Boris Johnson 'not fit to be PM' if he said 'let bodies pile high', says woman who lost three relatives to COVID
Debbie Mountjoy's mother Gladys Lewis and brothers Dean and Darren Lewis all died from the virus within five days last year.
Tuesday 27 April 2021 15:59, UK
A woman who lost three family members to COVID has said Boris Johnson is "not fit to be prime minister" if he did say he would rather see "bodies pile high in their thousands" than have another lockdown.
Debbie Mountjoy's mother Gladys Lewis and brothers Dean and Darren Lewis all died from the virus within five days last year.
She told Sky News that Mr Johnson's alleged remarks were "heart-breaking" and called for him to resign if it is proven he made them.
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The PM has denied reports that he said in October: "No more ****ing lockdowns - let the bodies pile high in their thousands!"
Mrs Mountjoy, from Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, told Sky News: "I don't think Boris would have said that if he'd have gone through what we've been through.
"It's hard enough losing one - to lose three and then see something like that is truly heart-breaking.
"If he can say something like that, he's not fit to be a prime minister in my eyes.
"An apology would be a start but to be honest I think he should resign if he did say it."
Mrs Mountjoy, who caught COVID herself last year, said she is "terrified" about losing another family member to the virus if there is another wave.
Her father David Lewis, who is mourning the loss of his wife and two sons, also contracted the virus but overcame the illness.
Mrs Mountjoy said: "My dad is the strongest man I know. He gets up every morning and gets on with things but you can just see the heartbreak in him.
"It's hard enough for me losing my mother and two brothers. He lost his wife and two sons. It doesn't bear thinking about.
"I'm absolutely terrified still now, even though I've had my two jabs. My wife's had her two jabs and my father's had his two. My daughter's had one, she's waiting for her second.
"I'm still terrified that it's going to come back around and I'm going to lose more.
"I've got that fear of loss every single day, that I'm going to lose someone I love."
During a visit to Wrexham on Monday, Mr Johnson was asked if he had ever made the alleged remarks which were first reported by the Daily Mail newspaper.
He replied: "No.
"The important thing I think people want us to get on and do as a government is to make sure that the lockdowns work and they have.
"I really pay tribute to the people of this country, this whole country of ours, that have really pulled together and - working with the vaccination programme - we've got the disease under control."