CAROLINE Lucas has hit out at rumoured government plans to scale back Covid-19 testing.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to axe free lateral flow tests amid concerns over costs, according to the Sunday Times.
Under the rumoured new proposals, free tests will be limited to high-risk settings such as care homes, hospitals and schools.
Caroline Lucas took to social media to share her dismay at the idea.
The Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion said: “Had to double check this was serious. What on earth is this government thinking?
“Bad enough not to pay people properly to self-isolate - but this? Do they not want to stop the spread of this disease?”
The free rapid tests were first made available to everyone in England - including those without symptoms - last April.
More than £6 billion of public money has been spent on mass testing lateral flow kits to date.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also warned Mr Johnson that scrapping the free tests would be “utterly wrongheaded”.
Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “Hard to imagine much that would be less helpful to trying to ‘live with’ Covid.”
It comes as the UK reported a further 146,390 new cases and 313 deaths on Sunday.
The UK is the seventh country to pass 150,000 reported deaths, after the US, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru.
Caroline Lucas previously voted against the introduction of some of the government’s Plan B Covid-19 rules, amid a huge Tory rebellion.
She was one of 126 MPs that voted against the government’s plan.
However, parliament passed the Plan B Covid-19 rules, which involved regulations on face masks, isolation rules, Covid passes and compulsory vaccinations for healthcare workers.
A total of 99 Conservative MPs voted against the government, but the measure was passed by a majority of 243 largely down to Labour support.
After the vote, MP Caroline Lucas took to social media to explain her decision to vote against the new regulations.
“Vote on mandatory Covid passes won 369 to 126 but big Tory rebellion. Not v. comfortable sharing voting lobby with rebels, but my reasons for voting against mandatory passes are clear,” she said.
“They undermine trust and risk entrenching opposition. Vax should be done with community not to it.”
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