Tory MPs round on ‘unelected’ Whitty after Covid warnings
Chris Whitty suggested that people scale back their Christmas plans during yesterday’s Downing Street press briefing
GETTY IMAGES
Senior Conservative MPs have criticised England’s chief medical officer after he urged people to scale back their Christmas plans, with one suggesting that he was turning Britain into a “public health socialist state”.
Joy Morrissey, the Tory MP for Beaconsfield and a parliamentary private secretary to the justice secretary, described Chris Whitty as an “unelected Covid public health spokesperson” and said that the chief medical officer should defer to the prime minister.
Whitty used a Downing Street press conference yesterday to urge people to scale back their Christmas plans as he gave warning that a big rise in hospital admissions from Omicron was “nailed on”.
He advised people to cut back on socialising with others in the days before Christmas and to limit mixing with other households.
His comments contrasted directly with those of Boris Johnson, who said that although people should “think carefully” before going to events the government was not going to cancel Christmas parties.
Responding to Whitty’s comments, Morrissey said: “Perhaps the unelected Covid public health spokesperson should defer to what our elected members of parliament and the prime minister have decided. I know it’s difficult to remember but that’s how democracy works. This is not a public health socialist state.”
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said: “It is outrageous to see a government PPS [parliamentary private secretary] attacking the chief medical officer in this way. She should apologise and withdraw this immediately. Chris Whitty has never disputed where policy is made — he makes this point repeatedly. Listen, don’t silence.”
Morrissey subsequently deleted her tweet.
Speaking in the Commons, Steve Baker, the leading Conservative opponent of coronavirus restrictions, questioned whether Whitty was “staying within the bounds” of government policy.
Addressing John Glen, a Treasury minister, he said: “What happens when officials give their advice is it has a massive capacity to herd the public into particular behaviours. So while the government has formally allowed hospitality businesses to stay open, the reality in my constituency is that fantastic businesses . . . have seen massive cancellations.
“So what reassurance can he give me that when officials speak, particularly on podiums at press conferences, that they are staying within the bounds of the policy that ministers have decided, and that what ministers have decided takes into account the broad spectrum of collateral harms that follow from, for example, encouraging people not to mix together?”
Steve Brine, a former health minister, said: “At a stroke the chief medical officer changed government policy and put this country, certainly hospitality, into effective lockdown. Can I ask, yes or no, is what Professor Whitty said last night now the policy of this government — that we should socialise carefully? What in practical legal terms does that mean?”
He added: “Advisers are now running the show — I’ll bet none of them run businesses facing complete ruin as a result of what was said last night”.
Greg Smith, the Conservative MP for Buckingham, who also rebelled on Tuesday, said that “advisers” had “pressed the panic button way beyond what this house voted for a couple of days ago”.
After months in which the prime minister and his scientific advisers have largely agreed, tensions are emerging as Johnson insists that booster jabs and his plan B restrictions will be enough to deal with Omicron.
Some scientific advisers privately fear that if more stringent measures are not imposed quickly a full lockdown will be required to stop hospitals being overwhelmed.
Johnson is resisting calls from government advisers to impose more restrictions before the Christmas holidays after the rebellion on Tuesday by more than 100 Tory MPs over Covid passes.
However, Dr Jenny Harries, head of the UK Health Security Agency, said that Omicron was “probably the most significant threat we’ve had since the start of the pandemic”.
As a record 78,610 Covid cases were reported yesterday, Harries predicted “staggering” numbers of infections in the coming days and told MPs that Omicron had the potential to put hospitals “in serious peril”.
Amanda Pritchard, head of NHS England, said that she was preparing for a wave of admissions “as big or even bigger” than last winter.
Whitty would not be drawn on whether he believed that further lockdown measures were necessary, saying that ministers were having to choose between “some really unpalatable options”. He warned, though, that Britain was facing a “very sharp peak” of infections which would cause widespread disruption, including staff shortages at hospitals.
