A Tory minister has said she recognises the “absolute horror” people are facing as she revealed her father passed away with Covid this week.
Prisons Minister Lucy Frazer revealed her own recent loss during an interview with ITV's Good Morning Britain.
She was asked about the UK's high death rate - which this week passed 100,000 - when she revealed her own personal tragedy.
Ms Frazer said: “I understand the tragedies that people have suffered as a result of this pandemic.
“I too lost my father this week and I recognise the absolute horror of people who are suffering across the country.
“The Government has at every stage taken steps to protect this country from the virus.”
Asked for more detail, Ms Frazer added: “I wasn’t coming on to speak about my personal loss.
“I understand how tragic it is for everybody else. My father didn’t die of covid but he died with covid and so I understand the tragedy.”
Earlier this weekVaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi revealed his uncle died with Covid just before he could get the jab.
Describing the situation as “grim and horrible”, Mr Zahawi insisted “our way out of this is the vaccination programme.”
“It makes me angry, but it makes me determined to make sure we vaccinate the most vulnerable people in our country and protect them as quickly as possible and then protect the whole nation,” he added.
Adopting a softer tone than usual, host Piers Morgan then asked: 'We're so sorry to hear that about your uncle. Can I just ask, did he have a vaccine? Was he entitled to one?”
Mr Zahawi replied: "He was entitled to one but sadly he got Covid before he got the vaccine. But obviously you have to wait 28 days for someone to recover before you can vaccinate them and he didn't make it."
