Last Wednesday Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely, spoke in the House about the importance of Covid-19 testing for NHS and care home staff, saying, “The more we can test staff—fortnightly, if not weekly—the better”.
He then voted against a motion calling for weekly testing for NHS and care home staff, proposed by Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Jon Ashworth.
Some readers found these actions as contradictory and commented via social media on Mr Seely’s press release where he praised NHS and care home staff.
Seely: Political stunts
News OnTheWight asked Bob Seely why he’d chosen to vote that way. He called on Friday morning and said it was because he didn’t support these things as they are ‘political stunts’.
We explained our question was posed from our readers’ point of view, many of whom were confused by what they saw as his contradictory actions.
Seely: No-one else is interested
Seely appeared dismissive, replying that “no-one else was interested”.
Adding that no other journalists ask him about these things because, “they are the minutiae of Westminster”.
Seely: “Designed to mislead people”
When we finished the conversation, Bob’s office forwarded his line, in which he said,
“Testing of healthcare staff is an important issue and I am in favour of the NHS staff testing policy as advised by the Chief Medical Officer.
“The motion put forward by the Labour Party was designed to mislead people. The Labour motion does not address the practical issues associated with weekly blanket testing. The Government is giving careful consideration to these factors and the likely benefits, or not, that testing achieves. Decisions are based on facts.”
