London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 25, 2025

‘Either stupid or a liar’: Piers Morgan blasts UK business minister Sharma over 240,000 coronavirus tests claim

‘Either stupid or a liar’: Piers Morgan blasts UK business minister Sharma over 240,000 coronavirus tests claim

TV presenter Piers Morgan has accused UK Business Minister Alok Sharma of telling “a bare-faced lie” after claiming 240,000 people were tested for Covid-19 on Monday. The government is currently not providing “people tested” data.

Morgan, who co-hosts ITV’s ‘Good Morning Britain’ show, hit out at Sharma on Wednesday, after the secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy made the “240,000” claim on the BBC’s ‘Breakfast’ program earlier that morning.

Morgan has been a brutal critic of the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis. That had seemingly provoked an unofficial refusal from ministers to appear on his show. On Tuesday, clearly exasperated, he tried to prevent co-host Susanna Reid from reading out a government statement about student nurses, because of the MPs’ continued boycott.


Morgan’s tirade continued, with the presenter insisting the testing figures released by UK officials were “bogus,” and did not refer to the number of people actually tested. Referring to Sharma, he added, “He’s either stupid or a liar. Which is it?”

Official figures published on Tuesday by the Department of Health and Social Care showed that a total of 237,142 tests had been carried out as of 9am, June 23. However, no data on the number of people tested, either daily or cumulative, was given. Morgan’s bone of contention arises from Sharma’s reference to “tests carried out” – such data might include multiple tests being carried out on one person, which would not yield the same results as data relating to “people tested.”

The UK government explained earlier this month that reports of the number of people being tested have been “temporarily paused to ensure consistent reporting” across all methods of testing. The issue centers on “a small percentage of cases where the same person has had more than one positive test result for Covid-19.”

Morgan was infuriated by the “absurd discrepancy between people tested and number of tests,” insisting it was crucial to get accurate figures if the UK is to successfully emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.

The UK government has endured criticism about its Covid-19 testing program since the start of the outbreak. Many have accused PM Boris Johnson’s administration of not providing transparent data, including counting mailed-out tests as “tests completed.” Critics have also hit out at the apparent lack of testing being made available to care-home residents and staff.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
×