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Coronavirus: Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick defends visiting elderly parents during lockdown – Sky News, Sky.com

Coronavirus: Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick defends visiting elderly parents during lockdown – Sky News, Sky.com
                                                     

A government minister has defended himself after it was revealed he visited his elderly parents miles away during the coronavirus lockdown.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick explained that he was delivering medicine and other essential items to them as they are self-isolating at home due to the outbreak of COVID – , the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Mr Jenrick, who has spoken at the daily Downing Street news conference to reinforce the “stay at home” message , added that he had respected the government social distancing guidelines.

    

                       Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab holds the Covid-19 Digital Press Conference with Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty in 10 Downing Street                         

                                                           Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab holds the Covid-19 Digital Press Conference with Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty in 10 Downing Street

                                                                                                
‘Please stay home this bank holiday weekend’                 

Government guidelines say you should not visit anyone who lives outside your home, including elderly relatives, but you are allowed to “leave your house to help them, for example by dropping shopping or medication at their door”

Mr Jenrick’s visit was revealed by The Guardian, which quotes a witness as saying they saw the minister visiting his parents’ Shropshire house at the weekend.

Responding to the report, Mr Jenrick wrote on Twitter: “For clarity – my parents asked me to deliver some essentials – including medicines.

“They are both self-isolating due to age and my father’s medical condition and I respected social distancing rules.”

He included a link to The Guardian’s story in his tweet.

The head of Public Health England has said Mr Jenrick appeared to act “within the guidelines”.

    

                       Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab holds the Covid-19 Digital Press Conference with Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty in 10 Downing Street                         

                                                           Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab holds the Covid-19 Digital Press Conference with Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty in 10 Downing Street

                                                                                                
Inside one of London’s worst-hit hospitals                 

“I can’t comment on Mr Jenrick, it sounds as if what he did was within one of the four guidelines to me, but others will obviously have to think about that more,” Paul Cosford told BBC Radio 4’s Today program.

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds also told the BBC it was “very important for public confidence” that Mr Jenrick explained himself, but said if he had delivered medicine to his parents , “clearly … it fits within the four exceptions”.

The Daily Mail has also reported that Mr Jenrick traveled from his London residence to a “second home” in Herefordshire.

   Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab holds the Covid-19 Digital Press Conference with Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty in 10 Downing Street        Image:          Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick’s London house       

Mr Jenrick said he considers the property to be his “family home”, adding that him and his family traveling there “before any restrictions on travel were announced”.

” I have been working in London on ministerial duties, putting in place the system to shield the group most vulnerable to coronavirus and organizing the response at a local level, “he said.

” Once I was able to work from home it was right that I went home to do so and be with my wife and also help care for my three young children. “

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, Spreaker . Mr Jenrick said he would be remaining at the family home until government advice changes or he is needed at Westminster.

At the weekend, Scotland’s chief medical officer resigned after it emerged she had visited her holiday home twice during the lockdown.

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