CAROLINE Lucas has called on Matt Hancock to apologise after he denied there was ever a national shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes after the High Court ruled that the government unlawfully failed to publish details of billions of pounds worth of contracts related to coronavirus.

The Green Party MP for Brighton, Pavilion, said an apology was owed to those working on the front line who “were not protected” at times.

She said: “Does he understand why that is so insulting to the doctors who were forced to wear bin bags in the absence of gowns and to the nurses who were wearing goggles from Screwfix?”

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Health minister Edward Argar reiterated that the National Audit Office (NAO) found the country “did not run out of PPE nationally" although he admitted there were “significant challenges” in some hospitals.

He added: “The NAO report was absolutely clear that there was no evidence of any inappropriate behaviour and indeed, no court has found this.”

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Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves accused ministers of thinking they are “above the law”.

She said: “A stain has emerged with this government’s response to the crisis. There has been an unedifying gold rush of chums and of chancers.”

While Hannah Bardell, the SNP MP for Livingston, said Mr Hancock “must resign”.