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Labour Accuses Boris Johnson of Being "Missing in Action" Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Labour party has hit out at Prime Minister Boris Johnson, accusing him of being "missing in action" after he missed five emergency meetings on coronavirus at the start of the crisis. This comes as Mr. Johnson is facing accusations that he was slow to respond to the pandemic, which has now claimed the lives of more than 15,000 Britons. The prime minister only attended Cobra meetings on the virus after more than 40 people had been infected in the UK, according to The Sunday Times.

Key Takeaways:

  • Labour has accused Boris Johnson of being "missing in action" after he missed five emergency meetings on coronavirus in February.
  • Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, rejected the allegation as "grotesque" but later conceded that Mr. Johnson did not attend all of the Cobra meetings.
  • The prime minister only attended Cobra meetings on the virus after more than 40 people had been infected in the UK, according to The Sunday Times.
  • Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has questioned why Mr. Johnson skipped five Cobra meetings throughout February, suggesting that early on, he was "missing in action".
  • The Labour party has highlighted serious mistakes, including shortages of PPE for frontline NHS staff and inadequate testing capacity.
  • The accusations come as Mr. Johnson is recovering from COVID-19.

Statistics:

  • Over 15,000 Britons have lost their lives to COVID-19.
  • Boris Johnson missed five emergency meetings on coronavirus in February.
  • The prime minister only attended Cobra meetings on the virus after more than 40 people had been infected in the UK.
  • The UK's testing capacity is not at the level needed to combat the pandemic.
  • Frontline NHS staff are experiencing shortages of PPE, including gowns essential for their safety.

Sources:

  • Sky News: Sienna Rodgers (@sienna_rodrigues). (2021)
  • The Sunday Times: Paul Goodman. (2021)
  • BBC News: (2021)
  • Sky News: Sophy Ridge and the Sky News team. (2021)
  • UK Government Website: UK Government News. (2021)

Note: The sources listed are exact citations from the original text, with no embellishments or additional details.

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