Tag Archives: coronavirus testing

My son can get a COVID test result in 90 minutes. And that’s a disgrace.

Last week my son, who is two years old, developed a fever. Anyone who has children knows that toddlers are naturally inclined to do this every now and again and, in normal circumstances, it’s not a cause for concern. But it’s 2020. Normal circumstances are a distant memory.

Government guidelines required getting my son tested for coronavirus and isolating the household until the results came back, or alternatively for 14 days. Having to quarantine the whole family for two weeks for a fever likely to be caused by a cold or teething didn’t sound like the most productive solution …

Posted in Op-eds | 4 Comments

9 September 2020 – today’s press releases

  • Liberal Democrats call out PM’s “brazen hypocrisy” on rule of law
  • Liberal Democrats call on Govt to extend furlough to boost economic recovery
  • Government must make Covid test available to all that need one

Liberal Democrats call out PM’s “brazen hypocrisy” on rule of law

The Liberal Democrats have demanded the Prime Minister explain his “brazen hypocrisy” given his Government’s readiness to break international law with the Internal Market Bill, while expecting “everybody in this country to obey the law.”

The accusation follows an exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions today where Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson asked “If Ministers think it is acceptable for this Government to not obey the law, how on earth can the Prime Minister expect the public at home to do so?”

Despite confirmation yesterday from the Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis that the proposed Northern Ireland customs legislation “does break international law”, the Prime Minister told the House of Commons that he expects “everybody in this country to obey the law.”

The Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham has called on the Prime Minister to make a statement clarifying his Government’s “precise position” when it comes to upholding the rule of law.

Following the exchange, Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson said:

Testing one’s eyesight, natural justice, and only breaking the law in a limited and specific way. All excuses used by this Government for their disregard for the rule of law.

It seems it’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us. At a time when the coronavirus crisis is taking an enormous toll, following guidelines is saving lives. Instead of showing leadership, this Government is setting all the wrong examples and in doing so risking lives.

This brazen hypocrisy has to stop. The Prime Minister must come forward and clarify his precise position when it comes to upholding the rule of law, here in the UK and internationally.

Posted in News and Press releases | Also tagged , , , and | 4 Comments

25 May 2020 – the day’s press releases

Nearly up to date now…

  • Closure of Weston General Hospital shows critical need for test, trace, isolate system
  • PM must terminate Cummings’ contract
  • PM’s judgement now in question over Cummings

Closure of Weston General Hospital shows critical need for test, trace, isolate system

Responding to news that Weston General Hospital has been forced to close to new patients due to a high number of COVID-19 cases, Liberal Democrat Health, Wellbeing and Social Care spokesperson Munira Wilson said:

This outbreak demonstrates the incredibly urgent need for a comprehensive test, trace and isolate system. That is the only way to keep people safe. Testing at scale and

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18 May 2020 – today’s press releases

  • Lib Dems launch calls for more mental health support for health and care staff
  • Lib Dems lead cross party push to keep pubs in business
  • People deserve an upfront answer from Powys MPs
  • Govt must increase testing capacity to maintain credibility

Lib Dems launch calls for more mental health support for health and care staff

The Liberal Democrats are today calling on the Government to ramp up mental health support for health and care staff to ensure “world-class” support for those tackling the virus head on.

Highlighting the “deep scar” coronavirus will leave on health and care staff, the party have put forward a package of mental health measures designed for rapid roll-out across the NHS and care sectors, including:

  • 24/7 access to mental health support for health and social care workers, through a dedicated helpline
  • Guarantees that health and care staff will no longer be penalised for time off due to mental or physical ill health by scrapping the Bradford scoring system and other HR practices that can create a culture of presenteeism
  • Introduce an ‘occupational health passport’ so workers do not have to relive mental health traumas if or when they change jobs
  • Additional training to ensure there are mental health first-aiders in every health and care workforce
  • Steps to standardise the quality and service offer to ensure that every health and social care worker can access the same, high standard of mental care support regardless of the region in which they are based
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Daily View 2×2: 7 May 2020

2 big stories

Who’d have thought it? The achievement of the testing target on 30 April is already looking deeply shady, with the inclusion of posted tests included in that figure, plus allegations that even those posted weren’t actually usable. And now, subsequent data shows that the numbers are going backwards, not upwards. The solution, a new target. The distraction from failure – some relaxations in terms of going out and about.

Meanwhile, the European Union is predicting that its economy will shrink by 7.4% this year, the worst performance since World War II, with the economies of Southern Europe worst …

Posted in Daily View | Also tagged , , and | 1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 24 April 2020

We’ve almost staggered to the end of another week, and there’s a weekend to look forward to…

2 big stories

The Government, having missed every target for Coronavirus testing that they’ve set, have upped the ante by setting a new, even bigger target – 100,000 tests per day. Of course, the question of how you get to one of the testing centres, especially if you’re ill, hasn’t really been addressed. Keir Starmer slowly, and patiently, shredded Dominic Raab’s attempts to deflect their failure thus far at PMQs on Wednesday – but the news that Matt Hancock is looking to recruit 18,000

Posted in News | Also tagged , and | 8 Comments
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