Coronavirus: Boris Johnson accused of misleading Commons on care homes advice - and urged to return to correct himself
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also asks the prime minister about 10,000 "unexplained deaths" in care homes.
Wednesday 13 May 2020 19:43, UK
Boris Johnson has been accused of misleading parliament about government advice that people in care homes were "very unlikely" to contract coronavirus.
Sir Keir Starmer wrote to the prime minister urging him to "recognise" that this had been official guidance until 12 March - something Mr Johnson initially denied in the commons.
The prime minister later accused the Labour leader of "selectively and misleadingly" quoting from the document by not explaining the "critical context" that it was first released on 25 February when there was "no transmission of COVID-19 in the community".
It comes after Sky News included the guidance in a documentary about how the pandemic unfolded in care homes and was told how some providers were "almost compelled" to take people who have not been tested for coronavirus.
The row began at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, when Sir Keir highlighted official figures showing deaths in care homes made up more than 40% of the overall number of recent coronavirus deaths.
The Labour leader told MPs: "Earlier this year, and until 12 March, the government's own official advice was, and I'm quoting from it, 'it remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected'."
Sir Keir urged Mr Johnson, who today announced a further £600m for infection control in care homes, to "accept that the government was too slow to protect people in care homes".
The prime minister replied that it "wasn't true that the advice said that" and added: "We brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown."
Labour sources later circulated a link to a government webpage, which relates to "guidance for social or community care and residential settings on COVID-19".
The guidance was published on 25 February and was "withdrawn on 13 March", the webpage states.
Under a section on face masks, the guidance states: "It remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected."
Sir Keir wrote to the prime minister following their PMQs exchange.
"At this time of national crisis, it is more important than ever that government ministers are accurate in the information they give," the Labour leader wrote.
"Given this, I expect you to come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record and to recognise that this was official government guidance regarding care homes."
In his letter, Sir Keir also noted how another paragraph in the guidance stated: "It is therefore very unlikely that anyone receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected."
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Responding to the Labour leader in his own letter, Mr Johnson said: "I am disappointed that in the house today you chose to quote Public Health England advice selectively and misleadingly, and I stand by my comments.
"You neglected to provide the critical context at the start of the guidance."
He quoted from another section which said: "This guidance is intended for the current position in the UK where there is currently no transmission of COVID-19 in the community.
"It is therefore very unlikely that anyone receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected. This is the latest information and will be updated shortly."
Mr Johnson added: "I would remind you of the commitment you made, when you became leader of the opposition, to work constructively with the government in the face of this unprecedented pandemic. The public expect us to work together."
Dr Jenny Harries, England's chief medical officer, was later challenged at the daily Downing Street briefing on why the advice remained in place for so long.
"At that time we did not recognise there was any sustained community transmission," she said.