Chancellor Rishi Sunak reveals the female scientist who led the team that developed the Oxford coronavirus vaccine has become a ‘kick-butt’ inspiration to his two daughters
- Professor Sarah Gilbert led the team that developed the Oxford Covid vaccine
- Rishi Sunak said she was an ‘inspiration’ to his daughters Krishna and Anoushka
- Chancellor and his wife encourage their girls to learn about ‘kick-butt ladies’
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has revealed that the brilliant female professor who led the team that developed the Oxford vaccine has become a huge ‘kick-butt’ role model to his two daughters.
In a video call this week seen by The Mail on Sunday, Mr Sunak said Oxford scientist Sarah Gilbert was an ‘inspiration’ to his daughters Krishna and Anoushka.
A source added that the girls are ‘fans’ of Prof Gilbert – who last week signed a book deal to tell her story.
The source said the Chancellor and his wife, Akshata Murthy, encouraged their girls to learn about ‘kick-butt ladies’.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured with his wife Akshata Murthy in central London last Sunday) has revealed that the brilliant female professor who led the team that developed the Oxford vaccine has become a huge ‘kick-butt’ role model to his two daughters
In the video, the Chancellor said the girls would watch a recording of his meeting with Prof Gilbert after they had finished their schoolwork for the day.
The Chancellor also said he wanted to cut red tape for Britain’s vaccine industry and bring in a more ‘nimble’ regulatory system.
Mr Sunak is understood to be keen for Britain to get back to work to build on the vaccine programme success.
He is one of several Ministers, including Trade Secretary Liz Truss, Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey and Home Secretary Priti Patel who want to translate it into a faster economic recovery.
In a video call this week seen by The Mail on Sunday, Mr Sunak said Oxford scientist Sarah Gilbert (pictured) was an ‘inspiration’ to his daughters Krishna and Anoushka
One senior Government source said being the first to reopen properly would give the UK a head start.
‘Britain must go back to work before the rest of Europe,’ the source said.
And Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative Party leader, said the boon to the UK of doing so would be ‘huge’.
The Government ‘should look to be opening up the economy well ahead of the European Union and certainly at least in line with the US’, he said.
‘That would allow us to open up trade possibilities much earlier. Our bounce-back economically could be superb.’