Over 1,000 deaths a day: UK ministers accused of downplaying Covid-19 peak

Official toll passed a thousand on 22 consecutive days - far more than daily briefings said

• The UK's darkest days of the coronavirus crisis
• Eight of the lives lost on UK's worst day of pandemic

Ministers have been accused of playing down the gravity of the coronavirus pandemic after it emerged that more than 1,000 people died every day in the UK for 22 consecutive days - in stark contrast with daily tolls announced by the government.

According to an analysis of official figures, the darkest day came on 8 April as the country prepared for Easter under lockdown, when a record 1,445 people died from Covid-19 in 24 hours.