Why was the UK so unprepared for the pandemic, suffering one of the highest death rates and worst economic contractions of the major world economies in 2020 ? This is a provocative manifesto for change post-COVID-19. Shining a light on the deep fractures in our society, Hilary Cooper and Simon Szreter reveal why the UK was unable to respond effectively to the pandemic and what we can learn from our own history to forge a fairer, more resilient future.