‘Don’t let Downing Street drama distract from public health message’, urges Northern Ireland First Minister Paul Givan

First Minister Paul Givan and deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill both expressed concern that the furore was undermining efforts to secure compliance with coronavirus restrictions during a visit to a health centre in Lisburn.

Mr Givan said: “I think it has done damage and what I would say to people is ‘look beyond the political drama of what’s going on at Downing Street’.

“Because the evidence that we’re hearing from the scientific experts in and of itself tells us that we need to be having a prepared state in terms of what we need to consider, and so the public shouldn’t be distracted by what has happened with the Prime Minister and what’s going on at Downing Street, continue to listen to the good advice that’s coming from our health professionals, our scientific experts and cut through the noise that’s being generated from Downing Street.

“But, undoubtedly, that is an unhelpful distraction. It does undermine people’s credibility whenever you’re asking people to follow rules whenever there’s clearly concern for the way in which things have been done at Downing Street.”

Asked whether the Downing Street Christmas party controversy had damaged the public health messaging, Ms O’Neill said: “There’s no doubt that it undermines the public health message but what we’re focused on here today is just to drive home that message that what we have in place here is enough if two things happen – if we have strong enforcement and if the public adhere.”