The Shadow Health Secretary claimed the Government failed to keep its promises on the ramping up of coronavirus tests and on providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to NHS and other key workers across the country. But BBC host Nick Robinson told Mr Ashworth Labour would have had the exact same problems if it was in charge of the pandemic, as the party’s handling of the crisis in Wales demonstrates. 

The BBC host said: “The reality of this is that any Government would face these sorts of difficulties.

“The truth is the NHS trusts that are run by your party and by the SNP in Scotland they’ve got these problems, on a smaller scale but they’ve got the problems.

“The Welsh Government is run by Labour, of course, they have problems with PPE and testing.

“I mean, this is not unique to Westminster, is it?”

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Struggling to address the issue, the Labour MP replied: “Well, the issue is did we start the ramping of the testing capacity soon enough?

“I don’t think we did. I don’t understand why when we moved from the containment stage we scaled down on the community testing.”

Mr Ashworth added: “We hope they get to 100,000 a day by the end of the month, that’s their promise of course, but it also has to be combined with proper contact tracing in the community as well.”

The Labour frontbencher also said the Government must provide care workers with more than just a badge.

“I think many people were slightly… raised their eyebrows, however, at the announcement of the new badge, given that it had been announced actually last year in fact,” he said.

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“When really what we’re looking for is a proper credible plan to roll out testing of our hard-working, brave care staff, a proper, detailed plan to ensure that our care workers in care homes and delivering social care are getting the protective PPE they need.

“And of course this is a workforce which is characterised by often low-paid and insecure contracts and I think they actually deserve a fair pay rise.”

Mr Ashworth said care workers “need more than a badge” and called on the Government to provide “a package of substance”.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted on Thursday that the Government needs “to do more” for the care sector, which is why he unveiled a new plan on Wednesday.

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Responding to reports of elderly residents in care homes receiving letters asking them to promise they will not ask for hospital care if they are seriously ill, Mr Hancock said: “It has always been the case that people are asked for their wishes in the terrible instances in which they might get very ill, especially as they get towards the end of their lives.”

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: “It is a standard procedure that has happened for a long time.”

Pushed on whether it is standard procedure for all care home residents to be asked at the same time, Mr Hancock said: “It isn’t inappropriate so long as the decision is made on an individual basis according to the clinical needs of that person and their wishes.”

He added that it would be “deeply inappropriate” if residents were pressured into signing such letters.

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