WATCH: PM refuses to apologise for care home comments

Boris Johnson refused to apologise for his comments earlier this week on care homes at Prime Minister’s Questions today, after he was criticised for saying they “didn’t follow procedures”.

Quoting the Prime Minister on his remarks made 48 hours ago and noting that his views “caused huge offence”, Keir Starmer asked Johnson to apologise to care workers.

“The last thing I wanted to do is to blame care workers for what has happened or for any of them to think that I was blaming them, because they work hard,” Johnson replied.

He added: “When it comes to taking blame, I take full responsibility for what has happened.” He said that guidance was changed for care homes because they were not aware of asymptomatic transmission at first.

The Labour leader hit back: “That’s not an apology. It just won’t wash. The Prime Minister said, his words, ‘too many care homes didn’t follow procedures in the way they should have’.

“It was clear what he was saying. And the Prime Minister must understand just how raw this is for many people on the frontline and for those who’ve lost loved ones.”

Will the PM apologise for his care home comments? asks Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer

“The last thing I wanted to do is to blame care workers… when it comes to taking blame, I take full responsibility for what has happened,” says Boris Johnson#PMQs https://t.co/Qg6SQjfGU0 pic.twitter.com/IrhdFHAHP9

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) July 8, 2020