PMQs: David Warburton asks PM about rural boosters access

However, the main talking point was a Christmas party reportedly held in Downing Street last December. 

On Monday, David Warburton MP, who represents Somerton and Frome, said he would ask the prime minister “how he intends urgently to improve access to vaccination centres in our rural areas”.

Mr Warburton added he intends to “meet with the secretary of state for health to get to the bottom of this and seek a quick remedy to ensure my constituents can get their boosters and stay protected this winter”.

Addressing Sir Lyndsay Hoyle and Mr Johnson at PMQs, Mr Warburton said: “Mr Speaker, I know we’ll all agree that our vaccination programme has been a tremendous success.

“Vaccinations are the frontline of defence against all variants of Covid and the booster jab is a vital component of this.

"But in rural areas like mine, our booster centres are often few and very far between, and two-thirds of housebound people – those perhaps most vulnerable, most susceptible, and most in need – haven’t yet received their booster.

“Can I ask my right honourable friend what steps the Government is taking to ensure more centres are available, particularly in rural areas, and would he ask the health secretary to meet me with some urgency to ensure my constituents can get their boosters and stay protected this winter?”

QUIZZED: Boris Johnson today praised "the heroes of the vaccine rollout" but was faced with questions about a reported Downing Street party while London was in tier three last year (Image: House of Commons, PA Wire)

The prime minister responded by saying the NHS is considering creating more pop-up vaccination clinics “where there’s a need”.

The prime minister said: “Amongst the heroes of the vaccine rollout are pharmacists up and down the country, and we have 1,500 community pharmacies vaccinating people near where they live.

“I know that the NHS are considering the need to support more pop-up clinics where there’s a need.

“I’m happy to arrange a meeting with him and the vaccines minister to discuss this further.”

According to Mr Warburton’s statement on Monday, “media reports indicate that more than 300,000 housebound Britons have yet to receive their Covid-19 booster and many elderly and vulnerable people are up to 10 weeks overdue for their third dose”.

He added: “I've been contacted by an increasing number of constituents in this position, unable to get a booster due to the lack of local vaccination centres and lack of boosters being administered to the housebound or those needing special care.

"Others in my constituency simply have little or no access to transport and the booster centres are often an enormous distance away and impossible for them to reach.”

Read more: David Warburton to quiz PM on 'insufficient access' to booster

Read more: Omicron variant: Two confirmed cases linked to Somerset private party

PMQs was today dominated by discussions about a party that reportedly took place in Downing Street on December 18 last year when London was under tier three Covid-19 restrictions.

Yesterday evening, ITV News published a leaked video of Allegra Stratton, a former spokesperson for the prime minister, discussing the alleged gathering in a mock briefing held on December 22 in the 9 Downing Street press room.

She and other members of Downing Steet staff appeared to make jokes about it, making references to “cheese and wine” and a lack of social distancing.

At the start of PMQs today, the prime minister said: “I understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing No 10 staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures, and I can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules.

“I was also furious to see that clip and, Mr Speaker, I apologise unreservedly for the offence it has caused up and down the country and the impression that it gives.

“I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and no Covid rules were broken.

“I have asked the Cabinet secretary to establish all the facts and to report back as soon as possible.

“If those rules were broken, there will be disciplinary action for all those involved.”

OPPOSITION: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the public feels "lied to" by Boris Johnson (Image: House of Commons, PA Wire)

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the prime minister’s statement “raises more questions than answers”.

He said: “Last week, I asked the prime minister, ‘Was there a Christmas party in Downing Street for dozens of people on December 18?’.

"The prime minister – the Government – spent the week telling the British public, ‘There was no party. All guidance was followed completely.

“Millions of people now think the prime minister was taking them for fools and that they were lied to. They’re right, aren’t they?”

The prime minister then repeated much of his initial statement and accused Labour of trying to “play politics with this issue”.

Discussing the Omicron variant, the prime minister said: “We now have in the Omicron variant a variant that is spreading much faster than any variant that we’ve seen before, and that is what we need to focus on.”

Sir Keir pointed out that no Government officials were made available for television media this morning to answer questions about Government action surrounding the Omicron variant.

BBC Breakfast host John Kay said this morning that “no one (from the Government) has been made available to speak to us”, while Good Morning Britain’s Adil Ray said: “We are still waiting for somebody from the Government to turn up today, aren’t we?”.