endorsed by the cross party committee, so he was head hunted by the previous government because of his suitability for the role appointed by this government and endorsed by the cross party committee. I had recused myself in relation to the Bill.”
'We need to get the balance right' when it comes to using AI, says Starmer
14:51 , Rebecca WhittakerSir Keir Starmer has admitted the government needs to “get the balance right” when it comes to using AI in the criminal justice system.
Addressing the Liaison Committee MP Andy Slaughter raised concerns over the prime minister putting “AI at the heart of the governments issue for growth”. He asked the prime minister how he can be sure an increased use of AI will not lead to a weakening of human right s protection.
He said: “AI can include personal data, it can be discriminatory and it can lack transparency and that needs some human oversight.”
Keir Starmer said: “We need to get the balance right with AI there is a huge potential. In health it can identify blood clots in stroke victims and literally save lives. In criminal justice it is already being used in probation.”
“We do need to make sure we have the balance right and where the are potentials for risk we need to put measures in place,” he added.
Reform planning a fight with the unions and sack people who refuse to come to the office
14:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
With the civil service union, the FDA, threatening strikes in the event of a Reform government, Danny Kruger has said the party plans to change strike laws.
This would suggest that they intend to repeal Labour’s employment rights legislation and possibly go further than the Tories did in power in restricting union powers.
Mr Kruger also said Reform would be renegotiating union agreements in the public sector.
Part of the reasoning for this is that civil servants working from home “with no good reason” will also face the sack if they refuse to come back to the office.
Starmer hits out at leaks and briefings against Cabinet ministers
14:22 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Sir Keir Starmer has hit out at leaks and briefing against Cabinet ministers, saying it is "completely unacceptable".
It comes after numerous media reports that the PM could face a leadership challenge from health secretary Wes Streeting or former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.
Addressing the Liaison Committee, the prime minister said: "Briefing against cabinet ministers is completely unacceptable. Whether that's from No 10 or anywhere else, and I've made that repeatedly clear to my staff, to the Cabinet, and put in place a number of procedures where there have been such allegations to give me a level of assurance that it has not happened...
"I've been really clear and consistent on this with my staff, with my team, with the cabinet and put in place procedures when there are allegations to assure myself what the situation is."
And addressing the large number of media reports about what could be in Rachel Reeves' Budget ahead of it being presented to the Commons, Sir Keir said: "I'll get to the bottom of these leaks".Describing leaks as "intolerable", he added: "There is a leak inquiry. It can go wherever the evidence will take it, and if it comes to a conclusion, I'll act on it."
What is the H3N2 flu strain and how serious is it? Symptoms and advice as UK cases surge
14:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe news that resident doctors will go on strike this week comes amid record flu cases across England.
The “superflu” is being driven by the H3N2 strain, which doctors say is particularly affecting the over-75s and the under-fives.
You can read more about it below:
Public support for strike is low, poll shows
14:00 , Nicole Wootton-CanePublic support for strikes set to be carried out by resident doctors in England is low, according to a YouGov poll released on Friday.
The poll showed with 58 per cent of those asked either somewhat or strongly opposing the industrial action while 33 per cent somewhat or strongly support it.
Shadow health secretary says pay rises set 'dangerous precedent'
13:50 , Nicole Wootton-CaneShadow health secretary Stuart Andrew has said pay rises handed to resident doctors last year set a “dangerous precedent” for further strikes.
Mr Andrew said: “We Conservatives repeatedly warned Labour that by giving inflation-busting pay rises last year they would set a dangerous precedent.
“And now we see the consequences of their capitulation, with more disruption, more demands and no end in sight.”
'Serious risks' to NHS this week as strikes go ahead, Streeting says
13:38 , Nicole Wootton-CaneWes Streeting is currently on Sky News giving his reaction to the news resident doctors will go on strike on Wednesday.
He said the government has gone to “great lengths” to work with resident doctors, but that their strike this week will impose “serious risks” on the NHS.
“We have bent over backwards to work with the BMA to avoid strike action since we took office,” he said.
He called the strikes “unconscionable” at a time when the NHS risks becoming overwhelmed.
“This week the BMA are striking to impose maximum damage to the NHS knowing the enormous risk of harm to patients and I think that is unconscionable, let alone avoidable.”
