Nigel Farage caller slams PM's coronavirus response as "too soft"

9 March 2020, 20:06 | Updated: 9 March 2020, 20:25

This caller told Nigel Farage the UK government's coronavirus response is "too soft" and said all schools should be closed as "kids pick up everything."

Nigel Farage said the government are playing "catch up all the time" in their response to the coronavirus epidemic after the number of UK cases has risen to 319 and the fourth person has died.

Today saw the confirmation that the UK will remain in the "contain" stage as the government accepts coronavirus will spread in a "significant" way, a No 10 spokesperson has said.

The caller Lewis admitted he was "disappointed" with the Prime Minister's actions and pointed out that the case numbers that have been released daily are "potentially two weeks behind."

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While the UK has had 5 fatalities due to the virus and 319 people who have tested positive, Lewis pointed out that "potentially in two weeks that's going to be 6,7, 8000", citing how the cases in Italy have "shot up" with Italy's death toll jumping from 97 to 463 in one day.

Nigel asked, "Is it possible that one of the reasons the planes have kept flying is because after the collapse of Flybe, the government were really worried if they started to put travel bans on the whole lot might go bust?"

Lewis said the priority should be human health over the economy and branded the UK "too soft."

Nigel agreed and referenced London Mayor candidate Rory Stewart who told LBC he would have shut down schools and banned large gatherings in the capital by now.

"Kids pick up everything, don't they?" said Lewis, reiterating that the UK should embrace more stringent measures.