Michael Gove’s wife accused of ‘ignorant’ and ‘callous’ comments on latest coronavirus outbreaks

Cabinet minister Michael Gove with his wife Sarah Vine; Jack Taylor/Getty Images - Credit: Getty Images

Michael Gove’s wife has been accused of making ‘ignorant’ and ‘callous’ comments over the recent outbreak of the coronavirus.

Sarah Vine, a UK columnist and former tabloid writer, has been slammed on Twitter for suggesting the government should dump its lockdown strategy.

The cabinet minister’s wife tweeted on Sunday: ‘We all have to die sooner or later. If I get Covid and cop it, so be it. My time has come. I’ll have had a good life, better than most in this world at any rate. I certainly don’t expect the entire nation to bankrupt itself to save my sorry ass.’

https://twitter.com/WestminsterWAG/status/1289895372676947968

The comment came only days after the UK’s Covid-19 death toll surpassed 46,000 and regional outbreaks of the virus across the North West saw a string of new lockdowns imposed.

Vine was blasted on Twitter for her remarks.

https://twitter.com/RealMarjo/status/1290087610266734593

‘I’ve had some pretty bad experiences in my life,’ Ellen Rose wrote, ‘and lived over 20 years less than you. I’d also like lots of other people not to die, not just because I understand what an effect that would have on people who love them and the economy, but also because I’m not a total ghoul.’

Nicky Clark said: ‘I think it’s fine if Sarah Vine wants to be nihilistic on her own time but just like I don’t get pissed up & drive without a seat belt & without insurance at 90 miles an hour past a school at 3.30pm, chain smoking in a car full of unrestrained toddlers, it’s not just about me.’

https://twitter.com/Exqu1siteCorpse/status/1289988475479941121

@Exqu1siteCorpse echoed those sentiments: ‘I’m a 32 year old woman with COVID pneumonia. It absolutely matters if I die. I have a 9 year old who depends on me. Your tweet is ignorant and disgusting.’

The Guardian columnist Owen Jones weighed in, posting: ‘1 in every 1,000 Britons died in the pandemic in the space of three months. These are the utterances of a death cult.’

https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1290025242375499777

Vine replied, writing ‘sigh’.

‘Some people seem to have taken this the wrong way,’ she said. ‘All I was trying to say is that I that not everything in life can be controlled. We can only do our best.’

https://twitter.com/elfbatross/status/1289916810599395329

She added: ‘Genuinely, what is the point of Twitter if you can’t have an honest and open discussion about anything without people descending into hysterics?

But some couldn’t help but make light of the situation. @RussinChesire joked: ‘Imagine how much money we could save if everyone was dead!’

Elfie added: ‘Just so we’re clear, this is Sarah Vine’s ‘do not resuscitate’ tweet.’