Family demands meeting with Boris Johnson over Covid-19 deaths

Tony Brown, 65, died of Covid-19 in Colchester Hospital on March 29.

His son, Jamie, has had a video message projected on to the Palace of Westminster.

Organised by campaign groups Led by Donkeys and Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, the relatives featured in the videos urged Boris Johnson to stop “ignoring” them.

Mr Brown’s message said: “You said you’d meet with us and then went back on your promise.

“So now you are ignoring us, we decided to bring our message to the Houses of Parliament.”

The campaigners are calling for a statutory public inquiry into the Government’s response during the first wave of the virus.

Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, which represents 1,450 families, said in August that it had written to Mr Johnson three times and asked to meet and share their experiences.

However, it was told the Government could not meet the families due to the “current pandemic”.

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It comes as the infection rate in Colchester continues to fall.

The latest statistics, gathered from tests carried out in laboratories and the community, show 181 Covid-19 cases were recorded in Colchester and 92 in Tendring in the seven days to November 14.

Compared to the number of positive results returned in the week prior, of which there were 194 and 92 cases respectively, the new figures mark a welcome decrease.

The rate of infection, which is measured per 100,000 people, has also dropped from 99.6 to 93 in Colchester, and remains at 62.8 in Tendring.

Hull continues to have the highest rate in England, with 1,952 new cases recorded, the equivalent of 751.4 cases per 100,000 people.

Swale in Kent has the second highest rate, up sharply from 304.5 to 618.3, with 928 new cases.