Bereaved daughter wants 'evidence' as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appears at Covid inquiry

Deborah Doyle's mother Sylvia died during the pandemic. Credit: ITV Tyne Tees

"We need evidence," the daughter of a woman who died during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic has said as the Prime Minister appeared at the Covid inquiry.

Deborah Doyle's 76-year-old mother Sylvia Griffiths died with probable Covid in April 2020 in a care home in Sunderland.

When Ms Griffiths died, only a handful of people could attend her funeral because of the coronavirus guidelines in place at the time.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appeared at the Covid inquiry on Monday 11 December and his evidence caused frustration among bereaved family members like Deborah.

"I'm absolutely exasperated to be fair because he hasn't given us anything," she told ITV Tyne Tees.

"The majority of the time, he couldn't remember or couldn't recall, but when it was in his favour, he could remember succinctly dates and facts.

"And again, the missing mobile phone. It just doesn't wash with me. Where's that evidence? We need that evidence."

The disabilities minister post was not filled during Rishi Sunak's December 7 Cabinet reshuffle. Credit: PA

The North Yorkshire MP told the inquiry he didn't have access to WhatsApp messages from the time because he had changed his phone "multiple times".

Campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, of which Deborah is a part, say he should resign.

Sunak, who was the Chancellor at the time, also told the inquiry how in introducing the now controversial Eat Out to Help Out scheme, he was trying to protect hospitality jobs and defended claims the plan was never discussed with health chiefs outside of Number 10.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England's chief medical officer, is said to have privately referred to the scheme as "Eat Out to Help Out the virus" while Sir Patrick Vallance, the former chief scientific advisor, previously told the inquiry the scheme was "highly likely" to have fuelled deaths.

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