PRIME MINISTER Rishi Sunak brushed off concerns about his Eat Out to Help Out discount hospitality scheme during the first day of his appearance at the Covid-19 inquiry today.

But while Mr Sunak was denying the scheme helped spread the virus, the Labour Party pledged to appoint a Covid corruption commissioner with powers to recover the billions lost to fraudulent claims during the pandemic.

Shadow Treasury secretary Darren Jones said: “Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money was lost to fraud and corruption during the pandemic on Rishi Sunak’s watch and yet the Conservatives are turning a blind eye and letting those responsible off the hook.”