British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the decision to implement tiered lockdowns and has insisted that the Eat Out to Help Out scheme "was not a gamble." During his second day of testimony at the Covid Inquiry in West London, Johnson acknowledged that the tier system "did not work." However, he argued in favor of a regional approach rather than a national circuit breaker lockdown.

Tier System "Did Not Work"

Johnson admitted that the tier system implemented in the UK "did not work." He acknowledged the diverse spread of the disease across the country and expressed his belief that a regional approach would have been more effective. According to Johnson, continuing with national measures throughout 2020 would have "written off" the entire year.

Eat Out to Help Out Scheme Defended

Johnson also defended the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, stating that it was not a gamble at the time. He expressed his surprise at the suggestion that Britain's chief scientist, Sir Patrick Vallance, and Sir Chris Whitty were not aware of the scheme. Johnson maintained that he does not believe the scheme caused a spike in infections.

Rebuttal of "Let It Rip" Claims

Johnson pushed back against claims that he wanted to "let it rip" and allow the virus to spread through the population. He disputed the implication drawn from a diary extract of Sir Patrick Vallance, in which it was suggested that Johnson was open to allowing the virus to spread. Johnson emphasized his position that saving human lives at all ages was his priority throughout the pandemic.