Theresa May: Those in government must serve the public and not ‘protect themselves’
Reacting to the publication of the long-awaited report into the infected blood scandal on Monday, Theresa May spoke of the “abject failure of the British state”.
The former prime minister added that, in the wake of the report, politicians and civil servants working in government must recognise that their job is “to serve the public and not to protect themselves”.
She asked of the prime minister: “As we rightly today remember all the victims of this terrible tragedy will my right honourable friend commit himself unashamedly to working to ensure that all those in government – politicians and civil servants – recognise that their job is to serve the public and not to protect themselves?”
Rishi Sunak responded by recognising it was May, as prime minister, who set up the inquiry into the infected blood scandal.
He said: “There is no doubt, as she recognises, that the inquiry came too late, the compensation came too late, was woefully insufficient, and the consequences of that failure are stark”.
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