James O'Brien's furious monologue on Home Office decision on dead cleaners and carers

20 May 2020, 13:28 | Updated: 20 May 2020, 14:17

James O'Brien's furious monologue on Home Office decision on cleaners and carers

By Adrian Sherling

An angry James O'Brien laid bare the state of politics in the UK as he asked why the families of carers and cleaners from abroad will not be supported by the government.

The Home Office has been criticised for leaving care workers and cleaners out of a scheme that will support the families of migrant NHS workers who have died from coronavirus.

And speaking on his LBC show, James could barely contain his fury at the decision.

He said: "I just want to take a moment to tell you how that has been allowed to happen to our magnificent country. How have we ended up in a place where the Home Secretary can think 'Sack 'em'.

"I'm going to tell you exactly how. And it's going to shock you, it's going to upset you and it might even make you feel a bit guilty.

"This is how I would respond to this story if I was a right-wing ghoul. I would respond to this by saying 'If you care so much O'Brien, you virtue-signalling leftie clown about the families of these carers and cleaners who have died from Covid-19 while working in hospitals, why don't you put them up in your own house?

"That's how it's happened. The minute we allowed comments like that to pass into the mainstream of our civilisation, we made things like this possible.

"I'm so close to swearing, so close.

"In the United Kingdom in 2020, you die as a result of your work in the Health Service and the Home Secretary tells your grieving family that there is a scheme for families of workers who died, but your mum doesn't qualify because she was just a cleaner. Your dad doesn't qualify because he was just a care worker.

"And if you care so much about the families of these cleaners and care workers who happen to have been born overseas working in the NHS, why don't you put them up in your own spare room?"

NHS porters, cleaners and social care staff have been excluded from the Home Office scheme, granting families of health workers indefinite leave to remain in the UK if they die of Covid-19.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Alongside automatic visa extensions for health professions, we have also announced immediate indefinite leave-to-remain for the families of those who sadly pass away, which includes nurses, social workers and therapists working in adult social care.

“We continue to work with the Department of Health and Social Care to look at additional ways we can help the health sector in future."

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