London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

UK Health Sec withheld promising vaccine data from PM, potentially influencing decision to extend Covid restrictions

UK Health Sec withheld promising vaccine data from PM, potentially influencing decision to extend Covid restrictions

Matt Hancock allegedly failed to inform Boris Johnson about a study that showed Covid-19 jabs are effective against the Delta variant, during a meeting to discuss lifting restrictions. The health department denies the allegation.
A major Public Health England (PHE) study found that the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines were more effective at preventing hospitalisation with the strain than with other Covid variants. The health secretary was aware of the promising results but chose not to tell Johnson about them during a meeting to decide whether to postpone the planned lifting of restrictions on June 21, the Telegraph reported, citing sources familiar with the discussion.

The data was also absent from briefing papers given to Johnson by finance minister Rishi Sunak and cabinet minister Michael Gove ahead of the critical meeting, the outlet said. Had the prime minister been aware of the study’s findings, he may have reconsidered the controversial decision to push back reopening until July 19, the Telegraph claimed.

Senior ministers were reportedly angered by how the decision was ultimately made, and were particularly upset by the fact that SAGE scientists did not provide explanations to back up their claim that lifting restrictions in June would lead to a surge in hospital admissions.

The troubling allegations have prompted frustration within the government. One cabinet minister told the paper that, in light of the allegedly withheld data, businesses should be allowed to reopen, as there appears to be little justification to inflict further harm on the economy.

Tory MP Steve Baker, the deputy chairman of the anti-lockdown Covid Recovery Group, said that he couldn’t understand why Hancock would have kept the data from Johnson, adding that the allegation, if true, will be a “matter of interest” to Parliament.

“If Matt Hancock was deliberately withholding relevant information, what was he trying to gain? Was the Prime Minister bounced?” he asked, when pressed to comment by the Telegraph.

A spokesperson for the health department denied that Hancock had “bounced” the prime minister, and explained that information provided by PHE was “shared across government” ahead of the meeting.

Johnson’s aides allegedly received an email about the results, but the message came just hours before the meeting was set to take place – what sources described as too little too late.

Other government sources denied that SAGE had presented models without providing information about how they were compiled.

One of the sources who spoke with the Telegraph said that “equivalent data” to the PHE study was presented to Johnson by SAGE scientists, and that the ministers “knew that the vaccines work” when they ultimately decided to postpone reopening. Keeping restrictions in place would give the government more time to “get more jabs in arms,” the source said.

After announcing the controversial decision to extend the restrictions, Johnson said he was “confident” that measures would finally be lifted in July. The easing of restrictions would bring an end to social distancing guidelines and allow concert halls and other venues to reopen for the first time since March last year.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×