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Rishi Sunak Admits Wanting to Close Schools Instead of Shops

by Will Jones
11 December 2023 3:45 PM

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has admitted he wanted non-essential shops to open before schools in the first lockdown and it’s emerged he pushed for schools to be closed before shops in the second lockdown. The revelations come amid a robust defence of the Eat Out to Help Out reopening scheme at the Covid Inquiry today. The Mail has more.

Rishi Sunak vigorously defended Eat Out To Help Out today as he said the controversial Covid-era meal deal had saved millions of jobs that would have otherwise have been lost.

The Prime Minister told the official Covid Inquiry that jobs overwhelmingly held by vulnerable and marginalised people in hospitality and retail could have been devastated if he had not moved to kickstart consumerism in the summer of 2020.

Previous witnesses to the inquiry, including Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance, have said they were blindsided by the programme that underwrote meals in pubs and restaurants.

It has heard that Sir Chris later referred to it as “Eat Out To Help Out the Virus” because of its impact on the disease’s circulation.

But in a rare fiery moment in today’s evidence the Prime Minister said they were not consulted because scientists had already signed off the wider reopening of hospitality, and it was just a small part of that wider policy

He added that at the time he did not see it as a medical risk, as reopening eateries – with mitigations like social distancing – had already been approved by SAGE scientists the previous May.

Mr. Sunak said that there had been a month between EOTHO being announced and it coming into effect, adding: “They (scientists) had ample opportunity to raise those concerns in forums where I was, or where the Prime Minister and others were, and they didn’t.” …

Defending the scheme he said: “Why would I raise it as a risk when I didn’t believe that it was? Because it was designed in the context of a safe reopening.

“The onus is surely on the people who now believe that it was a risk to have raised it at the time, when something could have been done about it, if they felt strongly.

“I’m very clear that I don’t believe that it was, because hospitality had been deemed to be safe to reopen with a considerable – as I said – hundreds of pages of guidance, changes in practice, and had been recommended by think tanks, and had been done by countries elsewhere.

Mr. Sunak had earlier admitted he wanted shops to reopen before schools after the first Covid lockdown – but denied pushing to reopen pubs and restaurants as well despite concerns their closure could cost jobs. …

In a WhatsApp exchange between then Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case from Autumn 2020, Mr. Case said Mr. Sunak favoured imposing curbs on schools rather than non-essential shops.

“Rishi has already resigned himself to the choice ahead – I spoke to him earlier. He is relatively open on regional or national (not least because regional is so wide that impact is pretty similar to national now),” the mandarin wrote.

“His only question (and a fair one) is about non-essential retail – where obviously we have no evidence of transmission. He thinks better to do something in secondary schools (where we know transmission takes place) instead of closing all shops (where we know it doesn’t seem to).”

A message sent by Mr Sunak’s private secretary on May 4, 2020, suggesting opening shops before schools

WhatsApp exchange between then Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case from Autumn 2020 – Case says Sunak favoured imposing curbs on schools rather than non-essential shops

Worth reading in full.

Tags: Covid InquiryCOVID-19Eat Out to Help OutLockdownNon-essentialRishi SunakSchoolShops

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27 Comments
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Jon Garvey
Jon Garvey
1 year ago

“Something must be closed. The schools are something. Therefore they must be closed.”

75
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago

They are all guilty as hell.

Talking of the covid “inquiry”:

Allison Pearson on X: “Sunak did well so far in his evidence. Quite right to spell out the harm lockdown posed to hospitality and other industries employing some of our poorest. Hugo Keith KC grandly says, “We’re not interested in QALYS”. Well, the taxpayer is interested in vast sums the NHS would…” / X (twitter.com)

Hugo Keith KC grandly says, “We’re not interested in QALYS”.

46
0
RTSC
RTSC
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

Huge Keith KC doesn’t appear to be interested in very much at all…..apart from “gotcha moments,” rude WattsApp messages ….. and exonerating The Blob from any culpability in the destruction of our economy and millions of lives.

10
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  RTSC

I’m sure he’s executing the script with aplomb. Whoever chose him, chose well, or briefed him well, or both.

4
0
MikeAustin
MikeAustin
1 year ago

Prof. Dr. Stefan Homburg absolutely nails the events of the last three years for Germany. We should have a UK version for our phoney covid enquiry. It would swing hordes away from the narrative!
https://www.bitchute.com/video/uM0dIv4nX1cM/

34
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  MikeAustin

It says it’s a speech to the German parliament but not clear who exactly. Given the applause, if it was MPs it would only be AfD MPs, surely?

6
0
MikeAustin
MikeAustin
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

The truth remains the truth whoever is listening.

14
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  MikeAustin

Oh I’ve nothing against those MPs (if that’s what they were) – quite the opposite. Just surprised that such a man making such a speech would be allowed anywhere near a German parliament building – though to be fair I suppose Bridgen hosted a similar session, albeit attended by only a few.

13
0
soundofreason
soundofreason
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

The AFD is mentioned and their logo shown on the screen behind Dr Homberg.

8
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  soundofreason

Makes sense. They were the only ones to oppose covidianism at a national political level in Germany, to my knowledge. Horrible right wing racists of course.

11
0
Ron Smith
Ron Smith
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

They were the only fascists in favour of freedom, funny that!

13
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Ron Smith
Ron Smith
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

AFD

5
0
RW
RW
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

That’s definitely not in parliament. It seem to be some sort of recorded AfD conference.

1
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago
Reply to  RW

Interesting. I thought it might be some kind of meeting room within the parliament building.

2
0
RW
RW
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

That’s from the 11th and 12th of November 2023 and – as also seen on the German sign in the background – is from the 2nd corona symposium/ conference of the AfD faction in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag).

