'We'll cut your throats'

Covid expert's family faced death threats as he protected country

- MARTIN BAGOT

SIR Jonathan Van Tam received anonymous threats to cut the throats of his family during the pandemic, the Covid Inquiry has heard.

The ex-Deputy Chief Medical Officer also criticised Rishi Sunak's controversial Eat Out to Help Out scheme, saying he only found out about it on TV.

Sir Jonathan, 58, who became a well-known face at Downing Street briefings, revealed he was asked by police to move out of his home for his family's safety.

He said: "I might have expected that if a crisis happened it was my responsibility to bear that kind of workload.

"But I did not expect my family to be threatened with having their throats cut.