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Piers Morgan slams ministers for blaming public for ‘world-beating’ system running out of tests
Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain, the programme Boris Johnson's government continues to boycott. Photograph: ITV. - Credit: Archant
Piers Morgan has hit out at Matt Hancock and government ministers for appearing to blame the public for a lack of coronavirus tests rather than taking responsibility.
The Good Morning Britain host was appalled by comments from Hancock that the problems with testing was the fault of the public, who were supposedly turning up to testing centres without showing symptoms.
Co-presenter Susanna Reid started: 'Matt Hancock still refuses to do our programme, he has been speaking on Sky News this morning.'
'This is unbelievable,' Morgan interjected.
'He talked about the issues with testing, apparently we have a world-beating testing system,' Reid explained.
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'Now we have people who are told their local test is a two-hour drive away.'
'I mentioned a person, Steve Hynd, who drove the two hours with his two sick children ages one and three. Arrived and was told the testing centre had run out of tests,' Reid continued.
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'Well, Matt Hancock the health secretary has an explanation.'
MORE: Health secretary blames British public for shortfall in coronavirus testing capacity
'It's all our fault, not his,' Morgan insisted, as clips of the Sky interview were played out.
Morgan snapped: 'I knew it wouldn't be Matt Hancock's fault.
'Of course his world-class system would be working perfectly if it wasn't for the public wanting tests.'
'How selfish of them to be driving 100 miles with little children. It's all our fault. Unbelievable.'
The pair spoke to Hynd, who explained the trouble he had trying to get a test for his children. He had lost his father to coronavirus while living in a care home.
He said: 'We arrived five minutes before our booked slot and we were told to simply turn around and go back home again.
'It was an incredibly mixed picture of what was happening. A lot of people were very upset.
'But essentially we were told the site was closed, they had run out of tests.'
'And Steve why did you want to have a test?' Morgan asked.
'First of all my two young children had coughs and I was trying to follow the government advice,' responded Hynd.
'If you have a new and continuous cough you should go for a test but I think it's also a moral responsibility.
'If there's any chance of track and trace working we all need to go and have tests and we need to make sure that happens. It's about protecting those around you.'
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