He advised people not to “mix with people you don’t have to” for work or pleasure. Whitty pointedly said that you “don’t need a medical degree” to realise that cutting back on socialising is “a sensible thing to do with an incredibly infectious virus”.
Johnson said that people should think “carefully” before attending large events but ruled out further Covid restrictions at this stage. “We’re not cancelling events. We’re not closing hospitality. We’re not cancelling people’s parties or their ability to mix,” he said. “What we are saying is, you know, think carefully before you go.” He repeated the government’s call for people to book a booster jab and test themselves before meeting others.
So it’s the Tory party line ahead of the advice of doctors, and business over everything else …. Gotcha.
Too right. Since when did we put our trust in unelected blokes to make decisions on behalf of the country?
Pisses me off.
Anyway, how’s Lord Frost getting on with the NI Protocol?
I think whitty is doing a good job atm. His advice was pretty good and yesterdays presentation was well explained on some of the myths creeping in. He told people to think carefully. I’m 22, I am not visiting vulnerable family members, I will not be scaling back whatsoever – even if restrictions occur.
If I was visiting grandma, I might not go clubbing the day before I left.
Its called common sense and making your own decisions on risk. We’re at that stage in the pandemic. Just because somethings open doesnt make it necessarily a good idea. Whilst for others go enjoy yourself.
They would rather we listen to Reece-mogg who is 100% in touch with the average person in the UK.
What a bunch of…….
Oh dear, not really a great tactic. There’s a lot of good feeling for Whitty in the country at large, not least because him and his colleagues are often seen as the only ones in these press conferences actually being straight with the general public.
When’s the press conference for the Tory MP’s that are going to instruct us to drink bleach and start taking horse de-worming tablets?
i think i know which one i will listen to.
Dim lights. Play sinister music. Enter scapegoat, stage right.
These wankers are trying to politicise public health.
Listen to the experts. They have a better grasp of the data and health risks
Wait, are we not meant to like the guy who spent the Christmas weekend and the bank holiday on the ward treating Covid patients? Or who didn’t want to press charges after being harassed on the streets by nutters, twice?
Huh.
He isn’t making policy, he simply said what he is doing… He never said everyone should do the same?
Piss off Joy Morrissey you don’t even have a Biology GCSE.
Again we see the lie of libertarians – now not even tolerating lightly given advice. The spoiled ‘nanny never told me no’ crowd that makes up this lot and their constituency are so childish.
> unelected Covid public health spokesperson” and said that the chief medical officer should defer to the prime minister.
He’s appointed by the PM so the PM can defer to him on matter of public health!
If you have any issue with someone in an appointed position, you have an issue with the appointee!
>Advisers are now running the show — I’ll bet none of them run businesses facing complete ruin as a result of what was said last night
No, but they have been battling for nearly 2 years to keep the NHS afloat while unelected morons spread stupid lies designed to prevent people getting vaccinated.
Because he asked us to think for ourselves and consider if we really need to go on a 3 day bender before seeing granny on Christmas eve? For real? He advocated for personal responsibility, a Conservative staple, and they turned on him?
Ah looks like we’re back to being “fed up of experts” again.
“We’re following the science, but we’re shooting the messenger.”
Don’t like science? Then elect a science you do like!
Chris Whitty is a national treasure, I couldn’t imagine stepping in to his shoes. He looks fucking knackered and he deserves a long holiday after all this.
I think Chris Whitty is the only person giving us straight up information and treating us like adults.
This is is Trump turning on Fauci, Across the Pond Edition
This lot are an absolute menace. They should be ashamed of themselves. Fuck the tories I’m with Chris. Use your common sense.
Who should we trust in medical advice? Elected Politicians with the vast majority having zero medical experience or the unelected doctor with years of experience who has a large backing in the wider medical sector?
Trying to do to Whitty what the US extreme right is doing to Faucci.
