Boris Johnson ‘perplexed’ at claims top scientists unaware of Eat Out to Help Out

Boris Johnson is giving his second and final day of evidence to the Covid inquiry (UK Covid-19 Inquiry/PA)

Boris Johnson has said Eat Out to Help Out was not a seen as a “gamble” at the time and that he was “perplexed” at the suggestion top scientists were unaware of the scheme.

Leading UK government scientists, as well as former health secretary Matt Hancock, have claimed they were not told in advance about Rishi Sunak’s scheme – when he was chancellor – to revive the hospitality industry in the summer of 2020.