Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

‘Either stupid or a liar’: Piers Morgan blasts UK business minister Sharma over 240,000 coronavirus tests claim

‘Either stupid or a liar’: Piers Morgan blasts UK business minister Sharma over 240,000 coronavirus tests claim

TV presenter Piers Morgan has accused UK Business Minister Alok Sharma of telling “a bare-faced lie” after claiming 240,000 people were tested for Covid-19 on Monday. The government is currently not providing “people tested” data.

Morgan, who co-hosts ITV’s ‘Good Morning Britain’ show, hit out at Sharma on Wednesday, after the secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy made the “240,000” claim on the BBC’s ‘Breakfast’ program earlier that morning.

Morgan has been a brutal critic of the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis. That had seemingly provoked an unofficial refusal from ministers to appear on his show. On Tuesday, clearly exasperated, he tried to prevent co-host Susanna Reid from reading out a government statement about student nurses, because of the MPs’ continued boycott.


Morgan’s tirade continued, with the presenter insisting the testing figures released by UK officials were “bogus,” and did not refer to the number of people actually tested. Referring to Sharma, he added, “He’s either stupid or a liar. Which is it?”

Official figures published on Tuesday by the Department of Health and Social Care showed that a total of 237,142 tests had been carried out as of 9am, June 23. However, no data on the number of people tested, either daily or cumulative, was given. Morgan’s bone of contention arises from Sharma’s reference to “tests carried out” – such data might include multiple tests being carried out on one person, which would not yield the same results as data relating to “people tested.”

The UK government explained earlier this month that reports of the number of people being tested have been “temporarily paused to ensure consistent reporting” across all methods of testing. The issue centers on “a small percentage of cases where the same person has had more than one positive test result for Covid-19.”

Morgan was infuriated by the “absurd discrepancy between people tested and number of tests,” insisting it was crucial to get accurate figures if the UK is to successfully emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.

The UK government has endured criticism about its Covid-19 testing program since the start of the outbreak. Many have accused PM Boris Johnson’s administration of not providing transparent data, including counting mailed-out tests as “tests completed.” Critics have also hit out at the apparent lack of testing being made available to care-home residents and staff.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×