Strike is 'entirely avoidable' BMA chief says as he urges Streeting to give 'credible offer'
13:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneDr Jack Fletcher, chairman of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, has said the strike is “entirely avoidable” as he urged Wes Streeting to come up with a “credible offer”.
“Our members have considered the government’s offer, and their resounding response should leave the health secretary in no doubt about how badly he has just fumbled his opportunity to end industrial action,” he said.
“Tens of thousands of frontline doctors have come together to say ‘no’ to what is clearly too little, too late.
“This week’s strike is still entirely avoidable – the Health Secretary should now work with us in the short time we have left to come up with a credible offer to end this jobs crisis and avert the real-terms pay cuts he is pushing in 2026.
“We remain committed to ensuring patient safety, as we have done with all previous rounds of strike action, and urge hospital trusts to continue planning to ensure safe staffing.
“We will be in close contact with NHS England throughout the strikes to address safety concerns if they arise.”
Latest flu numbers as resident doctors vote to strike
13:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneOn average, 2,660 patients were admitted to hospitals in England with the infection every day in the week between 4 December and 11 December, a record for this time of year according to NHS England.
This is up 55 per cent on the first week of December, when the average daily admission was 1,717.
The outbreak follows the biggest flu season in Australia’s history, which is often seen as an accurate predictor of what the UK can expect.
Streeting slams strikes as 'self -indulgent, irresponsible, and dangerous'
13:13 , Nicole Wootton-CaneHealth secretary Wes Streeting has issued a statement following the BMA’s announcement its members will go on strike on Wednesday.
He said: “The BMA has chosen Christmas strikes to inflict damage on the NHS at the moment of maximum danger, refusing the postpone them to January to help patients and other NHS staff cope over Christmas. There is no need for these strikes to go ahead this week, and it reveals the BMA’s shocking disregard for patient safety and for other NHS staff. These strikes are self-indulgent, irresponsible and dangerous.
“The government’s offer would have halved competition for jobs and put more money in resident doctors’ pockets, but the BMA has again rejected it because it doesn’t meet their ask of a further 26 per cent pay rise. Resident doctors have already had a 28.9 per cent pay rise – there is no justification for striking just because this fantasy demand has not been met.
“I am appealing to ordinary resident doctors to go to work this week. There is a different magnitude of risk in striking at this moment. Abandoning your patients in their hour of greatest need goes against everything a career in medicine is meant to be about.
“The entire focus of my department and the NHS team will now be on getting the health service through the double whammy of flu and strikes. We have already vaccinated 17 million people, 170,000 more than last year, and we will be working intensively with frontline leaders to prepare for the coming disruption.”
Analysis: Blow to Streeting and Starmer as doctors reject government offer and vote to walkout this week
13:11 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
It is the stuff of political nightmares. A walkout by NHS staff just before Christmas, in the middle of a flu outbreak which is already putting pressure on the health service.
Both the health secretary Wes Streeting and prime minister Keir Starmer have used a lot of political capital in the last couple of weeks in an attempt to halt this strike.
This has included warnings about the danger to patients – and a new offer designed to help British doctors find jobs.
But their efforts have failed dramatically.Resident doctors in England have voted by 83 per cent to 17per cent to carry on with strike action, on a turnout of 65 per cent. It is hard to see now what steps, if any, Streeting and Starmer can take to stop this walkout, due to start at 7am on 17 December, from happening.
Doctors vote to strike this Christmas as they reject Wes Streeting's offer
13:09 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
A planned NHS walk out over five consecutive days in the run-up to Christmas will go ahead after resident doctors overwhelmingly voted to reject a new offer from the government.
Resident doctors in England voted by 83 per cent to 17 per cent to carry on with strike action, which will start at 7am on 17 December and end at 7am on 22 December, on a turnout of 65 per cent.
The health secretary Wes Streeting has branded the strike “irresponsible”, warning that the dates, just before the Christmas bank holidays and when the NHS is often in the midst of a ‘winter crisis’, represents a “different magnitude of risk” to previous industrial action.
BREAKING: Resident doctors vote to reject Streeting offer and go ahead with strike
12:52 , Nicole Wootton-CaneResident doctors in England will go on strike from 7am on 17 December after members voted to reject the government’s offer, the British Medical Association (BMA) has said.
