BUSINESSMAN Alan Sugar has sparked anger after suggesting lockdown in the UK should be lifted because “he’s not dead.”
Voicing his thoughts on the coronavirus pandemic to Jeremy Vine, the multi millionaire implied Boris Johnson was being “too cautious” over lockdown restrictions.
During the interview, the 73-year-old also claimed that no-one he knew had caught the virus, leading him to believe that the worst of the crisis was over.
The Apprentice boss also suggested that the UK should follow in the footsteps of the United States and France and reopen businesses.
He said: “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 has caught anything.
“So, I suppose it is a bit of a clue there that says maybe we have reached a peak. And maybe it’s stime for us to follow in 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 too cautious if you ask me, just slightly.”
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 has caught anything.
Lord Alan Sugar
Sugar, who has been living in Florida during the outbreak, 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 I’ve been here in Florida for six months and so I have lived through the cirisis, the shortage of ventilators, the no masks available, the no body wear available, the hospital beds being full up, blah blah blah.
He continued: “And I have now seen the transition of restaurants opening, tennis courts for example opening, golf clubs opening, restaurants opening at 50 percent capacity, shops have been open all the time, and quite honestly, this has been going on now for six weeks, and so I just logically say, hold on six weeks, we’ve come out of this so-called lockdown.”
One furious viewer took to Twitter to criticise the interview: “Why is Alan Sugar being asked these questions in the first place? He has no expertise to offer on how to manage a public health crisis.”
“What a surprise, Lord Alan Sugar doesn’t know anyone counted in the death toll, in which the working class and people of colour (and those who fall into both) are shamefully over-represented,” another wrote.
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Another identified that there might be economic interest behind the message: “Lord Alan Sugar has a lot to loose if people don’t return to work in offices as he owns swaths of office property throughout London!
It was reported yesterday that Florida had seen a spike in cases this week – alongside five other states.
The death toll in America stands at 120,162.