MP Rayner slams PM's 'contempt for working people'

MP for Ashton and Failsworth, Angela Rayner

Ashton and Failsworth MP Angela Rayner has hit out at the Prime Minister after he said those who have worked from home during lockdown have had “enough days off”.

Boris Johnson made the controversial comments over the weekend during the Conservative Party’s Spring Conference.

When he was asked whether there should be a special Bank Holiday when the pandemic subsides, he said: “The general view is people have had quite a few days off, and it wouldn’t be a bad thing for people to see their way round to making a passing stab at getting back into the office."

Ms Rayner, Labour’s Deputy Leader, said: “This is typical of Boris Johnson's contempt for working people.

"The man is so out of touch.

“This is what he thinks of people who have been following the rules and working from home while balancing childcare, caring responsibilities and home-schooling.

“The elections on May 6 are a choice between the Labour Party, which will build a stronger, more secure and prosperous recovery for Britain out of the pandemic, or a Conservative Party that is cutting nurses’ pay, cutting spending on the NHS and raising taxes on families.

"The success of the vaccine rollout shows how brilliant our NHS is, in stark contrast to the outsourced £37 billion Serco test and trace system that failed to control infections and failed to prevent further lockdowns.

“A vote for Labour is a vote for our NHS and a pay rise for our nurses.

"A vote for the Conservatives is a vote for more cronyism, more incompetence and more cuts to local services.

“Boris Johnson has wasted the equivalent of free school meals for 5,900 children for a whole year or 104 nurses' salaries on his vanity project media room while cutting the pay of our nurses and claiming there was no money to feed hungry children during the school holidays.”

The Prime Minister’s comments came as experts advised the traditional five-day week model in the office would most likely be replaced with more flexible arrangements.

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Employment Rights and Protections Secretary, said Mr Johnson’s remarks could not be passed off as a joke and were deeply irresponsible.

He added: “Rather than promoting a return to office working as before, the government should be strengthening the right of employees to work from home when possible.”

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