In pictures: Rishi Sunak gives evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry
12:45 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Inquiry received 'generally positive evidence' about furlough scheme
12:35 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Covid-19 inquiry received “generally positive evidence” about the impact of the coronavirus jobs retention scheme, known as furlough, the inquiry has heard.
Mr Sunak said his team worked with a number of expert bodies and accounting firms, as well as with trade unions, to get the scheme right.
“The overall policy was quite simple, but underneath there was a lot of detail,” he said.
Everything Rishi Sunak has said so far
12:35 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has been giving evidence on the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic this morning.
He has spoken on “panic” in the early days, employment, and advice the government was given. Here is everything you need to know so far:
• Mr Sunak said “enormous uncertainty” was the “number one challenge” Downing Street faced during the pandemic
• The former chancellor said his team had to accept “we weren’t going to get everything right straight away” but he did not want to let “perfect be the enemy of the good”
• He added the first few weeks of response was an “incredibly intense period” that felt like doing a new Budget every two days
• Mr Sunak said the government was advised not to bring in Covid interventions “too early” in order to make sure there was public acceptance of them
• The former chancellor admitted it “wasn’t possible to save every single job” but that the government was “successful” in avoiding mass unemployment
Government 'successful' in avoiding mass unemployment, Sunak says
12:24 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has said the government was able to avoid mass unemployment through the introduction to the furlough scheme during the pandemic.
Mr Sunak also said the impact on jobs was “considerably better than what anyone had forecast at the early stages of the pandemic”.
The coronavirus job retention scheme, known as furlough, was announced my Mr Sunak in March 2020.
Sunak says he was ‘filled with anxiety’ at the start of the pandemic
11:42 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Speaking about what was happening in the gilt markets at the start of the pandemic Rishi Sunak said that period “was intense and filled with anxiety, certainly for me”.
He said at one point he was “worried about the UK’s ability to fund itself”, and so worked out a system where the Bank of England would act as a “backstop”.
Sunak tells inquiry early projections were that Covid would cause unemployment rate to soar to 12%
11:28 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Nearly one in eight people in the UK would be unemployed in the wake of the pandemic according to early forecasts, Rishi Sunak has told the Covid inquiry. He also described the crisis as “unique”.
He said he knew “there was no such thing as a free lunch” and had tried to target measures announced by the Treasury as much as possible.
The inquiry has not yet got on to questioning Mr Sunak about his controversial ‘eat out to help out’ scheme in the summer of 2020.
'It wasn't possible to save every single job,' Sunak tells inquiry
11:24 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has said he knew it “wasn’t going to be possible to save every single person’s job” during Covid.
He added be believed it was important to be “honest” about the reality of the pandemic.
However, he said the results of the impact on household incomes and living standards “particularly for the most vulnerable in society” were stronger than he would have anticipated at the start.
'My role was partly to provide reassurance,' Sunak says
11:19 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has said he felt part of his role during the pandemic was to tell the country he would stand behind them economically.
“My role was partly to provide reassurance to the country that we would get through it,” he said.
He told the inquiry Covid was an “incredibly anxious time” and he wanted to make sure he was giving messages of reassurance to the public.
“Our job was not just to get the policies right,” he continued. “It was to give everyone in the country that reassurance and confidence that the people in charge know what they’re doing and are going to be able to do their best to help get the country through it.
“That is an important economic policy tool, as well as just the right thing to do.”
Ministers were warned not to bring in Covid interventions too early, Sunak says
11:13 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
One of the most damning aspects of last month’s report into Covid was the finding that lockdown had been brought in too late.
But the former chancellor told the inquiry that ministers were being warned at the start of the pandemic not to bring in interventions “too early”.
“I remember clearly at that time, especially those early conversations, a lot of what the medical and scientific community were advising us was not to go too early because... they were worried about public, I think, acceptance of them, and they needed to maintain a duration - and so that they were quite focused on getting the timing right,” Rishi Sunak said.
Clear hope pandemic would be short, Mr Sunak tells inquiry
11:08 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe former chancellor has said there was a “clear” hope the pandemic would be a short economic shock during the initial days of government response.
