George Osborne raised doubts about the closure of schools during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Britain while providing evidence to the official COVID inquiry. The former Chancellor suggested that it remained an open question whether children should have been prevented from attending classrooms when the pandemic hit. He emphasized the need to balance the life expectancy of the elderly with the educational opportunities of young children. Osborne acknowledged that there was no planning done for nationwide lockdowns during his tenure at the Treasury, but he argued that it was unclear whether pre-emptive economic support would have been more effective in mitigating the impact of the pandemic. He also defended his austerity policies, stating that they had improved Britain’s ability to respond to the crisis. Osborne highlighted the financial constraints faced by poorer countries, which made lockdowns and business loans unaffordable. The inquiry took place the day after his close political ally, former Prime Minister David Cameron, had been questioned about pandemic preparedness. Osborne pointed out several unanswered questions regarding the global response to COVID-19, specifically related to the effectiveness of the “stay at home” message and the closure of schools. He admitted that there was no planning for an extended lockdown and the requirement for the entire population to stay at home. However, he stated that the Treasury’s business support schemes were implemented efficiently. Osborne argued that the lack of planning for national lockdowns was a result of “groupthink” and the failure to recognize the rapid spread of the virus. He acknowledged that blame cannot be solely attributed and highlighted the importance of stable public finances in responding to crises. The economic impact of the 2008 financial crisis demonstrated the necessity of repairing public finances to handle the COVID-19 pandemic effectively. Osborne defended his austerity policies, stating that they had positively impacted the UK’s ability to respond to the crisis. Finally, he suggested the need for a senior government minister solely devoted to planning for pandemics and other potential crises, as well as addressing the issue of ministerial and official turnover in emergency preparation roles.
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