Andy McDonald – 2021 Comments on Covid-19 Being a Workplace Risk

The comments made by Andy McDonald, the Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights and Protections, on 17 June 2021.

The decision not to classify covid as a ‘serious’ workplace risk means that inspectors are unable to halt work activities exposing workers to coronavirus, and shows that the Government is putting working people and the wider public at risk. There have been almost 4,000 workplace outbreaks yet not a single employer has been prosecuted.

It is outrageous that even after 15,000 working age people have died from Covid, and many more are suffering from long covid, the virus isn’t considered ‘serious’.

With rising case numbers of the Delta variant ahead of the planned easing of restrictions, this decision is deeply irresponsible and shows that the Government is failing to keep working people safe.