An email uncovered by a Freedom of Information request shows the government’s chief scientific adviser was given a “telling off” for arguing strongly in favour of imposing Covid lockdown restrictions earlier this year.
According to BBC reports Sir Patrick Vallance “argued stronger than anyone for action for lockdown” but received a dressing down from chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and the then Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill.
The email obtained by the BBC appears to be a discussion of a Sunday Times article in May criticising the delays in announcing a lockdown in March.
It’s not known when the “telling off” occurred, but speaking to Parliament’s science and technology committee in July, Sir Patrick referred to advice given by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) on 16 March for “additional social-distancing measures” to be implemented “as soon as possible”.
A full lockdown was not introduced until 23 March. It’s now thought the number of cases rose dramatically in the period just before that.
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