Former Chief Scientific Adviser: Austerity and delay has led to more people dying

15 April 2020, 08:01 | Updated: 15 April 2020, 08:42

Ex-Chief Scientific Adviser: Austerity and delay have killed people

By Adrian Sherling

The former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government has told LBC that austerity and delaying the coronavirus lockdown has led to more people dying.

The UK was one of the last countries in Europe to institute a lockdown as coronavirus spread across the world.

Professor Sir David King previously held the job that Sir Patrick Vallance currently does, advising the government on scientific evidence.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari, he was very critical of the government's handling of the crisis.

He said: "If I look at the figures, I am really saddened by the omission of deaths outside of hospitals. It means we really haven't a clue where we are.

"If it is 50% more, which is quite likely as we see now, than the deaths in hospital, then the comparison with other countries is beginning to look really awful.

"I'm very saddened by the predicament we're in. Why we didn't respond so much sooner once this epidemic broke out in China, I simply don't know. And I say this because in 2006, we published a report on actions needed to deal with a pandemic and in that report, we showed that if an outbreak occurred of any new virus of this kind anywhere in the world, within three months, due to air travel, it would be everywhere in the world.

"That of course is what has happened and it seems like we were unprepared and we didn't take action. We didn't manage this until too late and every day's delay has resulted in further deaths in the United Kingdom."

Sir David King laid into the government for ignoring warnings about a pandemic spread from 2006
Sir David King laid into the government for ignoring warnings about a pandemic spread from 2006. Picture: LBC / PA

Sir David also believes previous austerity policies have also left the UK in a position where it was unable to act quickly enough to combat the spread of Covid-19.

"It goes right back to 2010 when the government came in with a very clear policy to reduce public spending across the board, including the National Health Service.

"I"m afraid these austerity measures did lead to cutting back on the risk management programmes. Clearly this also managed to cause problems with flooding across the UK. We were much better prepared for better spending with the Environment Agency on that and less prepared for pandemics.

"For me, this is very upsetting because we had set this preparation process in place back in 2006."

Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify

Nick asked: "Is is simple enough to say that the austerity measures costs lives."

Sir David responded: "Absolutely. That is what I'm saying."

His full interview was very stark and honest. Watch in full at the top of the page.

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Exclusive
Jane Rubens, 73, from Edinburgh was hit by a large vehicle in early November and remains in a coma.

Insurance firm gave Brit 'less than 24 hours' to make a decision against doctors’ advice after mum suffered brain injury

Exclusive
LBC’s Nick Ferrari has remembered being spiked while at a party.

‘The whole world was spinning’: Nick Ferrari candidly recalls drink spiking as he shares 'appalling' side-effects

Exclusive
‘The storm of war is gathering’: Defence cuts leave UK critically unprepared for a 'bumpy decade', warns ex-minister

‘The storm of war is gathering’: Defence cuts leave UK 'woefully unprepared' for a 'bumpy decade', warns ex-minister

Education Secretary Bridget Philipson 'hasn't changed her mind' and will vote against assisted dying bill

Education Secretary Bridget Philipson 'hasn't changed her mind' and will vote against assisted dying bill

Nick Ferrari takes to the streets of the US to ask Americans: 'Can you identify these British politicians?'

Nick Ferrari takes to the streets of the US to ask Americans: 'Can you identify these British politicians?'

Why did Trump win and why did Harris lose? Nick Ferrari asks American voters

Why did Trump win and Harris lose? Nick Ferrari asks American voters in the wake of US election results

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the United States'

Nick Ferrari attends his first Trump rally in Pennsylvania as he meets the crowd in 'the poorest city in the US'

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said she strongly disagrees with a tweet that a backbench MP appeared to have reposted saying Kemi Badenoch represents "white supremacy in blackface".

Cooper condemns 'appalling' tweet shared by Dawn Butler labelling Kemi Badenoch 'white supremacy in blackface'

Exclusive
Cumberland County: Where the US election could be won or lost

Nick Ferrari travels to America for the US Election: Watch the best bits here

Exclusive
The Chancellor was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Chancellor ‘doesn’t know’ salary of new chairman tasked with ensuring government ‘value for money'

Transparency over Southport stabbings key to avoiding 'deep public mistrust in the criminal justice system', says Jenrick

Transparency over Southport stabbings key to avoiding 'deep public mistrust' in criminal justice system, says Jenrick

Exclusive
The government has introduced its football governance bill.

'We're on the same side': Minister denies feud with Premier League over Football Governance Bill

Exclusive
Protest sign reading Danger water pollution, this water is polluted with raw sewage. The responsible party is Thames Water. River Wey, Guildford, UK

Government warns demand for water could outstrip supply as they launch review into 'broken' sector

Nick Ferrari.

'He'll look over his shoulder for the rest of his life': Concern for Martyn Blake's privacy long overdue

Exclusive
'No one gutsy enough to address this': Mylene Klass calls on government to introduce paid miscarriage leave.

Government not 'gutsy' enough to implement paid miscarriage leave claims Myleene Klass

Exclusive
David Cameron speaks to LBC

David Cameron calls for UK to sanction two Israeli ministers as change on arms embargo 'didn't satisfy anybody'