25 comments
Tory MPs round on ‘unelected’ Whitty after Covid warnings
Chris Whitty suggested that people scale back their Christmas plans during yesterday’s Downing Street press briefing
GETTY IMAGES
Senior Conservative MPs have criticised England’s chief medical officer after he urged people to scale back their Christmas plans, with one suggesting that he was turning Britain into a “public health socialist state”.
Joy Morrissey, the Tory MP for Beaconsfield and a parliamentary private secretary to the justice secretary, described Chris Whitty as an “unelected Covid public health spokesperson” and said that the chief medical officer should defer to the prime minister.
Whitty used a Downing Street press conference yesterday to urge people to scale back their Christmas plans as he gave warning that a big rise in hospital admissions from Omicron was “nailed on”.
He advised people to cut back on socialising with others in the days before Christmas and to limit mixing with other households.
His comments contrasted directly with those of Boris Johnson, who said that although people should “think carefully” before going to events the government was not going to cancel Christmas parties.
Responding to Whitty’s comments, Morrissey said: “Perhaps the unelected Covid public health spokesperson should defer to what our elected members of parliament and the prime minister have decided. I know it’s difficult to remember but that’s how democracy works. This is not a public health socialist state.”
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said: “It is outrageous to see a government PPS [parliamentary private secretary] attacking the chief medical officer in this way. She should apologise and withdraw this immediately. Chris Whitty has never disputed where policy is made — he makes this point repeatedly. Listen, don’t silence.”
Morrissey subsequently deleted her tweet.
Speaking in the Commons, Steve Baker, the leading Conservative opponent of coronavirus restrictions, questioned whether Whitty was “staying within the bounds” of government policy.
Addressing John Glen, a Treasury minister, he said: “What happens when officials give their advice is it has a massive capacity to herd the public into particular behaviours. So while the government has formally allowed hospitality businesses to stay open, the reality in my constituency is that fantastic businesses . . . have seen massive cancellations.
“So what reassurance can he give me that when officials speak, particularly on podiums at press conferences, that they are staying within the bounds of the policy that ministers have decided, and that what ministers have decided takes into account the broad spectrum of collateral harms that follow from, for example, encouraging people not to mix together?”
Steve Brine, a former health minister, said: “At a stroke the chief medical officer changed government policy and put this country, certainly hospitality, into effective lockdown. Can I ask, yes or no, is what Professor Whitty said last night now the policy of this government — that we should socialise carefully? What in practical legal terms does that mean?”
He added: “Advisers are now running the show — I’ll bet none of them run businesses facing complete ruin as a result of what was said last night”.
Greg Smith, the Conservative MP for Buckingham, who also rebelled on Tuesday, said that “advisers” had “pressed the panic button way beyond what this house voted for a couple of days ago”.
After months in which the prime minister and his scientific advisers have largely agreed, tensions are emerging as Johnson insists that booster jabs and his plan B restrictions will be enough to deal with Omicron.
Some scientific advisers privately fear that if more stringent measures are not imposed quickly a full lockdown will be required to stop hospitals being overwhelmed.
Johnson is resisting calls from government advisers to impose more restrictions before the Christmas holidays after the rebellion on Tuesday by more than 100 Tory MPs over Covid passes.
However, Dr Jenny Harries, head of the UK Health Security Agency, said that Omicron was “probably the most significant threat we’ve had since the start of the pandemic”.
As a record 78,610 Covid cases were reported yesterday, Harries predicted “staggering” numbers of infections in the coming days and told MPs that Omicron had the potential to put hospitals “in serious peril”.
Amanda Pritchard, head of NHS England, said that she was preparing for a wave of admissions “as big or even bigger” than last winter.
Whitty would not be drawn on whether he believed that further lockdown measures were necessary, saying that ministers were having to choose between “some really unpalatable options”. He warned, though, that Britain was facing a “very sharp peak” of infections which would cause widespread disruption, including staff shortages at hospitals.
