UK government under fire one year after announcing first lockdown
Bianca Rahimi
Press TV, London
A moment of silence has been held for more than 126,000 Britons who have died since the UK government announced Britain’s first lockdown this time last year. And as it prepares to exit its third, the government’s handling of the crisis is being called into question.
Some say the success of the vaccine rollout is being used to obscure just how unprepared the government was, and how Britain has been made poorer by poor decision-making. Economists say the lowest income bracket will have to foot the bill- which may exceed 355 billion pounds.
The Public Accounts Committee said earlier this year that the government’s lack of economic planning and preparation for a pandemic was “astonishing”, despite the outbreak being one of the top risks identified in the National Risk Register.
Billions have been thrown at businesses in danger of going under and if the borrowers cannot repay them, the taxpayers will.
There is no way of knowing how many fraudulent claims have been made and it is forecast many businesses will not be able to repay their debt, so the British public will have to.
Throughout the pandemic the government reassured lenders, who were not required to perform any credit or affordability checks, by guaranteeing loans 100%.
So the lenders are safe, but that cannot be said for the British public that are already reeling from years of declining social mobility and a near-decade of rising child poverty.
US tariffs on India impacted Kashmir Christmas crafts
Gaza hospitals plead for aid as medicine, supplies run critically low
India's bulldozer victims live on ruins of their homes awaiting justice
Israeli attacks kill 3 in Lebanon amid ongoing ceasefire violations
VIDEO | US tariffs on India impacted Kashmir Christmas crafts
VIDEO | India's bulldozer victims live on ruins of their homes awaiting justice
VIDEO | Gaza hospitals plead for aid as medicine, supplies run critically low
Russian adviser praises Gen. Soleimani’s ‘courage and wisdom’ at Moscow memorial
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
UK government spent over half a million on social media influencers
Israel detains man over allegation of spying for Iran
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
