Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has revealed his 89-year-old dad is on a coronavirus ward in hospital and has been for ‘quite some time’.

The Government minister said his father was admitted to hospital with other health concerns but sadly caught the virus two months ago while in doctors’ care.

He admitted his family situation ‘weighs on his mind’ as he makes ‘difficult’ decisions in Government coronavirus meetings.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Mr Shapps noted that there is ‘sadly nothing special about my situation’ as he paid tribute to ‘extraordinary’ NHS staff.

He said: ‘My own father is on a Covid ward in hospital and has been for quite some time.

‘It reminds us why it’s necessary to make sure people do adhere to these rules, including not bringing in new variations of this virus, which we may not be quite so ready to combat.’

Admitting that the situation was ‘very difficult’, Mr Shapps said ministers ‘live the same life as everyone else and coronavirus gets everybody’.

He said: ‘It got my dad. It actually wasn’t the reason he went into hospital originally but unfortunately he did pick it up.

‘We’re all very worried but the one thing it does do is remind us all, as we’re making these decisions in these meetings where we have to weigh up these very difficult dilemmas often about where to prioritise, which rules, policies, laws to pass, the fact that you’re personally involved in that kind of way does weigh on your mind.

‘There’s nothing special about my situation sadly. I don’t think there’s anyone in any family in Britain now who doesn’t know.’

When asked if he’d been able to speak to his father, he said: ’He’s 89 and he’s always been quite techie and he was able to WhatsApp call us.

‘Unfortunately in the last day or two, we’ve not been getting contact from him in the same way. 

‘We’re obviously speaking to the nurses where we can, but they’re very pressed.

‘This is the point, that hospitals are still under immense pressure. I pay tribute to their extraordinary patience.’

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