Labour MP self-isolates after contact with Nadine Dorries

Labour’s Rachael Maskell has revealed that she is self-isolating after having come into contact with junior health minister Nadine Dorries.

The MP for York Central announced that she would be isolating this morning, after learning that Dorries has been diagnosed with coronavirus, or COVID-19, last night.

Maskell had a meeting with Dorries in her constituency last week, and has been advised to self-isolate by health professionals after she phoned 111.

She told BBC News this morning: “I’m absolutely fine in myself but it’s really important we follow the advice the experts are giving us.”

It was revealed last night that the minister for health and social care, Dorries, was infected. She is the first MP to be diagnosed with the virus.

It has also been revealed that Dorries attended a reception with the Prime Minister last Thursday, and Maskell has urged Boris Johnson to phone 111.

Speaking to Sky News today, she said: “There’s nothing special about him, he’s another person and like any of us, he could spread this virus.”

LabourList understands that Johnson is not being tested as he has no symptoms, and that he was not in close contact with Dorries despite her attending the reception at No. 10.

Labour MP Lilian Greenwood chose to self-isolate last month after attending a conference where a participant was later diagnosed COVID-19.

Her Labour colleague Alex Sobel also made the decision to quarantine himself and cancel all engagements after he went to the same conference.

There had been discussions about closing parliament, particularly as MPs travelling to and from their constituencies might be very effective ‘super-spreaders’.

However, despite the junior minister testing positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson said that there were “no plans to suspend parliament”.

When in session, it is estimated that between 4,000 and 5,000 people work on the parliamentary estate in central London each day.