Grieving households of Covid victims yesterday referred to as on Boris Johnson to apologise as he ducked questions over Downing Road’s ‘lockdown-busting’ get together.
They advised how they have been saved other than family members for months by virus curbs and even pressured to say goodbye to the dying over Zoom whereas No10 held a ‘carry your personal booze’ bash.
Relations mentioned that they had been handled with contempt and referred to as on the Prime Minister to return clear over his involvement within the Downing Road backyard get together.
Anger: Hannah Brady misplaced father and gran
My mum died alone aged 98: Marjorie Bourke, 98, died alone simply 5 days earlier than the drinks get together. Valerie French, pictured, might solely see her mom for ten minutes in hospital and no household was allowed to be with Mrs Bourke as she died from pneumonia and coronary heart failure. Mrs French, 68 a instructor from Hitchin, Hertfordshire, mentioned Boris Johnson was ‘a coward’, including: ‘My household… did the best factor.’
Trainer Hannah Brady, 25, whose father Shaun’s loss of life certificates was signed on the day of the occasion – Could 20, 2020 – mentioned Mr Johnson ought to admit if he attended or knew about it. She insisted: ‘If it’s confirmed he attended that get together or he knew about it then he ought to resign.
‘It’s unspinnable. The one who’s answerable for retaining this nation protected is simply chipping away at his personal ethical authority.’ Miss Brady was amongst members of 5 households who met Mr Johnson at Downing Road final September to characterize the Covid-19 Bereaved Households For Justice Group.
She advised him how her father, from Wigan, had died and later her grandmother Margaret was additionally killed by the virus with out figuring out her son had perished.
Miss Brady wrote to Mr Johnson yesterday on behalf of the group, saying they felt the get together was ‘a flagrant breach of the Authorities’s personal guidelines’.
It’s an insult to my daughter: Ruby Fuller, 18, needed to say her closing goodbyes to household by way of Zoom. {The teenager}, pictured, had relapsed from blood most cancers and died at dwelling in Crystal Palace, south London, on Could 15, 2020 – 5 days earlier than the No 10 get together. Covid restrictions meant she might solely communicate to her grandparents, cousins and buddies by way of a video name earlier than she handed away. Her mom Emma Jones mentioned: ‘I really feel upset, offended and in addition silly that we adopted the foundations so intently. It’s simply so extremely insulting.’
Our lady had much better morals: The mum of a 19-year-old who died with simply her dad and mom by her facet has referred to as the Authorities ‘shameful’ over the Downing Road get together claims. Amanda McEgan’s daughter was ‘remoted’ in her closing weeks as she fought a uncommon type of most cancers. Isabel, from Merseyside, pictured along with her mum, died on Could 10 – simply days earlier than the No 10 get together. Mrs McEgan, 50, mentioned: ‘I believe the values and morals she had as a 19-year-old have been far past our personal Authorities.’
She wrote: ‘In September of final yr you regarded me within the eyes within the Rose Backyard of Downing Road and advised me you had achieved every thing you may to avoid wasting him. You noticed images of his final days that nobody had ever seen earlier than. It’s now clear that whereas my Dad’s loss of life certificates was being signed – and me and my youthful sister have been grieving alone – dozens of individuals have been gathered, clutching a bottle that they had been invited to carry, in the identical place you advised me you had achieved every thing you may.’
Miss Brady mentioned the get together revelations had precipitated ‘ache, anguish and anger’ to grieving households.
Elena Ciesco, 49, might solely see her father Luigi, a retired NHS employee, by way of a window at his dwelling in Surrey on his 79th birthday – the day of the Downing Road get together. He died from Covid in December that yr. She mentioned: ‘Whereas we caught to the foundations, Downing Road broke the regulation and they need to be prosecuted. Boris Johnson must be prosecuted.’