Boris Johnson has actually been branded “heartless” by families of coronavirus victims after failing to honour a promise to satisfy them.
He has been implicated of a U-turn less than a week after he said “naturally” he would meet representatives of family members of COVID-19 victims.
Mr Johnson has actually dismayed campaigners by informing them in a letter it is “sadly not possible” and he is unable to satisfy them.
Recently, during a school go to, the prime minister was inquired about ask for a conference from the COVID-19 Bereaved Households for Justice group.
” I am not aware of those letters,” he replied. “However of course we will write back to every letter we get. And of course I will satisfy the dispossessed who have actually suffered from COVID. Naturally I will do that.”
6 days later, the group, which represents more than 1,600 individuals who have actually lost a relative to coronavirus and is demanding an independent query, says it has actually now received a reply to its fifth letter asking for a meeting.
In the letter, the prime minister wrote: “I am acutely conscious that a letter will be of little comfort against the sorrow and heartbreak that households have suffered.
” However, I wanted to offer my sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones to this horrible disease.
” I understand from my own experience how crippling its impacts are and can only imagine the pain and misery of those families that have been bereaved.
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” As I work to handle the response to the pandemic, I will of course meet members of the public and essential employees who have actually been dispossessed as a result of COVID-19
Mr Johnson added: “As for the problem of an independent query, the federal government has actually constantly been clear that there will be opportunities to look back, evaluate and show on all aspects of COVID-19
Responding intensely to the prime minister’s letter, the co-founder of COVID-19 Bereaved Households for Justice, Jo Goodman, who lost her daddy Stuart to the virus, informed Sky News: “It’s a U-turn followed by a U-turn.”
She said: “The prime minister has actually done a 360: dodging 5 letters, then settling on live TELEVISION to meet us, and now silently informing us he’s too busy. It’s heartless.
” Obviously we know the prime minister can’t fulfill every bereaved individual: however we actually feel he ought to be satisfying one of the biggest groups of bereaved families in the country, representing over 1,600 individuals who have actually lost a loved one.
” It feels like we’re the wrong kind of bereaved people: like the prime minister just wishes to consult with individuals who will smile and not ask hard concerns.”
” We think it’s critical the PM hears the experiences of households bereaved by COVID-19, numerous of whom can shed light on severe systemic and policy failings that contributed to the death of their loved ones: from deaths in care houses to inadequate protective equipment,” said Ms Goodman.
” After the Hillsborough Disaster, the Taylor Review reported back in simply 11 weeks: enabling modifications to be rolled out in other football stadiums to secure the public.
” If the prime minister had actually replied to our very first letter back in June, a rapid review might be reporting today: offering essential lessons on how to save lives as the virus surges again, as we’re seeing in places in Europe and across the nation.”
Labour’s shadow Cabinet Workplace minister Rachel Reeves said: “41,504 individuals have actually tragically lost their lives to this virus. The very least the prime minister might do is react truthfully to their families, and have the heart to meet some of them and their representatives.
” The prime minister has been going back on his word all summertime – but to not even meet grieving households strikes a brand-new low.”
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