RISHI SUNAK ARRIVES FOR COVID INQUIRY QUESTIONING – Sunak is the final witness to take the stand in the current phase of the inquiry 

Rishi Sunak will be challenged at the COVID inquiry on claims that government scientists branded him “Dr Death” – and called his scheme to kickstart the economy “Eat Out to Help Out the Virus”.

The inquiry has also been told that Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s chief adviser in Downing Street at the time, claimed Mr Sunak’s view of COVID was: “Just let people die and that’s okay.”

Mr Sunak, who was chancellor during the pandemic, is the final witness to take the stand in the current phase of the inquiry – following on from Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock.

The inquiry’s lead counsel Hugo Keith KC – who like Mr Sunak was educated at Winchester and Oxford – is expected to give the current prime minister a torrid time after a tetchy clash with Mr Johnson last week.

Mr Sunak will be questioned on claims that Eat Out to Help Out led to a spike in COVID cases and excess deaths – and that scientists were not consulted before it was launched.

But in a defiant witness statement to the inquiry, the PM insisted: “Any suggestion that Eat Out to Help Out caused the second wave of infections is not borne out with reference to the discussions at the time.”