Fury at Labour chairman Ian Lavery after he says coronavirus crisis could be ‘great opportunity’ for party
- Ian Lavery reportedly told Labour activists current crisis was ‘great opportunity’
- He said the outbreak would allow Labour to show how it ‘brings people together’
- Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said he was ‘disgusted’ by Mr Lavery’s comments
- Mr Lavery said he was detailing ‘opportunity for people to get out there and help’
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Labour chairman Ian Lavery described the coronavirus outbreak as a ‘great opportunity’ for the party to show how it can bring people together.
Audio of Mr Lavery making the remarks in a Zoom conference call with party activists on Friday evening was today published by the Guido Fawkes website.
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said he was ‘disgusted’ by the comment and called on Labour to ‘denounce’ Mr Lavery’s words.
But Mr Lavery said he was simply talking about the ‘opportunity for people to get out there and help their local communities and those in need ‘.
Ian Lavery told Labour activists that the coronavirus outbreak was a ‘great opportunity’ for the party
Following criticism, Mr Lavery said he had been talking about the ‘opportunity for people to get out there and help their local communities and those in need’
The Labour Party chairman told activists on the call: ‘By the way, when something like this happens, we’re going to see lots of our own people dying as a consequence.
‘But, you know apart from that, it’s going to give the fantastic battalion of Labour Party members, community champions out there, a great opportunity of showing how Labour, and why Labour, is best when it gets on the front foot and best when it brings people together.
‘We need to make sure that we do that and community organising – what a great opportunity it’s going to give us.
‘Every one of us, every one of our families… relations, friends, organising the communities, because there is going to be lots of people out there that really need our help.’
Mr Bridgen responded with fury to the comments.
The Conservative MP tweeted: ‘Ian Lavery literally salivating at the thought of possibly tens of thousands of our vulnerable citizens perishing because he hopes it might breath life into the dead corpse which is the current Labour Party, I am disgusted, Labour must denounce his remarks immediately.’
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen called for the Labour Party to ‘denounce’ Mr Lavery’s remarks ‘immediately’
But Mr Lavery dismissed the criticism as he suggested his words were being misinterpreted.
He tweeted: ‘Intentionally misleading reporting is really disappointing at a time like this.
‘I’ve spoken about the opportunity for people to get out there and help their local communities and those in need. Nonsense to suggest otherwise.
‘We all need to do our bit to get through this crisis.’