Derbyshire Tory MP Pauline Latham sorry for telling concerned resident to ‘get a life’ amid coronavirus crisis

Over the weekend, Twitter user @ML1Hughes asked Mid-Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham if she thought £94 a week statutory sick pay was enough to live on, adding: “How could you manage on it?”

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Mrs Latham replied: “Get a life.”

Many Twitter users criticised Mrs Latham’s response.

@muddydwarf said: “You are an MP. You are meant to lead here. What a disgusting attitude to hold.”

@steve_bamlett said: “I have reported the severe disrespect of this MP. She is not fit to hold public office.”

@syrettpie added: “Any wonder why trust and respect in MPs is at an all-time low?”

Mrs Latham – who has represented Mid-Derbyshire since 2010 – said today: “I must apologise for the tweet to a benefits claimant at the weekend.

“At the time, I was in Spain in a state of distress after just visiting my brother who is suffering from acute dementia.

“Very sadly, we could not bring him home to the UK because of coronavirus.

“At this time of great stress, I received a tweet from what I perceived was a keyboard warrior and it pushed me over the edge.

“I’m very sorry I reacted so hastily.”

The Government has announced statutory sick pay ‘will now be available for eligible individuals diagnosed with Covid-19 or those unable to work because they are self-isolating in line with Government advice’.

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