Piers Morgan rips into Health Minister Helen Whately for laughing

Morgan had repeatedly asked the Minister for a straight answer on how many people had died in care homes.

Piers Morgan has heavily criticised Health Minister, Helen Whately, after she appeared to laugh while trying to defend the government’s record on coronavirus-related deaths in care homes.

In an excruciating exchange, the Good Morning Britain host held up a copy of The Daily Mail and asked Ms Whately if the paper’s report that more than 4,000 people have died in care homes were true.

The official figure stands at just 217 care home deaths - thought experts suggest this is a significant under-estimate.

Piers Morgan accused Helen Whately of laughing. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Ms Whately, who appeared via videolink said: “We have been working incredibly hard -” but was interrupted by Morgan.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but it’s not a question about how hard you’re working. I assume you’re working hard. You’re Care Minister, it’s your job to work hard.

“What I want to know is, is it true that 4,000 people have died in care homes? Yes or no,” Morgan asked.

“I wasn’t actually talking about me personally,” Ms Whately responded, “I was talking about people across the whole health and social care, across local authorities -”

“I assume you’re doing all that,” Morgan said, “but is it true that 4,000 people have died in care homes?”

Ms Whately answered: “Well I’m glad you appreciate that we are doing that, I think it’s really really important to take the steps that we have-”

The GMB host interrupted again, saying: “What I think is really important is that you just answer straight questions.”

Ms Whately appeared to smirk, prompting Morgan to ask: “Why are you laughing? What do you find funny about this?”

“I don’t find this funny in the slightest,” Ms Whately replied.

“Well why are you laughing then?”

“I’m not laughing at all,” Ms Whately said.

Visibly angered, Morgan held up the paper again and said: “I literally just asked you, is it true that 4,000 elderly people have died in hospitals (sic), and all you can do is laugh. What’s the matter with you?”

In a later exchange, the host asked the Minister if she knew how many frontline health workers had died from coronavirus.

“You’re focus on figures slightly belies the fact that we’re talking about individual people’s lives here,” Ms Whately replied, adding that the “latest figure we have for NHS workers” is 19 deaths.

“That’s complete nonsense,” Mr Morgan replied, “The Mirror had [a figure of] 38 yesterday.”

Referring to care worker deaths, Ms Whately said “I’ll be straight with you, we don’t have a figure for that.”