Ahead of hearings this week before the Covid-19 inquiry, the Guardian reports a claim from the Trades Union Congress that the UK was left “hugely unprepared” for the pandemic due to “years of austerity”, comments aimed at the policies of governments led by David Cameron and George Osborne. The paper has approached both men for comment, and a government spokesperson said it had “provided around £400bn of support during the pandemic to protect lives and livelihoods”.