‘Serious errors’ by ministers and scientific advisers ‘cost thousands of lives’ during pandemic, says report by MPs

Published

4 years ago

October 11, 2021

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Thousands of lives were lost due to delays and mistakes made at the start of the COVID pandemic by both ministers and their scientific advisers according to a highly critical report by MPs.

A pandemic plan based too much on influenza and “groupthink” among public health officials meant early opportunities to delay the spread of COVID were missed, even though lockdowns, testing and isolation strategies were working in other countries, the report found.

“We know that some of that scientific advice was wrong, but also that politicians should have challenged that advice,” Jeremy Hunt, chair of the Health Select Committee, told Sky News.

“You can’t just say ‘we’re following the science’ – you have to dig down and ask why scientists are saying what they’re saying. That challenge should have happened earlier.”

The key findings of the report include:

– It was a “serious early error” not to lock down sooner

– The decision to abandon testing for COVID in the community early on was a mistake that “cost many lives”

– Failing to prioritise social care and discharging people from hospitals into care homes “led to many thousands of deaths”

– Robust border controls were needed sooner

– There were “serious deficiencies” in communication within government and between central and local government.

According to MPs, “decisions on lockdowns and social distancing during the early weeks of the pandemic – and the advice that led to them – rank as one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced”.

With more than 135,000 fatalities, the UK has the second-largest COVID-related death toll in Europe, surpassed only by Russia.

The report is the result of a joint inquiry by the Health and Science Select Committees which began last October and interviewed more than 50 witnesses including former health secretary Matt Hancock, Chief Scientist Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and former Number 10 adviser Dominic Cummings.

It found that while “herd immunity” was never a policy objective, the idea was pervasive among scientific advisers early on in the outbreak.

This “fatalistic” attitude should have been challenged by officials and helped precipitate other errors.

Likewise, a failure to believe that the British public would accept lockdown helped delay one from being implemented, despite evidence that the NHS was going to be overwhelmed with cases.

But the report also praised key elements of the pandemic response, including the decision to pre-order vaccines even before trials had proved their effectiveness.

MPs also praised the ability of the NHS to absorb the pressures COVID placed on it and the rapid deployment of Nightingale hospitals.

But doctors told Sky News that while the NHS proved it was agile, the impact of the pandemic on frontline services was grave and lasting.

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“The NHS has survived but in a very broken fashion, and the people who will suffer will be the people of the United Kingdom,” Dr Zudin Puthucheary, an ICU consultant and member of the Intensive Care Society, told Sky News.

A government spokesperson said: “Throughout the pandemic we have been guided by the scientific and medical experts and we never shied away from taking quick and decisive action.

“As the prime minister has said, we are committed to learning lessons from the pandemic and have committed to holding a full public inquiry in spring.”

Politics

Trump-backed USD1 is now the seventh-largest stablecoin worldwide

Published

5 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Trump-backed USD1 is now the seventh-largest stablecoin worldwide

USD1, the US dollar stablecoin launched by the President Donald Trump-backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI), has become the seventh-largest stablecoin worldwide in just two months since its launch.

WLFI’s snapshot vote for a USD1 airdrop proposal is underway, and USD1’s market capitalization has continued to climb.

Launched in early March with a $3.5 million supply, USD1 has expanded into a market cap of $2.2 billion at the time of writing, leaving rival stablecoins First Digital USD (FDUSD), PayPal USD (PYUSD) and Tether Gold (XAUT) behind, according to data from CoinGecko.

Although rising fast, the USD1 market cap is still far from the market value of major stablecoins like Tether’s USDt (USDT) and USDC (USDC), whose market caps are worth $149 billion and $61 billion, respectively.

BNB Chain drives USD1 issuance

Trump-backed USD1 is almost exclusively issued on Binance-backed BNB Chain. According to data from BscScan, as much as $2.1 billion of all USD1 supply is issued on BNB Chain, accounting for more than 99% of its total circulating supply, while an Ethereum-based version accounts for just $14.5 million, according to Etherscan.

USD1’s latest market spike was sharp, jumping 1,540% from $128 million to $2.1 billion within two days in late April, according to CoinGecko.

The spike came days before Eric Trump announced that Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX would use the USD1 to invest $2 billion in Binance.

Justin Sun-backed HTX among the first CEXs to list USD1

As USD1’s market cap spiked, some centralized exchanges (CEXs) rushed to list the Trump-backed stablecoin.

HTX, a crypto exchange closely associated with Tron founder Justin Sun and formerly known as Huobi, announced the listing of USD1 with permanent zero-fee withdrawals on the BEP-20 network on May 6.

According to websites like CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap, HTX was one of the first CEXs to list USD1, as the token is primarily available on decentralized exchanges, including PancakeSwap and Uniswap.

Most WLFI inflows come from outside the US

While the WLFI community has been voting on the USD1 airdrop, some reports suggested that WLFI investment is mainly coming from outside the United States.

According to a poll by V1PS founder Notaz.Sol, as much as 90% of WLFI investors are likely coming from non-US jurisdictions, including Europe, Asia and Latin America.

A May 7 Bloomberg report also indicated that over half of the top holders of Trump-branded memecoins reside abroad.

The USD1 stablecoin’s growth lines up with Trump’s pro-stablecoin agenda announced in his executive order on “Strengthening American leadership in digital financial technology” in January.

While WLFI has been closely associated with Binance, both Trump and Binance have repeatedly denied and criticized reports suggesting any links or deals between the parties.

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Politics

Bhutan launches tourism crypto payments with Binance Pay and DK Bank

Published

6 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Bhutan launches tourism crypto payments with Binance Pay and DK Bank

Bhutan, known for investments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, has launched a tourism crypto payment system in partnership with Binance Pay and DK Bank.