Rishi Sunak told the inquiry public health officials warned him not to “go too early” on lockdown measures as they were worried about “public acceptance” of them.
“They were quite focused on getting the timing right. It was important not to go to early as these things need to be maintained for a period of time,” he said.
He added the health advice was changing “every couple of days” - going from hoping Covid may pass quickly, to later understanding it would be a longer-term emergency.
Treasury 'could not drive conversation', Mr Sunak says
11:03 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has said the treasury “couldn’t drive the conversation” during the early days of Covid.
He said the response was largely driven by the Department for Health, and that his treasury took advice from scientific advisers.
It was a “rapidly evolving health situation” to which he needed to have an “agile” and “iterative” approach, Mr Sunak continued.
He added the first few weeks of the Covid response was an “incredibly intense period” that felt like doing a new Budget every two days.
“You just had to focus on the problem in front of you, run at it, solve it, and just keep going,” he said.
'We weren't going to get everything right straight away," Mr Sunak says
10:55 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has said his team was forced to work at speed with an understanding we “weren’t going to get everything right straight away”.
“Everyone recognised we didn’t have the luxury of time,” he said.
He added he did not want to let “perfect be the enemy of good”.
But he said it required a recognition that not everything would be perfect, but that everyone “should have been comfortable” with that during the pandemic.
He said policymakers had learned an “enormous amount” through the pandemic, but warned against trying to develop a playbook for any potential future crises.
'Enormous amount of uncertainty,' Mr Sunak tells inquiry
10:50 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has told the Covid-19 inquiry he was dealing with an “enormous amount of uncertainty” at the start of the pandemic.
Mr Sunak says that was the “number one challenge” he faced as chancellor in March 2020.
He extended his thanks for the “extraordinary effort” of advisers and civil servants working during the time.
“We knew there was going to be an economic shock, our understanding was that it was going to be temporary,” he said.
“What we were focused on doing was making sure the temporary shock did not have long-term economic consequences.”
Rishi Sunak sends condolences to relatives of those who died during the pandemic after damning report said more than 20,000 lives could have been saved
10:41 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Speaking at the start of giving evidence to the official inquiry, the man who was the chancellor during the pandemic said that he wanted to extend his condolences “to all those who lost loved ones during Covid”.
A damning report by the inquiry last month found chaos at the heart of Boris Johnson’s government and his failure to take Covid seriously led to 23,000 deaths.
The report concluded that more than 20,000 lives could have been saved in England if the lockdown had been implemented just a week earlier, in March 2020.
Rishi Sunak begins giving evidence
10:34 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak has begun his evidence to the inquiry.
Watch live: Rishi Sunak gives evidence to Covid-19 inquiry
10:30 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Rishi Sunak set to give evidence shortly
10:20 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Covid inquiry is set to resume from 10:30am, with Rishi Sunak’s evidence expected to be first on the agenda.
We will be bringing you all the latest in this blog.
Covid prompted 'historic shock' to UK economy, ONS says
10:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Covid-19 pandemic prompted an “historic shock” to the UK economy, as the country saw the biggest fall in GDP since records began.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that between April and June 2020, the height of the first national lockdown, GDP fell by a record 19.4 per cent before rebounding 17.6 per cent as the country reopened over the summer.
Household spending fell by over 20 per cent over this period, which was driven by falls in spending on restaurants, hotels, transport and recreation.
Analysis: From bailouts to Eat Out to Help Out, Sunak has many difficult questions to answer on Covid
09:47 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
While Rishi Sunak is now more synonymous with failing to stop the small boats and leading the Tories to their most crushing election defeat, his role in the Covid pandemic may have been his most controversial in political office.
It is this subject which will come under scrutiny today when he appears before the Covid inquiry.
As chancellor he was responsible for the bailout scheme which saved millions of jobs as lockdown got underway but also arguably is what has brought the country close to bankruptcy. He will certainly be asked about the generosity of a scheme which exceeded other countries in handouts.
But much more difficult will be questions on his “Eat Out to Help Out scheme” allegedly designed to get restaurants and hospitality off the floor again. It has since been blamed for starting a new wave of a strain of covid and being linked to fraud.
Less well known but probably more crucial was his actions in cabinet arguing against further lockdowns in the end. As the man who could see what was happening to the nation’s books he was reportedly the one pushing to put health concerns aside.
