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.