Virus testing; time for Matt Hancock to ‘get a grip’ and cut the politics – The Yorkshire Post says

MATT HANCOCK was – by his standards – slightly sheepish when he belatedly reappeared before the House of Commons to answer questions from MPs on new Covid-19 restrictions.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock.Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock.

He has now met the Speaker following Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s sharp rebuke and he told the Commons: “I will ensure I give the House its full attention.” Time will tell.

Regrettably, Mr Hancock’s humility proved shortlived – he was, within minutes, attacking Labour for inconsistencies over its approach over mass testing.

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But the exchanges did show why the partisanship of the party front benches risks getting in the way of the country’s response to Covid-19 and need to ensure a second nationwide lockdown.

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hole has rebuked Matt Hancock, the Health and Social Care Secretary, for circumventing Parliament.Speaker Sir Lindsay Hole has rebuked Matt Hancock, the Health and Social Care Secretary, for circumventing Parliament.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hole has rebuked Matt Hancock, the Health and Social Care Secretary, for circumventing Parliament.

The Minister was heckled by MPs as he outlined his ambitions for “Operation Moonshot”, which will aim to provide mass testing using saliva and other methods which can deliver results within 20 to 90 minutes. And then he was told by Greg Clark, the very mild-mannered former Business Secretary, to “get a grip” of testing before flu compounds the emergency.

Now chair of Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee, he revealed how constituents in Kent displaying Covid symptoms last weekend “were advised to go for tests to Bude in Cornwall and Galashiels in Scotland”. He added: “This is in a mild September before the autumn and winter when people have coughs and colds that may look like symptoms of Covid.”

It’s all the more reason – in this newspaper’s view – for a cross-party group of senior Parliamentarians and health experts to be formed to both assist the Government with the next phase of its Covid-19 response and oversee Ministers like Mr Hancock.

If not, trust in politicians – a priceless commodity at times of crisis and pandemics – will continue to dissipate at a time when Covid rules require maximum compliance.

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