Coronavirus: Government prioritising "economic interests" over people's health says Rebecca Long Bailey

5 March 2020, 15:30 | Updated: 6 March 2020, 09:27

Rebecca Long-Bailey has accused the government of putting the economy ahead of the health of British people during the coronavirus outbreak.

The government is working on delaying the peak of the covid-19 epidemic to the summer when the NHS is less stressed and the warmer weather makes the virus less infectious.

But speaking to LBC, Labour leadership candidate Ms Long-Bailey accused them of not caring enough out the public's health while dealing with coronavirus.

She said: "Health and safety is our most important priority and I worry that, under this government, they are prioritising economic interests over the health and safety of people here in Britain."

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When LBC's Westminster Correspondent Ben Kentish asked for examples, she said: "The coronavirus itself is going to cause a huge economic shock to our economy if it's as widespread as experts suggest it will be.

"There will be numerous people off work. There will be an impact on supply chains. There will be a huge economic implication for this.

"But at no point should that be used as a chip to bargain with people's health and safety in this country. We need to support both.

"We need to make sure people are kept safe and we need to prioritise their safety. And we need to prioritise the support that businesses will need if we prioritise people's safety."

Watch the clip at the top of the page.