The system allows Bhutan travelers with Binance accounts to pay for services like tickets, hotel stays, tour guides and other products using at least 100 different crypto assets, including Bitcoin (BTC), USDC (USDC) and Binance-backed BNB (BNB).

The initiative also opens a payment gateway for businesses in Bhutan, enabling them to accept crypto payments through a QR code on a phone, according to an announcement by Binance on May 7.

“This is more than a payment solution — it’s a commitment to innovation, inclusion, and convenience,” said Damcho Rinzin, director of Bhutan’s tourism department.

Benefits for small businesses in remote areas

The partnership specifically targets small businesses in Bhutan, such as vendors and rural artisans who may never have had access to card terminals or payment infrastructure.

“Even Bhutan’s most remote businesses can now accept crypto through a phone, gaining access to international travelers with just a QR code,” the announcement said.

Binance said tourists will be able to pay for services without needing local currency or cash.

“No need to pack your wallet — hop on a journey of innovation and inclusion with just your Binance App,” Binance said in a post on X.

“World’s first national-level crypto tourism payment system”

Binance and Bhutan’s tourism department referred to the initiative as the “world’s first national-level crypto tourism payment system.”

“Bhutan’s model is the first to offer a fully integrated, end-to-end crypto payment system at the national level,” Binance’s announcement said, adding:

“It also addresses previous limitations by offering real-time confirmations, near-zero fees, and a fully licensed local bank handling settlements on the ground.”

Binance CEO Richard Teng emphasized that the system advances crypto payments in travel and “sets a precedent for how technology can bridge cultures and economies.”

“This initiative exemplifies our commitment to innovation and our belief in a future where digital finance empowers global connectivity and enriches travel experiences,” Teng added.

Bhutan holds multiple crypto assets

Bhutan’s launch of the payments system aligns with its broader embrace of digital assets.

The country has been working to set up a strategic crypto reserve as part of a new economic hub, while the government has been reportedly mining and investing in Bitcoin since at least 2019.

According to Arkham, Bhutan’s commercial arm, Druk Holding and Investments (DHI), has added 374 Bitcoin to its stash since early January, increasing holdings to 12,062 BTC. Additionally, the entity holds modest amounts on chains like Polygon, BNB Chain and Base.

While Bhutan has grown increasingly friendly to crypto adoption, regulating cryptocurrencies remains a legal gray area.

In 2020, Bhutan’s central bank, the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA), issued a warning against the Pi cryptocurrency, urging the public to exercise caution when investing in any crypto asset.

“The RMA would like to remind the general public to exercise due caution in making any investment in Pi or any other cryptocurrency as the implications, risks and use cases on the economy and financial systems are still to be ascertained,” the authority wrote.

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Politics

Red Wall Labour MPs urge Sir Keir Starmer to ‘act’ over winter fuel change ‘before it’s too late’

Published

6 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Red Wall Labour MPs urge Sir Keir Starmer to 'act' over winter fuel change 'before it's too late'

Red Wall Labour MPs are demanding ministers “act now before it’s too late” and reverse the unpopular cut to winter fuel payments.

A number of MPs in the Red Wall – the term used to describe Labour’s traditional heartlands in the north of England – reposted a statement on social media in which they said the leadership’s response to the local elections had “fallen on deaf ears”.

They singled out the cut to the winter fuel allowance as an issue that was raised on the doorstep and urged the government to rethink the policy, arguing that doing so “isn’t weak, it takes us to a position of strength”.

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The group, thought to number about 40 MPs, met last night following the fallout of local election results in England, which saw Labour narrowly lose the Runcorn by-election, as well as control of Doncaster Council, to Reform.

In addition, Nigel Farage’s party picked up more than 650 councillors and won control of 10 councils in Labour strongholds such as Durham.

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Although Labour narrowly held on to mayoralties in Doncaster and the West of England, it lost control of Doncaster Council – the only local authority it had control of in this set of elections – to Mr Farage’s party, which also gained its own mayors in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire.

The MPs said the poll was the “big test for the prime minister” but that the party’s voters had “told us loudly and clearly that we have not met their expectations”.

Following the results, Sir Keir Starmer said the message he was taking away from the results was that “we must deliver that change even more quickly. We must go even further.”

His response has drawn an angry reaction from some Labour MPs who believe it amounted to ignoring voters’ concerns.

One of the MPs who was present at last night’s meeting told Sky News there was “lots of anger at the government’s response to the results”.

“People acknowledged the winter fuel allowance was the main issue for us on the doorstep. There is a lack of vision from this government, and residents don’t see it.”

Another added: “Everyone was furious”.

Elsewhere in the statement, the MPs urged the party leadership to “visit our areas, listen and rebuild the social contract between government and the people”.

“The prime minister has shown strong leadership internationally, which must now be matched at home,” the statement read.

“The demands raised by new MPs from post-industrial towns where infrastructure is poor, with years of underinvestment, must be taken off the too-difficult-to-do list. Breakaway from Treasury orthodoxy, otherwise we will never get the investment we desperately need.”

It added: “The government needs to improve its messaging by telling our story and articulating our values in the language that resonates and is heard.

“Labour cannot afford to lose the Red Wall again as it reopens the route to a future of opposition and an existential crisis. Without red wall communities, we are not the Labour Party.

“The government has to act now before it’s too late.”

The government has also drawn criticism for the winter fuel policy from outside Westminster.

On Tuesday, Welsh First Minister Baroness Eluned Morgan called for the cuts to winter fuel allowance to be reviewed in a landmark speech.

However, Downing Street has ruled out a U-turn on means testing the winter fuel payment.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The policy is set out, there will not be a change to the government’s policy.”

They added that the decision was necessary “to ensure economic stability and repair the public finances following the £22bn black hole left by the previous government”.