TV

Owen Jones in heated row over Beverley Turner's Covid comparison 'Apartheid was murderous'


Owen Jones and Beverly Turner clashed on Jeremy Vine on 5 as the pair looked at countries across the world that were introducing new restrictions for unvaccinated people as coronavirus cases surge. Ms Turner commented on the lockdown situation in Austria and compared it to apartheid and was furious people’s rights were being taken from them. But Mr Jones quickly interjected and laid out his position where he disliked the lockdown of unvaccinated people and Ms Turner’s comparison their restrictions were comparable to apartheid during a tense clash.

Speaking on Jeremy Vine on 5, Ms Turner and Mr Jones debated vaccinations and the choice to have them.

Ms Turner, who stressed she was not anti-vaxx, wanted people to have the freedom to make the decision to get the jab but did not want everyone to turn their backs on it.

The panel then looked internationally as Austria introduced a lockdown for unvaccinated people who will be told to stay at home.

The presenter compared the situation to apartheid where society would be made up of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who would have different rights.

Mr Jones was angry at the comparison and said: “I don’t support a lockdown for unvaccinated people. 

“I think as someone who strongly supports vaccination, people who oppose vaccinations often have a conspiratorial mindset and this will only reinforce that.

“I don’t agree with the precedent of blocking civil liberties for people based on their decisions when it comes to healthcare.

“But come on Bev, using words like apartheid, I get frustrated when I hear this because apartheid was a murderous dictatorship which deprived black people of their basic rights and killed them en masse.

“We can have a sensible conversation, as someone who actually opposes a lockdown for unvaccinated people without belittling the crime of apartheid.”

Ms Turner bit back and said: “When one group of people feel superior to another, based on no scientific evidence whatsoever, that’s a division and that’s discrimination.”

The panellist added she and Mr Jones agree a lot more than he realised and said she was for “freedom of choice” rather than being anti-vaccination.

Ms Turner challenged the science and was not convinced the vaccine completely stopped transmission.

She said the conversation would be very different if vaccines unequivocally 100 percent halted transmission

The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) advised over 40s should be offered a third COVID-19 booster shot to curb any rise in infections.

A third shot would cut the risk of infection by 93 percent, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Around 12.6 million people have been given booster shots with most of them going to those over 50, health staff and those with health conditions.

The JCVI also called for 16 and 17-year-olds to now go for a second jab if they already received their first.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation also said 16 and 17-year-olds, who were initially offered only a single dose, should now get a second.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, said: “If the booster programme is successful and we have very high uptake, we can massively reduce worry about hospitalisation and death this Christmas and this winter for millions of people.

“It is as simple and decisive as that.”

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned there were “storm clouds on the horizon” as Europe sees a surge in coronavirus cases as they head into the winter.

DON’T MISS:
Macron hits out after Britons made it clear ‘they don’t need France’ [REVEALED]
Joe Biden health: President ‘deteriorating fast’ – staff hide him away [UPDATE]
Meddling EU hands Spain pensions reform ultimatum to receive funds [INSIGHT]

Germany has seen cases rise to 50,000 a day as leaders struggle to agree on lockdown measures.

The latest government data shows UK cases have hit 36,517 infections a day with 63 deaths recorded on November 14.

Nearly 88 percent of the country have received their first dose with 80 percent being doubled jabbed.

Data also suggests 22 percent of the population have been given their booster jab. 





READ SOURCE

Leave a Reply

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.