Sammy Wilson accuses NI Executive of ignoring economy throughout Covid-19 pandemic

East Antrim DUP MP Sammy Wilson has launched scathing criticism of the way in which the Northern Ireland Executive has responded to the spread of Covid-19.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Mr Wilson made the comments when he appeared on BBC Radio Ulster programme Good Morning Ulster on Tuesday morning.

The MP appeared on the programme to discuss the suggestion the NI Executive might provide indicative dates for when non-essential retail and other close contact services can reopen again when it meets on Thursday.

“I want to see a move away from this one dimensional approach which there has been so far where only the medical matters have been considered.

DUP MP, Sammy Wilson.DUP MP, Sammy Wilson.
DUP MP, Sammy Wilson.

“People do need to be able to run their businesses, people need some social freedoms and for far, far too long we have been driven by only the medical opinions.

“I hope when the Executive meets this week is look at the country as a whole and what needs to be done to get the businesses back up and running.”

When challenged on his representation of the NI Executive’s Covid-19 response, Mr Wilson refused to concede any ground.

“Children being scared witless, thinking that when they go back to school they are going to die.

“People are still afraid to go outside because terror was almost imbibed in them to keep them in line - that’s done immense damage.”

Mr Wilson also accused the Executive of “sometimes closing down hospitals unnecessarily” and said he believed some of the actions taken by health chiefs to provide care for patients with Covid-19 came at the expense of people with other non-Covid conditions like cancer.

The NI Executive is due to meet on Thursday where it is believed they could announce Monday, April 26, 2021 as the date when non-essential retail and close contact services like hairdressers, beauty salons and barbers can reopen.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of our sister paper, the News Letter.