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April 27, 2021

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UK minister denies PM said 鈥榣et bodies pile high鈥

A BRITISH minister yesterday denied a report Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would rather bodies piled 鈥渉igh in their thousands鈥 than order a third social and economic lockdown to stem coronavirus infections.

Johnson is facing a stream of allegations in newspapers about everything from his muddled initial handling of the COVID-19 crisis to questions over who financed the redecoration of his official apartment.

The Daily Mail newspaper cited unidentified sources as saying that, in October, shortly after agreeing to a second lockdown, Johnson told a meeting in Downing Street: 鈥淣o more ... lockdowns 鈥 let the bodies pile high in their thousands.鈥

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not true.鈥

鈥淲e鈥檙e getting into the sort of comedy chapter now of these gossip stories. You know 鈥 unnamed sources by unnamed advisers talking about unnamed events. You know 鈥 look 鈥 none of this is serious,鈥 Wallace said.

Opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said he was astonished: 鈥淚f he did say those things, he鈥檚 got to explain it.鈥

Johnson did impose a third lockdown, in January.

But critics say it could have been avoided had he followed the advice of his senior ministers to make the second lockdown restrictions tougher.


 

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