Boris Johnson facing calls for more transparency over coronavirus outbreak

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Tim Baker15 March 2020

Boris Johnson is facing calls to be more transparent with the British public in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Prime Minister has faced criticism from two of the potential leaders of the Labour party - as well as former Cabinet Ministers and past Downing Street employees - over his communication around the spread of Covid-19.

Number 10’s messages around public gatherings, quarantining the vulnerable and the next steps being taken have also been called into question, with the PM under increased pressure to publish the scientific data behind the decisions.

There has also been concern that the Government's plans are not being announced to the wider public in a formal process. Mr Johnson last spoke to the public on Thursday.

Sir Keir Starmer, the favourite to lead the Labour Party, called for a “daily press conference” over the virus to be hosted by the PM or a minister.

“I am deeply concerned that over the past 48 hours ministers have been failing in their responsibilities to provide consistent and transparent public health advice,” Sir Keir said.

“To allow anonymous and speculative briefings to journalists about a significant step-change in the Government’s response to the outbreak is irresponsible.”

The calls came as it emerged that over-70s could be told “in the coming weeks” to stay at home for up to four months.

In a televised interview on Sunday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed the proposal, as well as another move to give police powers to arrest sick citizens who are not self-isolating.

Both proposals had already been reported by individual journalists while Mr Hancock wrote an article on tackling the pandemic for the Sunday Telegraph.

Theresa May’s former chief of staff Lord Barwell added: “I cannot say this strongly enough: Ministers need to stop anonymously briefing journalists and start speaking directly to the public.

“Trust in government is going to be vital during the difficult months ahead and it is best fostered by transparency, not off-the-record briefing."

Some in the scientific community have criticised Government plans not to quickly impose stringent restrictions to limit the disease’s spread.

Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth called for the Government to publish its modelling so a wider pool of experts can scrutinise the plans.

“I just need to understand better why the Government is taking a different approach, based on its science, from other countries and I think that’s why it is so important that all the scientific modelling, for example, is published,” he told Sky’s Ridge On Sunday.

“If things have changed since the Prime Minister’s press conference on Thursday, then the Prime Minister should be doing another press conference today and explaining why things have changed.”

Another candidate for Labour leadership, Lisa Nandy, was also critical of the Government. She accused the Government of being in a “shambles” over its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

“This is causing serious concern out in the public. People just don’t know what to do for the best,” she told the Andrew Marr Show on the BBC.

“This is a public health crisis and so the public must have confidence in the strategy the Government is following.

Mr Hancock said ministers will publish modelling over the pandemic “in the coming days” but said scientists had been “extremely busy” when pressed on the delay.

“Of course there’s a lively debate about what’s the best course of action. The scientific evidence is absolutely critical in underpinning our response,” he told Ridge.

Andy Burnham, the current Mayor of Greater Manchetser, shared his experience as health secretary in 2009 during the Swine Flu outbreak.

He said that mixed messaging from politicians and experts caused confusion in the public, and it was calmer and easier to manage once the Chief Medical Officer took over the messaging.

Mr Burnham tweeted: “My time as Health Secretary was spent less on fighting media storms & more on plans for the vaccine.”

He added: “I think we’ve hit the same moment as I hit in the summer of 2009. Bear in mind, there was little social media then & that was hard enough.

"So, now, we need to hear more from the Chief Medical Officer/Chief Science Officer & less from the politicians. A daily press conference should start tomorrow at the latest.”

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