There is no doubt that Sunak’s legacy as a politician may in the end be much more related to his actions as chancellor during the pandemic and today he will be held to account for them.
What time will Rishi Sunak give evidence?
09:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe inquiry into the government’s economic response to the Covid-19 pandemic will continue at 10:30am on Monday.
Mr Sunak is expected to speak first, and will be followed by economic policy expert Robert Joyce in the afternoon.
Boris Johnson ‘beyond contempt’ for attack on Covid inquiry’s findings and refusal to apologise
09:35 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFamilies of the Covid bereaved have lashed out at Boris Johnson for being “beyond contempt” after he used his column in a national newspaper to lampoon those “still wrangling on” about the deaths in the pandemic.
The former prime minister has refused to apologise for extra Covid deaths he has been accused of causing by delaying taking action, but instead launched a blistering attack on the pandemic inquiry itself.
Mr Johnson and other senior Tory ministers at the time were damned in the Covid inquiry report chaired by former Appeal Court judge Baroness Heather Hallett for the “toxic and chaotic” culture in Downing Street during the pandemic.
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox has more below:
Boris Johnson ‘beyond contempt’ for attack on Covid inquiry’s findings
Bank of England governor: Bank restricted from accessing government data during pandemic
09:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneBank of England governor Andrew Bailey previously told the inquiry the central bank was restricted from accessing some government data during the pandemic, which he said would have helped it respond to the economic crisis.
Giving evidence as the probe examines the financial response to the pandemic, Mr Bailey said policymakers would have benefited from having easier sight of data, such as universal credit.
However, he said he felt the relationship between the Bank and the government was “very good” throughout the pandemic and that the briefings given by England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, were “one of the most valuable things we had access to”.
He praised former chancellor Rishi Sunak for “his diligence and commitment”, adding: “We had a very close relationship – we were talking daily at the height of the Covid problems.”
You can read more below:
Bank of England lacked access to data to help with Covid-19 response – governor
Elsewhere in politics
08:55 , Nicole Wootton-CaneOutside of Rishi Sunak giving evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry, here are this morning’s headlines in politics:
• Andy Burnham has hit back at renewed speculation that he is plotting to return to Westminster and oust Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader.
• A Labour minister has publicly criticised Sir Keir Starmer after he received “no explanation” about why he was sacked from his cabinet role earlier this year.
• A parliament-based campaign group is set to ramp up pressure on the government to end illegal foxhunting for good – as ministers prepare for a public consultation on the issue.
• Wes Streeting has expressed his “genuine fears” for the NHS if this week’s resident doctors’ strike goes ahead, warning that he could not guarantee the safety of patients during a severe rise in flu cases.
Covid chaos in Boris Johnson’s government led to 23,000 deaths, damning inquiry finds
08:35 , Nicole Wootton-CaneChaos at the heart of Boris Johnson’s government and his failure to take Covid seriously led to 23,000 deaths, a damning report into pandemic decision-making found.
The report, which came as part of the ongoing inquiry, also found the then prime minister and his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, presided over a “toxic and chaotic culture” at the heart of No 10, which saw the views of women ignored.
The Independent’s political correspondent Caitlin Doherty has more below:
Covid chaos in Boris Johnson’s government led to 23,000 deaths, damning inquiry finds
Mr Sunak will speak on economic approach to pandemic
08:24 , Nicole Wootton-CaneRishi Sunak will speak on the government’s economic approach to the pandemic on Monday.
It comes as the independent probe moves into its examination of the fiscal policies adopted by the government during the pandemic and their impact.
Mr Sunak has previously given evidence during the ‘core decision-making and political governance’ section of the inquiry.
But on Monday he will speak to the economic policies he took on during his stint as chancellor.
Rishi Sunak set to give evidence at Covid inquiry
08:14 , Nicole Wootton-CaneFormer prime minister Rishi Sunak is set to give evidence to the Covid-19 inquiry on Monday.
Mr Sunak, who was chancellor during the pandemic, previously spoke to the inquiry in 2023.
He was previously grilled over the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, his Whatsapp messages sent during lockdown, and claims of a “toxic” environment in Downing Street.
He is expected to begin giving evidence at around 10:30am on Monday.
