Letter to Damian Collins MP regarding Prime Minister's response to coronavirus questions – 14th May 2020

Dear Damian Collins MP,

We would like your opinion on the misleading statements made by the Prime Minister at PMQs yesterday (13th May 2020).

The Prime Minister seemed to not know the government’s own advice on coronavirus after telling Keir Starmer that it “wasn’t true” that the care home sector had been advised it was unlikely to experience a coronavirus outbreak. This contradicts government advice until 12th March.

Moreover, the Prime Minister suggested that discharges to care homes from hospital went down in March and April with a system of testing in place – but the system of testing was not implemented until announced by the Health Secretary Matt Hancock on April 15th. The Prime Minister’s answer was misleading at best.

Even now, ministers have admitted it will be more than three weeks until all care homes are offered tests. Care home managers and staff have pointed out that lives have been put at risk, and conditions for dementia sufferers worsened, due to this aforementioned lack of testing.

The Prime Minister also failed to answer why the government have stopped publishing the daily international comparison graphs, which had been used until our figures tragically surpassed those in Europe and our death rate became the second highest in the world.

At a time of national crisis, it is absolutely essential that government ministers are able to provide accurate information to the general public.

Yours sincerely,

Folkestone and Hythe Labour Party