‘Ministers clapped them, and now they will sack them’ - MP tells Government to U-turn on plans to dismiss unvaccinated NHS workers
In Parliament last night, South Lakes MP Tim Farron pleaded with ministers to U-turn on controversial plans to sack NHS workers who haven't had a coronavirus vaccine.
Over 1,700 people in Cumbria signed an online petition that was debated in Westminster Hall yesterday which called for employers to be prohibited from requiring staff to be vaccinated against covid-19.
Speaking during the debate, Tim said: "This might be a high estimate, but staff in the Trust estimate that up to 800 staff across the three hospitals in Morecambe Bay and in other parts of the NHS in our community could lose their jobs.
"If they are not vaccinated in a week and a half's time, they will be on a trajectory to be out of a job by April 1st. That is an insult to those people, who have served us, kept us well, saved people's lives and put themselves and their families in harm's way over these two appalling years.
"Ministers clapped them, and now they will sack them. That is utterly wrong and ungrateful, above all else.
"As we have said, February 3rd is just a few days away, so a U-turn now is urgent. This will cause colossal damage in our health service in a matter of days and weeks."