According to a study published by Johns Hopkins and Lund Universities, the benefits of the UK's first round of COVID lockdowns were "a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral costs" it imposed, such as economic growth, public debt, and education.
After examining 20K studies on global COVID measures, the report said that in the spring of 2020, the lockdowns saved as few as 1.7K lives in England and Wales, compared to the average rate of 11K weekly deaths. Across Europe, it found less stringent measures would have led to 6K fewer deaths, and 4K fewer in the US.
While various studies have come to show that lockdowns didn't work everywhere all the time, overall, they were the best public health decision at the time. While there were economic costs — which, it should be noted, were mitigated by stimulus programs — studies have found that infection rates were reduced by upwards of 56% thanks to government restrictions. The role of the government during a pandemic is to save people from death and suffering — this is not easy, but a vital function of responsible governance.
The UK's policy during COVID was strictly aimed at tearing society apart and, to quote Boris Johnson, "scare the wits out of them." The government used COVID to gain power, not protect public health, and this nefarious scheme is clear as day when you see how hard Rishi Sunak is trying to hide government communications from being released. Britons under Winston Churchill were strengthened by their duty to their country and each other, but recent leaders wanted citizens demoralized, scared, and solely reliant on the state.