The leader of Britain’s main opposition Labour party has been forced to self-isolate after one of his staff members tested positive for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
On Saturday afternoon, Keir Starmer said on Twitter that he had been advised to self-isolate after someone who worked in his office tested positive for the virus.
“I’m pleased to say my colleague is feeling ok,” he said.
Starmer said he himself was not showing any symptoms, but would start working from home.
This is the second time Starmer has been forced into self-isolation.
On Sept. 14, the Labour party said Starmer was self-isolating after one of his family members showed “possible symptoms” of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.
But he came out of self-isolation just two days later after the family member with the symptoms tested negative.
“I’m very pleased and relieved that the test result for one of my children came back negative this morning,” Starmer wrote on Twitter on Sept. 16.
“Thank you to the NHS hospital where my wife works for ensuring that their staff and family members have quick access to a test,” he said.
Last month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also forced to self-isolate after attending a 35-minute meeting on Nov. 12 that was also attended by Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, who later tested positive for the CCP virus.
Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson claps outside 11 Downing Street to salute local heroes during the nationwide Clap for Carers initiative to applaud workers fighting the pandemic, in London, on April 2, 2020. Pippa Fowles/10 Downing Street via AP
In a video posted on Twitter on Nov. 16, Johnson said he felt “great,” was “fit as a butcher’s dog” and “bursting with antibodies,” but would “follow the rules” and self-isolate for 14 days.
Johnson later tested negative for the virus, but finished the two-week self-isolation according to government guidance.
This was Johnson’s second brush with the virus. The first was in March when he did develop symptoms and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab temporarily took over the prime minister’s responsibilities. After initially continuing to work, Johnson was ultimately admitted to intensive care in April for three days and given oxygen, but not ventilated.
