MATT Hancock has been condemned for urging a Labour MP to alter her “tone” after she pressed the UK Government on failures to roll out sufficient Covid-19 testing.
The Health Secretary made the comment during questioning in the House of Commons.
Shadow cabinet minister for mental health Dr Rosena Allin-Khan – who has been working as an A&E doctor during the coronavirus crisis – put the Health Secretary on the spot after the UK’s death toll became the highest in Europe.
She asked if Hancock acknowledged that many frontline workers believe a lack of testing “has cost lives”.
The Health Secretary flatly dismissed the concerns and encouraged Allin-Khan to adopt a less critical tone, as he feels shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth has done.
Hancock replied: “No I don’t. I welcome the honourable lady to her post as part of the shadow health team. I think she might do well to take a leaf out of the shadow secretary of state’s book in terms of tone.”
He added: “I’m afraid what she said is not true – there’s been a rapid acceleration in testing.”
LISTEN: Furious Matt Hancock loses his temper with Nick Robinson
Allin-Khan hit back at the Tory minister on Twitter.
“I will respectfully challenge the Government – I want our country to succeed,” she posted. “However, I will not 'watch my tone' when dozens of NHS and care staff are dying unnecessarily.”
I will respectfully challenge the Government - I want our country to succeed.
— Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (@DrRosena) May 5, 2020
However, I will not 'watch my tone' when dozens of NHS and care staff are dying unnecessarily.
A clip of my Q to the Health Sec today. pic.twitter.com/5jjQRXyIm3
READ MORE: UK's Covid-19 death toll rises above Italy's to become highest in Europe
The Labour MP was backed by scores of social media users, who condemned Hancock’s offhanded approach.
Piers Morgan said it was Hancock who needed to watch his tone.
It’s the Health Secretary who needs to watch his ‘tone’, especially when an A&E doctor MP asks perfectly legitimate questions on the day Britain moved to 2nd worst reported #coronavirus death toll in the world. 👇 https://t.co/HVxc7Qb5if
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 5, 2020
Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford critcised the Tory’s “bizarre” response.
Testing v tone? This ticking off for daring to q possible errors as UK becomes the European country with the highest #coronavirus death toll seems just bizarre and not a little frigging frightening #uk https://t.co/UXLaif3Srp
— Alex Crawford (@AlexCrawfordSky) May 5, 2020
Doctor and author Rachel Clarke accused Hancock of sexism.
How dare @MattHancock tell a perfectly courteous MP - who also happens to be an A&E doctor - to "watch her tone" in the Commons?
— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) May 5, 2020
Perhaps he could watch his #everydaysexism?
Not to mention his track record on PPE - the lack of which has endangered countless frontline staff? https://t.co/rcU4NF0swS
The hashtag #everydaysexism was soon trending on Twitter as dozens of high-profile accounts hit out at the Tory minister.
Comedian David Baddiel also condemned Hancock. He tweeted: "There is no 'tone'. @DrRosena asks a completely straightforward question in a completely straightforward manner and @MattHancock's tells her off, as if she's been rude or shrill or perhaps even just a woman asking a difficult question."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel