Overview
- Rishi Sunak said the government prevented mass unemployment, highlighting that furlough covered about 11.7 million jobs at a cost of roughly £70bn.
- He told the inquiry ministers were initially urged by scientists not to act "too early" on restrictions due to worries over public acceptance, before a full lockdown followed days later.
- Recounting March 2020 turmoil, he said he feared for the UK’s ability to fund itself and set up a Bank of England ‘ways and means’ backstop that was not used as QE was expanded.
- He argued tax measures, including a 2021 freeze to income tax thresholds, were the political price of pandemic support to repair the public finances.
- He continued to defend Eat Out to Help Out despite research reported in coverage linking the scheme to an 8%–17% rise in infections.