It should also amply demonstrate why the parties of the current coalition (SPD, Greens, FDP) would very much like to outlaw the AfD which is already observed by the German inland secret service.

Complete recordings (in German and presumably, without subtitles) can be found on YouTube by looking for

2. Corona-Symposium der AfD-Fraktion im Deutschen Bundestag

Last edited 1 year ago by RW
14
0
RW
RW
1 year ago
Reply to  MikeAustin

Thanks for the link. I had already come to the same conclusion, but just intuitively. It’s nice to know that someone collected the necessary informations. Summary of factual key claims:

According to official statistics released by various German government offices (all quoted),

  • hospital occupancy Germany fell to an all-time low in 2020
  • respiratory diseases in 2020 and 2021 at normal levels
  • mortality usual in 2020, risen since 2021
  • median age of death after positive test 83, without 82

The only epidemic which occurred in Germany was an epidemic of positive PCR test results of overwhelmingly healthy people and an epidemic of sensationalists headlines about the purported horrors of COVID.

Last edited 1 year ago by RW
11
0
stewart
stewart
1 year ago

Politicians playing God.

I hate the bastards.

35
0
sskinner
sskinner
1 year ago

Back in March 2020 was an interview with a Korean COVID-19 ‘expert’ and as well as the assertions that China controlled this well with strong restrictions there is this answer about education.
Stephen Park (Interviewer): “In Korea the start of the school is being postponed, people are practicing social distancing, and the government even sends regular updates via texts. How well do you think this is all being handled?” 
Professor Kim Woo-Joo “On March 20th, a couple days ago, the prime minister made a special announcement that he strongly recommends social distancing. So religious facilities, places people hang out, like bars, and indoor gyms… From march 20 for 2 weeks, these 3 types of places were strongly recommended to shut down. But this is not mandatory. People who are over 50 or 60 are following these protocols well. But teens and those in their 20s are not, because for teens in Korea, their education is very important. Even if they are sick and have a fever, they have to go to school and academy. The school year was postponed for elementary, middle, and high school because of COVID-19, but in the evening kids go to academies. So even if the government pushed back school, kids will still go to academy to study at night. Since I checked last weekend 90% of academies are open. In Asia, the college you go to determines your future.”

So not only did the kids continue their education, even when infected, but they were taught, presumably by someone much older!!!
Evidence is at 25:11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAk7aX5hksU&t=1808s
You Need To Listen To This Leading COVID-19 Expert From South Korea | STAY CURIOUS #15

10
0
transmissionofflame
transmissionofflame
1 year ago

Schools, shops, who cares?

Rishi Sunak “admits” covid was a scam and he is guilty of malfeasance in public office – that would be worth reporting

16
0
RW
RW
1 year ago
Reply to  transmissionofflame

An even better ending would be one of the leading figures committing suicide due to being plagued by his conscience and leaving a long letter of possibly tearful confessions. Sadly, due to the need for cost savings, they don’t build public officials or politicians with consciences anymore these days.

10
0
dangerous granny
dangerous granny
1 year ago

Ah secondary school transmission…. The old orange juice on the lft giving a positive trick….

6
0
RTSC
RTSC
1 year ago

Neither should have been closed in the first place.

The Government knew Covid was a Low Consequence Infectious Disease, with low mortality rates and really only dangerous to the very elderly and people with serious co-morbidities.

They should have shielded the vulnerable and let everyone else get on with their lives and develop herd immunity.

But I believe Johnson was ordered to lockdown – probably by the CIA which knew it was a bio-weapon and wanted a mass human medical experiment to test the “vaccine” against it.

4
0
RW
RW
1 year ago
Reply to  RTSC

The Government knew Covid was a Low Consequence Infectious Disease, with low mortality rates and really only dangerous to the very elderly and people with serious co-morbidities.

This is still standing on its head: What’s dangerous (in the sense of risk of death) to these people is that they’re very elderly or have serious comorbidities aka already very frail. Which means that even generally harmless diseases may push them over the edge. So-called elderly people are at least a large fraction of those still running around masked and someone really ought to tell them that it’s not the Chinese mummery¹ which stopped them from dying during the last three years but their generally still robust enough constitution which enabled their bodies to cope with everyday diseases like colds.

¹ I have no proof for that but judging from observations, I’m pretty convinced that Chinese mummery, insofar actually done by the Chinese, is not so much about real-world protection but more a social status symbol for those who can afford it which roughly means I’m sufficiently well-to-do that I don’t have to breathe the same air than those of the lower orders and they’re certainly not entitled to see my face when I can’t avoid interacting with them. Maybe with some additional I don’t have to expose may face to the sun and risk it getting brownish thrown in — prior to holiday beach culture, a tan used to be a mark of people who had to work out in the open all day.

2
0
Ron Smith
Ron Smith
1 year ago
Reply to  RW

But I think here in the West a tan now represents affluence because those with a tan can either afford a sunbed, or they can afford to travel to warm destinations. All those wonderful things the West once prided itself of, now TPTB want to slowly remove those opportunities without the majority noticing.

3
0
RW
RW
1 year ago
Reply to  Ron Smith

Middle-class affluence — can afford package holidays, as opposed to being stuck in an eternal on work – off work zero hour contract loop in some low-level service job.

3
0
JayBee
JayBee
1 year ago

“It was designed in the context of a safe reopening.”
Posturing or did and does he still really believe this cr*p?
Safe like giving James Bond’s name and tel.no, or like walking in with masks and taking them off when sitting down?
Nothing made and could have made a difference.
Until he gets that, he has not understood a thing

4
0
Ron Smith
Ron Smith
1 year ago
Reply to  JayBee

And don’t forget the substantial meal (is a Scotch egg one)!

1
0

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