Anger over appointment of 'Dr Doom' Sir Patrick Vallance as science minister by Sir Keir Starmer

Lord Vallance's appointment as Science Minister has been criticised by experts who say he helped stifle discussion into whether Covid originated from a leak in a Chinese laboratory.

The newly appointed peer – who as Sir Patrick Vallance was the Tory government's chief scientific adviser – was nicknamed 'Dr Doom' for pandemic projections about the virus.

The new Science Minister became well-known for being the face of bleak SAGE projections, regularly appearing next to ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and chief medical adviser, Chris Whitty.

Before taking on the role of chief adviser in 2018, he was an academic and a consultant physician as well as the president of research and development at GlaxoSmithKline.

However his service during the COVID-19 pandemic has not come without controversy, as the new Prime Minister has received backlash from experts for his appointment. 

'We know Vallance was among those figures actively seeking to stop speculation about a lab leak,' said Matt Ridley, author of Viral: The Search For The Origin of Covid-19. 'The new government must share all its information on this vital issue now.'

Lord Vallance, 64, is linked to concerns that prominent scientists closed down suggestions that Covid might have originated in a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

He took part in their teleconference in the pandemic's initial weeks that led to publication of an influential paper in a journal stating that the authors 'do not believe that any laboratory-based scenario is plausible.'

Whitehall has refused to release details of his role in the discussions, redacting almost every word of 32 emails when replying to this newspaper's Freedom of Information request.

In March 2020, Sir Vallance had advocated for the Government's 'herd immunity' approach in not closing schools during the first wave of restrictions.

He became well-renowned after showing a now notorious chart on television, which indicated there could be a staggering 4,000 deaths per day by December 20 if pandemic restrictions were not put in place.

However the statistics had been determined from an outdated model which estimated there would be 1,000 deaths every day by early November.

Certain anti-lockdown Conservative MPs had branded these predictions as 'scare mongering' to which Sir Patrick responded that it was his job to provide data not optimism. 

In August 2022, 'Dr Doom's' reign came to an end as the scientific adviser resigned from his post. 

During the COVID-19 inquiry in November, SIr Patrick lockdown restrictions should have been implemented 'earlier', 'broader' and 'harder'.

Sir Vallance appointment wasn't the only eyebrow raising move made by Sir Starmer whilst beefing up his cabinet.

James Timpson, chief executive of his father's Timpsons shoe repair chain business, was made the new minister for Prisons, Parole and Probation.

Both he and Sir Patrick have been handed peerages by the new Prime Minister.  

Although Mr Timpson OBE's newly earned position was surprising, he is well renowned for his work advocating for ex-convicts and passion for business.

Chair of the Employers Forum for Reducing Re-offending (EFFRR) until 2016, the Timpson's boss has been applauded for his schemes rehabilitating offenders.