Downing Street Archives

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Chris Whitty rejects claims from Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson that scientists signed off on Eat Out to Help Out

The policy was not agreed with England's chief medical officer or No10's ex-chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance , Sir Professor Chris Whitty (pictured) told the Covid Inquiry. He added that neither would have agreed to the scheme, had they been informed, despite former PM Mr Johnson telling the probe it had 'been discussed'

Rishi Sunak and Boris Johnson failed to consult the Government’s top scientists and medics on the Eat Out To Help Out scheme, Sir Professor Chris Whitty claimed today. Then-Chancellor, Mr Sunak,…

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The Prime Minister launched the flagship offer in August 2020. It gave Brits discounts for dining in restaurants in a bid to kickstart the hospitality industry

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'Highly likely' that Eat Out To Help Out cost lives, claims Sir Patrick Vallance as Rishi Sunak is accused of saying the Government should 'just let people die' to avoid another lockdown

Rishi Sunak’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme likely cost lives, the Government’s top pandemic scientist has told the Covid Inquiry. The then-Chancellor launched the flagship offer in August 2020.…

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Addressing the Covid Inquiry, No10's former chief scientific adviser said it was the 'most important lesson' he learned during the pandemic

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UK lockdown needed to be 'earlier, harder and broader', Sir Patrick Vallance says but admits there was no scientific basis behind 'rule of six'

Covid lockdowns should have been ‘harder’, ‘broader’ and introduced ‘earlier’, Sir Patrick Vallance hinted today. Addressing the Covid Inquiry, No10’s former chief scientific adviser said it was the ‘most important…

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Sir Patrick said: 'I had no intention whatsoever of these ever seeing the light of day or me looking at them again and sort of felt the world had probably had enough of books of reflections of people's thoughts during Covid'

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Matt Hancock had a 'habit of saying things' which weren't true, Sir Patrick Vallance tells Covid Inquiry as he calls shamed ex-Health Secretary 'over-enthusiastic'

Matt Hancock had a ‘habit’ of saying things which were not true during Covid, Sir Patrick Vallance claimed today. No10’s ex-chief scientist, tasked with advising ministers throughout the pandemic, blamed…

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'There is no such thing as "the" science': Sir Patrick Vallance tells Covid Inquiry ministers were 'completely wrong' to hide behind the 'following the science' term during pandemic

Sir Patrick Vallance today said it was ‘completely wrong’ that ministers hid behind their insistence that they were simply ‘following the science’ during Covid. Addressing the Covid Inquiry, No10’s ex-chief…

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The NHS's blood donation and organ transplant body is planning to spend £100,000 hiring an 'anti-racist' consultancy. Pictured NHS Blood and Transplant's headquarters in Bristol

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Anger as 'woke' NHS is now offering £100,000 contract for 'anti-racism' consultancy service

NHS bosses are offering a £100,000 contract for anti-racism consultancy services, MailOnline can reveal. The tender — branded ‘woke’ by critics — was posted by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), which…

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Cabinet minister Michelle Donelan warned that 'misogyny' on display in Dominic Cummings' WhatsApp messages risks putting women off entering politics

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Cabinet minister Michelle Donelan warns 'misogyny' on display in Dominic Cummings' foul-mouthed Covid WhatsApp messages – in which he referred to a top female official as a 'c***' – risks putting women off entering politics

By Greg Heffer, Political Correspondent For Mailonline Published: 08:15 EDT, 2 November 2023 | Updated: 10:44 EDT, 2 November 2023 <!– <!– <!– <!– <!– <!– <!– Cabinet minister Michelle…

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Dr David Halpern (pictured), president of a 'nudge unit' used by No10 to encourage people to stick to rules during the pandemic, said the 'penny dropped' among officials about the seriousness of the incoming Covid wave during a meeting on March 13, 2020

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'WE ARE F***ED!' Director of No10's 'nudge unit' reveals Downing Street colleague leaned over and scribbled over his note saying country was 'not ready' for 'unstoppable' Covid wave during gloomy March 2020 meeting

An explicit note stating ‘we are f***ed’ was passed between two scientific advisers to the Government during a crunch meeting at the start of the pandemic. Dr David Halpern, president…

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Sarah Griffin was initially so agitated medics decided to delay bringing her out of her induced coma over fears they would have to induce her again. But after three days medical staff were finally able to take Sarah out of the coma and remove the ventilator

