Jonathan Ashworth – 2021 Comments on Potential Third Wave

The comments made by Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 1 June 2021.

The decision to continue easing restrictions on June 21st must be taken based on data to keep people safe and prevent overwhelming the NHS. The single biggest threat to that is ministerial incompetence. Today ministers remain engulfed and distracted by internal rows and blame shifting at just the moment we need a laser like focus on this variant.

Weak, slow decisions on border policy let this variant in, continued lack of sufficient self-isolation support and a stand off with local public health directors over vaccination policy failed to contain it. For June 21st to go ahead, ministers must learn from their earlier mistakes.