"I find it amazing Boris Johnson still hasn't met families bereaved by coronavirus"

25 August 2020, 20:41

"I find it amazing Boris Johnson still hasn't met families of victims"

Labour MP and Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus Clive Lewis called for the Prime Minister to meet the families of those who lost their lives to coronavirus.

MPs are calling for the Prime Minister to meet the families of those killed by coronavirus and those who have suffered a long term strain of the illness, branding both groups the pandemic's forgotten victims.

MPs are also urging Boris Johnson to fund research into "long Covid" ahead of the winter months - however Labour MP Clive Lewis told LBC there needs to be more funded research generally for the virus.

He told LBC's Clive Bull that one of the key asks from bereaved families or long-term Covid sufferers is that they meet with the Prime Minister: "I find it quite amazing that Boris Johnson is yet to find the time to meet with the official groups representing those who have lost people to Covid-19 and those who are suffering from this long-form.

"They just want the ear of the Prime Minister...I don't think it's beyond the humanity of Boris Johnson to spend a little bit of time listening and cutting out on the bluster and the ball and the dictating, that's all they're asking for and that's more than fair."

The Labour MP said the long-term sufferers want to explain what it's been like for them; often unable to get tests, unable to be hospitalised, or "falling through the holes in the system."

For the bereaved families, they want to explain to the PM the pain they have suffered and also express their desire for answers, which is why they are calling for a judge-led inquiry into the handling of the pandemic.