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'Never start vaping': Heartbreaking plea of girl, 12, who was hospitalised with lung damage and left 'fighting for her life' in a four-day coma

A 12-year-old girl whose vaping addiction left her in a coma has begged fellow kids to never pick up the habit. Sarah Griffin, who has asthma, started puffing e-cigarettes when…

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Dr Siema Iqbal a GP partner at the Wellfield Medical Centre in Manchester has excused the Hamas attacks over the weekend as Palestine's right to resist occupation

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How Hamas-supporting medics are lurking within our NHS – including a doctor who mocked Israeli festival-goers who fled Palestinian gunmen

Multiple British medics are excusing and even celebrating brutal attacks by Hamas terrorists in Israel, MailOnline can reveal today. Charities are demanding NHS medics who get caught spouting the ‘repugnant’ and ‘sickening’ comments…

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Dr Mennah Elwan in her British Medical Association kit during NHS industrial action organised by the union last week

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NHS doctor faces calls to be SUSPENDED for 'sickening' post that mocked innocent Israeli festivalgoers fleeing Hamas gunmen

A doctor who mocked terrified Israelis fleeing Hamas gunmen is today facing calls to be suspended over her ‘repugnant’ comments. MailOnline yesterday revealed how Dr Mennah Elwan stated ‘if it was your home, you…

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Mother's horror as asthmatic daughter, 12, is left in a COMA after vaping left her lungs 'very weak'

A mother has told how she feared her 12-year-old daughter would die after vaping left her in a coma. Sarah Griffin, who suffers from asthma, had an infection which left…

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today unveiled a plan to progressively raise the legal age of sale of cigarettes, effectively meaning a 14 year-old will never be able to legally purchase them

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Will banning kids aged 14 and under from buying cigs REALLY work? New Zealand-inspired law will save 1000s of Brits from cancer, experts say… but critics attack Rishi Sunak's 'hideously illiberal' policy and question how it will work

Rishi Sunak’s bold plan to phase out cigarettes and effectively ban kids born after 2009 from smoking sparked huge backlash today. The Prime Minster unveiled the New Zealand-esque measure to great…

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In diaries kept during the pandemic, Sir Patrick Vallance, the Chief Scientific Adviser, who regularly addressed the nation alongside ministers during Covid press conferences, wrote that Downing Street sought to justify its actions by claiming they were 'following the science'. Pictured, Sir Patrick during a Downing Street conference in December 2021

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Covid guru Sir Patrick Vallance claims experts were used as 'human shields' for Government and officials 'cherry-picked' science to justify decisions

Experts were used as ‘human shields’ for the Government, whose officials ‘cherry-picked’ science to justify Covid decision-making, Sir Patrick Vallance’s pandemic diaries claimed. The Chief Scientific Adviser, who regularly addressed the…

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The NHS is 'not sufficiently resilient' to look after patients this winter, a top doctor has warned

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The NHS is facing its 'worst winter ever', top doctor warns

The NHS is ‘not sufficiently resilient’ to look after patients this winter, a top doctor has warned. Dr Adrian Boyle, Royal College of Emergency Medicine president, fears the health service…

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For 50 years, 76-year-old Martin Bennett (pictured) has worked at the Wicker Pharmacy in Sheffield city centre, which has opened seven days a week, including every Christmas Day, for 71 years since it started up in 1952

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Martin's pharmacy has opened every day for 50 YEARS… now a funding crisis could put him out of business

You would be extremely hard-pressed to find a more dedicated community pharmacist than Martin Bennett. For 50 years, the 76-year-old has worked at the Wicker Pharmacy in Sheffield city centre,…

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Former Government Minister and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Drug Policy Reform, Crispin Blunt, told MailOnline: 'It is a scandal that we have such a high number of drug related deaths in this country.' The Reigate MP, who also chairs the Conservative Drug Policy Reform Group, said: 'I am sorry to say that politicians have a lot to answer for. 'The best way to reduce drug related deaths is to follow the evidence on what works.'

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Tory MPs demand drugs are decriminalised as Scotland moves step closer to landmark ruling

Drugs should be legalised in Britain, an ex-minister has argued amid growing calls for No10 to reconsider the tough rules currently in place. Substances such as cocaine, ketamine and MDMA…

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