Leaked messages reveal UK senior ministers joked about locking up travellers during Covid
Matt Hancock
UK ministersand the then Health Secretary Matt Hancock are under fire again over violating Covid pandemic guidelines after new leaked messagesrevealthat they joked about locking up travellers arriving in quarantine hotels.Themessages were published by The Daily Telegraph.
In one exchange, in February 2021,Health Secretary Hancock said that they were "giving families all the big suites and putting pop stars in the box rooms." To this, UK Cabinet Secretary Simon Casereplied that he just wants to see some of the faces of people coming out of first-class into a Premier Inn shoe box. He also asked how many people had been "locked up" in hotels the previous day, Hindustan Times reported.
The conversation continued, and Hancock responded, "None. But 149 chose to enter the country and are now in Quarantine Hotels due to their own free will!"
Simon found this funny and said, "hilarous."
The texts alsosuggested that Hancock wanted to get heavy with police over the enforcement of lockdown rules.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Anne Hathaway: Iconic women dressed by Valentino
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Before Greenland, there was the Suez Crisis: What happened when US turned against Europe?
)
Watch: Indian Army holds rare promotion event aboard running train
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
‘Make America Go Away’: Thousands protest on streets of Greenland, Denmark over Trump’s threats – SEE PICS
)
Does marriage mean lower taxes? Modi government may offer major tax relief to married couples in upcoming Budget
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet 5 batters fastest to 20,000 international runs
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Rare earths and Arctic security: How is China involved in Greenland’s Kvanefjeld project?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
‘Prostitution and hush money’: What happens behind the closed doors of Davos World Economic Forum
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How powerful is the USS Gerald R. Ford? 7 facts about the world’s largest aircraft carrier
)
‘Snow apocalypse’: Record snowfall buries buildings, towns in Russia’s Kamchatka – WATCH
)
Paresh Rawal reacts to AR Rahman's clarification video amid ongoing controversy over communal bias
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Meet 5 Players fastest to 10,000 T20 Runs
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Missiles, not troops: How the US can defeat Iran without invading or occupying
Responding to these leaked messages, Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said, "These messages reveal the arrogance and shameful lack of respect that Conservative ministers showed to the public and to the police who they were expecting to do an extremely complex job in difficult circumstances."
Headded that at the same time, these officials were breaking the law themselves with their lockdown parties while demanding stronger enforcement by the police.
A few days back, other leaked messages revealed that Hancock rejected the health chief's advice on care homes for testing people.He said it is outrageous and denied doing so.
(With inputs from agencies)
WATCH WION LIVE HERE