Coronavirus: Government should close schools and sort 'half-hearted' response, Rory Stewart says
The IndependentSign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy London mayoral candidate Rory Stewart has dismissed the government’s response to the virus as “half hearted” as the death rate in the UK has risen to five people. Now Mr Stewart, a former Conservative minister who was removed from the party after opposing Boris Johnson’s no-deal Brexit stance, has called on officials to introduce more stringent measures including closing schools and cancelling major events. It comes after health secretary Matt Hancock pushed back on policies like mass quarantines and school closures – telling the House of Commons: “The scientific advice is clear – acting too early creates its own risks, so we will do what is right to keep people safe.” Responding to his comments in a statement shared on Twitter, Mr Stewart said: “The government has made a serious mistake today. In a press conference flanked by the government’s chief scientific and medical officers, Boris Johnson said: “The clear advice from our scientists.