Trees outside County Hall and Geoff Brodie

Brodie to probe Isle of Wight council leader on PM’s comments about Coronavirus in care homes (updated)

At next week’s Isle of Wight full council meeting, the blame for the spread of Coronavirus being placed on care home owners will be raised.

On Monday Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, came under fire for attempting to blame care home owners for up to 20,000 deaths through not “follow[ing]  procedures”.

Isle of Wight politicians shared their views yesterday and next week, Cllr Geoff Brodie, Independent Labour councillor for Newport East, will ask,

” Does the Council Leader support the shameful remarks of the Prime Minister that many care homes, presumably including those on the Isle of Wight, did not follow proper procedures on Coronavirus?” 

Will leaders answer be in line with MP’s?
News OnTheWight had asked Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely whether he agreed with the statement made by the PM, and what his view was on the long delay before the Government agreed all patients should be tested for C19 before going into care homes?

He avoided answering those specific questions and instead replied,

“I have been in contact with representatives from the care sector on the Isle of Wight throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and I have visited care home staff. As far as I can see, care staff here have done their absolute best and often gone above and beyond their duties in the hardest of times. I think we should all recognise and congratulate them for their efforts.

“It’s clear that there will need to be a period of time for reflection where consideration is taken to review whether anything could have been done differently. That is all part of the learning process for how we improve in the future. 

“I thank the care sector for all that they have done and continue to do.”

Article edit
11.30am 8th July 2020 – Wording of Brodie’s question amended slightly