Labour demands answers from the Government over the ‘tens of thousands’ of needless deaths as Jonathan Ashworth condemns the Government’s handling of the pandemic 

Matt Hancock has failed to explain the Government’s failure to prevent ‘tens of thousands’ of needless deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic, when appearing before parliament today.

The Secretary of State was summoned to the House of Commons by Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, who demanded that Hancock account for the Government’s lack of preparedness going into the pandemic, his decisions on testing, and PPE, and the failure to protect people in care homes.

This comes following testimony from the Prime Minister’s former Chief Advisor, Dominic Cummings, to the Health and Science & Technology Committees yesterday, who singled Mr Hancock out for criticism, alleging that he lied to the public and Government colleagues.

Demanding ‘honest answers’ from the Health Secretary, Ashworth said:

“Isn’t the truth that his failures on testing and PPE contributed to Covid spreading like ‘wildfire’ in care homes?

 

“It is clear to the country and the families who lost loved ones that we have been let down by this Government, this Prime Minister, and this Health Secretary.

 

“The truth matters. The least these families and the country now deserve is clear answers from the Health Secretary and Prime Minister today.”