Alok Sharma has been tested for the new coronavirus. (AFP)
London:
British Indian secretary Alok Sharma was tested for the new coronavirus after feeling unwell in the shipping box in the House of Commons.
Sharma, 52, felt uncomfortable and sweaty during a debate on the business insolvency and governance bill in Parliament on Wednesday.
“Alok Sharma started to feel bad when the House gave second reading to the insolvency and corporate governance bill,” a spokesperson for the minister said.
“As directed, he has been tested for coronavirus and is going home to isolate himself,” said the spokesman.
The secretary for shadow affairs, Ed Miliband du Labor, was seen passing a glass of water before the minister when he seemed visibly ill.
If Mr. Sharma tests positive for coronavirus, anyone in his vicinity within two meters for more than 15 minutes should be isolated for two weeks in accordance with current British government guidelines.
As a senior cabinet member who has been a regular at all meetings, his illness will raise concerns about the impact a positive test would have on the upper echelon of government.
The minister was among hundreds of deputies seen standing in line for hours Tuesday to vote under the new social distance rules as Parliament returned to a physical environment after a hybrid version, which involved the remote presence of deputies via screens installed in the bedroom.
Mr. Sharma’s illness will rekindle concerns expressed by several MPs over the return of physical voting after digital voting has stopped.
While only a limited number of MPs are allowed to sit in the House of Commons at any given time, Commons chief Jacob Rees-Mogg had stipulated that all parliamentarians should return to the Palace of Westminster in central London.
He has suffered backlash from all sides of the House over the decision to abandon digital voting options, including from members with health concerns who cannot participate in the debate.
Lisa Nandy, Shadow Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Indian descent, was among those who expressed concern over Mr. Sharma’s illness.
“The government prevented MPs from working from home and asked us to return to a building where social distancing is impossible. MPs are returning home to all parts of the country this evening. Reckless is not even beginning to describe it. “
Many MPs had posted images of the long, meandering queue in the Parliament complex on social media on Tuesday as they lined up to vote while trying to maintain the two-meter distance required to prevent transmission. of the deadly virus.
A spokesman for the House of Commons said, “The priority of the House is to ensure that those on the estate are safe while business is facilitated.
“We have followed closely advice from PHE (Public Health England) on what to do following a suspected Covid case on site, including additional cleanup. Our risk assessment describes the measures we have already put in place to reduce the risk of transmission to Parliament. “
