Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance should be banned from Covid press briefings, says leading lawyer

Professors ‘Glum and Glummer’ Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance should be banned from Covid press briefings, says leading lawyer who warns the Government has been ‘captured’ by scientists Shanker Singham said return to press conferences would mean same mistakes Leading Brexit lawyer warned the Government has been ‘captured’ by scientists Last month, Professor Whitty and … Read more

Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance has £600,000 of shares in vaccine maker GSK

Conflict of interest row as it emerges Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance has £600,000 of shares in vaccine maker contracted to make UK’s coronavirus jabs Sir Patrick was president of multinationals drugs giant GSK from 2012 to 2018 Chief Scientific Adviser holds a deferred bonus of 43,111 shares worth £600,000 He has already cashed in … Read more

Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty faced backlash over ‘herd immunity’, emails show

Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor Chris Whitty faced backlash over the ‘herd immunity’ strategy in March and asked for help to ‘calm down’ angry academics, emails show. The top experts leading Britain out of its Covid-19 crisis had a hard time backtracking from comments they made about the controversial strategy at the start of the … Read more

BEN SPENCER analyses the dire warnings from Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty 

Boris Johnson will unveil a major crackdown on normal life today in a bid to halt a second wave of coronavirus. He will drop his ‘back to work’ drive, announce restrictions on socialising and impose a 10pm curfew on bars and restaurants from Thursday. Pubs and other venues will be allowed to serve seated customers … Read more

HENRY DEEDES watches Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty’s gloomy message to the nation

 Anyone awaking bleary-eyed from a weekend of grog-soaked revelry might well have assumed there had been an overnight coup.  All across the airwaves, whichever way you turned, were what looked like two mildly sinister government agents, wearing dark suits and pale shirts, both carrying that answerable-to-no-one air of officialdom. Their tone was severe, their message … Read more

Britain could still get a vaccine by CHRISTMAS, Sir Patrick Vallance says

1. GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur: 60million doses  The Government revealed on July 29 it had signed a deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi Pasteur If the vaccine proves successful, the UK could begin to vaccinate priority groups, such as frontline health and social care workers and those at increased risk from coronavirus, as early … Read more

Chief scientist Patrick Vallance says he was ‘told off’ for backing lockdown

Prof Chris Whitty ‘told off’ chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance for pushing too hard for a lockdown in March, confidential emails reveal Sir Patrick Vallance defended his performance in private email to colleagues Scientific officer said he was ‘stronger than anyone’ calling for early lockdown Sir Patrick said he was ‘told off’ by chief medical … Read more

Chief scientist Sir Patrick Vallance dashes hopes of coronavirus vaccine in 2020

1. GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur: 60million doses  The Government revealed on July 29 it had signed a deal with pharmaceutical giants GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Sanofi Pasteur If the vaccine proves successful, the UK could begin to vaccinate priority groups, such as frontline health and social care workers and those at increased risk from coronavirus, as early … Read more

Dominic Raab plays down ‘split’ between Boris Johnson and Sir Patrick Vallance

Dominic Raab today tried to pour cold water on growing claims of a split between Boris Johnson and his top scientist Sir Patrick Vallance over whether the UK could face a second nationwide coronavirus lockdown. Mr Johnson said he ‘certainly’ does not want to impose draconian restrictions again as he likened the ‘tool’ of national … Read more

So where were Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty?

So where were Sir Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty? No10 scientific advisers are notably absent as Boris Johnson gives latest Covid address – hours after SAGE chief snubbed PM’s return-to-work plea The experts have become familiar faces at Number 10 podium during the crisis  Instead, Mr Johnson was joined by NHS test and trace chief … Read more