COVID-19: Boris Johnson denies saying he would rather see ‘bodies pile up’ than have another lockdown | Political news

Boris Johnson has denied saying he would rather see “bodies piling up in the thousands” than having another COVID lockdown.

The Prime Minister has refuted newspaper claims that he made the comments to his colleagues in October, just before England’s second national lockdown.

The Daily Mail reported on Monday that Mr Johnson said in a meeting at Number 10 at the time: “No more lockdowns – bodies piled in by the thousands!”

But, when asked whether he had already made the remarks during a visit to Wrexham on Monday at noon, the Prime Minister replied: “No.

“The important thing, I think people want us to get along and do as a government, is to make sure the lockdowns work and they do.

“I really pay tribute to the people of this country, of all this country of ours, who have really stepped up and – working with the immunization program – we are bringing the disease under control.

“The number of deaths, the number of hospitalizations, are currently very low.

“That doesn’t mean we’ve totally licked it, that doesn’t mean COVID is over.

“We have to be realistic about this. Unfortunately, there will likely be another wave of the disease.

“But I think the vaccination program has now been so massive – 33.6 million people vaccinated, the 44 year old now getting vaccinated, 95% of people over 50 have already offered a vaccine.

“We have built what I think are pretty strong fortifications against the next wave.

“We’ll have to see how strong they really are in due course.

“But in the meantime, everyone should come forward and get the shot when asked.”

The Daily Mail reported that Mr Johnson’s alleged comments were made in late October as the UK was hit with a second wave of coronavirus infections.

According to the newspaper, the prime minister was warned by Cabinet Minister Michael Gove that – without further restrictions – soldiers would be needed to guard …