He advised people not to “mix with people you don’t have to” for work or pleasure. Whitty pointedly said that you “don’t need a medical degree” to realise that cutting back on socialising is “a sensible thing to do with an incredibly infectious virus”.
Johnson said that people should think “carefully” before attending large events but ruled out further Covid restrictions at this stage. “We’re not cancelling events. We’re not closing hospitality. We’re not cancelling people’s parties or their ability to mix,” he said. “What we are saying is, you know, think carefully before you go.” He repeated the government’s call for people to book a booster jab and test themselves before meeting others.
So it’s the Tory party line ahead of the advice of doctors, and business over everything else …. Gotcha.
Too right. Since when did we put our trust in unelected blokes to make decisions on behalf of the country?
Pisses me off.
Anyway, how’s Lord Frost getting on with the NI Protocol?
I think whitty is doing a good job atm. His advice was pretty good and yesterdays presentation was well explained on some of the myths creeping in. He told people to think carefully. I’m 22, I am not visiting vulnerable family members, I will not be scaling back whatsoever – even if restrictions occur.
If I was visiting grandma, I might not go clubbing the day before I left.
Its called common sense and making your own decisions on risk. We’re at that stage in the pandemic. Just because somethings open doesnt make it necessarily a good idea. Whilst for others go enjoy yourself.
They would rather we listen to Reece-mogg who is 100% in touch with the average person in the UK.
What a bunch of…….
Oh dear, not really a great tactic. There’s a lot of good feeling for Whitty in the country at large, not least because him and his colleagues are often seen as the only ones in these press conferences actually being straight with the general public.
When’s the press conference for the Tory MP’s that are going to instruct us to drink bleach and start taking horse de-worming tablets?
i think i know which one i will listen to.
Dim lights. Play sinister music. Enter scapegoat, stage right.
These wankers are trying to politicise public health.
Listen to the experts. They have a better grasp of the data and health risks
Wait, are we not meant to like the guy who spent the Christmas weekend and the bank holiday on the ward treating Covid patients? Or who didn’t want to press charges after being harassed on the streets by nutters, twice?
Huh.
He isn’t making policy, he simply said what he is doing… He never said everyone should do the same?
Piss off Joy Morrissey you don’t even have a Biology GCSE.
Again we see the lie of libertarians – now not even tolerating lightly given advice. The spoiled ‘nanny never told me no’ crowd that makes up this lot and their constituency are so childish.
> unelected Covid public health spokesperson” and said that the chief medical officer should defer to the prime minister.
He’s appointed by the PM so the PM can defer to him on matter of public health!
If you have any issue with someone in an appointed position, you have an issue with the appointee!
>Advisers are now running the show — I’ll bet none of them run businesses facing complete ruin as a result of what was said last night
No, but they have been battling for nearly 2 years to keep the NHS afloat while unelected morons spread stupid lies designed to prevent people getting vaccinated.
Because he asked us to think for ourselves and consider if we really need to go on a 3 day bender before seeing granny on Christmas eve? For real? He advocated for personal responsibility, a Conservative staple, and they turned on him?
Ah looks like we’re back to being “fed up of experts” again.
“We’re following the science, but we’re shooting the messenger.”
Don’t like science? Then elect a science you do like!
Chris Whitty is a national treasure, I couldn’t imagine stepping in to his shoes. He looks fucking knackered and he deserves a long holiday after all this.
I think Chris Whitty is the only person giving us straight up information and treating us like adults.
This is is Trump turning on Fauci, Across the Pond Edition
This lot are an absolute menace. They should be ashamed of themselves. Fuck the tories I’m with Chris. Use your common sense.
Who should we trust in medical advice? Elected Politicians with the vast majority having zero medical experience or the unelected doctor with years of experience who has a large backing in the wider medical sector?
Trying to do to Whitty what the US extreme right is doing to Faucci.