Top scientist quits SAGE advisory group amid UK’s ‘concerning’ COVID transmission rate
One of Britain’s top scientists has quit the government’s pandemic advisory body, warning the COVID crisis is “a long way from over” and that the situation in the UK is “concerning”.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, quit the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) at the end of October.
Sky News can reveal that Sir Jeremy was advocating for a “vaccine plus” strategy to curb the high levels of transmission seen in the UK.
His plan called for more mask wearing, ventilation and continued coronavirus testing to get the nation through what some experts predict will be a difficult winter.
But the government has so far declined to take this route and has not yet adopted a COVID Plan B – tougher measures designed to curb the spread of the virus.
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Chief scientist: ‘Difficult winter ahead’
In a statement to Sky News Sir Jeremy revealed the “huge pressure” that SAGE came under during the pandemic.
Experts have previously suggested that ministers have pushed back against scientific advice in a bid to prevent long-term damage to the UK economy, making the job of advisers difficult.
He said: “The COVID-19 crisis is a long way from over, with the global situation deeply troubling.
“The high levels of transmission seen in the UK remain concerning, but I stepped down as a participant of SAGE knowing ministers had been provided with most of the key science advice needed over the winter months.
“Throughout this crisis SAGE has provided vital evidence, and independent, expert, transparent advice to support the UK response, often under huge pressure.”
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He added: “My focus now must be on our work at Wellcome. This includes supporting the international research effort to end the pandemic, ensuring the world is better prepared for inevitable future infectious disease threats, and making the case so the full potential of science is realised to inform and drive change against all the urgent health threats we face globally.”
In July of this year, Sir Jeremy said he “seriously considered resigning from SAGE” nearly a year before, after the government chose not to introduce a lockdown in September 2020.
Today, the government has updated the list of SAGE and SAGE sub group participants but Sir Jeremy remains on the list.
Sky News has contacted the government for comment.
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Politics
Heidi Alexander says ‘fairness’ will be government’s ‘guiding principle’ when it comes to taxes at next budget
Another hint that tax rises are coming in this autumn’s budget has been given by a senior minister.
Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was asked if Sir Keir Starmer and the rest of the cabinet had discussed hiking taxes in the wake of the government’s failed welfare reforms, which were shot down by their own MPs.
Trevor Phillips asked specifically if tax rises were discussed among the cabinet last week – including on an away day on Friday.
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Tax increases were not discussed “directly”, Ms Alexander said, but ministers were “cognisant” of the challenges facing them.
Asked what this means, Ms Alexander added: “I think your viewers would be surprised if we didn’t recognise that at the budget, the chancellor will need to look at the OBR forecast that is given to her and will make decisions in line with the fiscal rules that she has set out.
“We made a commitment in our manifesto not to be putting up taxes on people on modest incomes, working people. We have stuck to that.”
Ms Alexander said she wouldn’t comment directly on taxes and the budget at this point, adding: “So, the chancellor will set her budget. I’m not going to sit in a TV studio today and speculate on what the contents of that budget might be.
“When it comes to taxation, fairness is going to be our guiding principle.”
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Afterwards, shadow home secretary Chris Philp told Phillips: “That sounds to me like a barely disguised reference to tax rises coming in the autumn.”
He then went on to repeat the Conservative attack lines that Labour are “crashing the economy”.
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Chris Philp also criticsed the government’s migration deal with France
Mr Philp then attacked the prime minister as “weak” for being unable to get his welfare reforms through the Commons.
Discussions about potential tax rises have come to the fore after the government had to gut its welfare reforms.
Sir Keir had wanted to change Personal Independence Payments (PIP), but a large Labour rebellion forced him to axe the changes.
With the savings from these proposed changes – around £5bn – already worked into the government’s sums, they will now need to find the money somewhere else.
The general belief is that this will take the form of tax rises, rather than spending cuts, with more money needed for military spending commitments, as well as other areas of priority for the government, such as the NHS.
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