Responding to the Health Secretary’s refutation of the suggestion that the Government’s decision not to be involved in an EU ventilator scheme was a “political decision”, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “This Government’s evident unwillingness to work with the European Union through the current crisis is unforgivable.
“Time and again, the Government seem to have missed opportunities to join the EU’s procurement efforts. Continued shortages of PPE over the last few days coupled with the Government’s failure to scale up testing for NHS and social care workers demonstrate that the current approach hasn’t delivered. Lives are at risk as a result.
“To maintain any credibility, the Government must be completely frank about what opportunities were missed or deliberately passed up. Ministers must be absolutely clear that they will participate in all future EU efforts to secure critical supplies.
“No stone can be left unturned when it comes to getting essential equipment to those risking their lives on the frontline to care for people who are gravely ill with COVID-19.”