Lord Alan Sugar has sparked backlash after saying the UK should lift the lockdown because nobody he knows has died.
The Apprentice star, who has spent lockdown in Florida with his wife, made his comments on The Jeremy Vine Show on Thursday.
Lord Sugar said he thinks Prime Minister Boris Johnson is being “too cautious” about lifting restrictions.
Read more: Lord Sugar accuses Piers Morgan of exploiting the coronavirus pandemic for his own gain
What did he say?
The TV star said: “Look, I’m not a doctor and I don’t want to be giving medical advice and all that stuff.
“The only thing I can say is that I have been here in Florida for six months and so I have lived through the crisis.
“The shortage of ventilators, the no masks available, the no body wear available, the hospital beds being full up, blah blah blah.”
He continued: “I have now seen the transition of restaurants opening, tennis courts for example opening, golf clubs opening, restaurants opening 50% capacity.
“Shops have been open all of the time, quite honestly and this has been going on now for six weeks.
Who’s dead? I’m not. I’m still alive. My wife, thank God, is still alive.
“So I just logically say, well hold on, six weeks, we’ve come out of this so-called lockdown.
“Who’s dead? I’m not. I’m still alive. My wife, thank God, is still alive.
“So’s everybody else I know. No one else has caught anything.”
He added: “So, I suppose it is a bit of a clue there that says that maybe we have reached a peak.
“And maybe it’s time for us to follow the example of America, or indeed France that have opened up or indeed Spain.
“I think Prime Minister Johnson unfortunately had a problem himself and I think he’s being a little bit too cautious if you ask me, just slightly.”
"Who's dead? I'm not. I'm still alive. So's everybody else I know."
Lord Alan Sugar tells us why he thinks it's safe for the UK to follow the US's lead in coming out of lockdown.@Lord_Sugar | @TheJeremyVine | #JeremyVine pic.twitter.com/ekAD5QBhJN
— Jeremy Vine On 5 (@JeremyVineOn5) June 18, 2020
Read more: Lord Alan Sugar mocks Piers Morgan return to GMB: ‘He must be on drugs’
Many viewers watching weren’t impressed with Lord Sugar’s remarks.
What did they say?
One person said on Twitter: “42,288 people have now sadly died in the UK due to coronavirus, but hey, at least Alan Sugar is fit and well.”
Another said: “Apparently it doesn’t matter if we have over 60,000 excess deaths due to Coronavirus because Alan Sugar doesn’t know any of them.
“So that’s all right then.”
https://twitter.com/fifigabor04/status/1273624218584973314
Apparently it doesn't matter if we have over 60,000 excess deaths due to Coronavirus because Alan Sugar doesn't know any of them.
So that's all right then. https://t.co/r3dk9Lvkar
— Phil Harrison (@OldGitPhil) June 18, 2020
A third added: “Alan Sugar talks sense half of the time, but then says things completely stupid in the other half. Just because he isn’t dead it doesn’t mean others aren’t!”
Alan Sugar talks sense half of the time, but then says things completely stupid in the other half. Just because he isn't dead it doesn't mean others aren't! US has largest amounts of COVID cases in the world, it isn't over there or in the UK.
— Jamie (@jamieopinion) June 18, 2020
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