Tory MP tells constituent to ‘get a life’ when asked how to survive on statutory sick pay

A Conservative MP has attempted to apologise on Twitter for telling a constituent to ‘get a life’ after he asked how to survive on statutory sick pay. 

Pauline Latham the Tory MP for Mid Derbyshire, was accused of “disgraceful” behaviour for making the remark at a time many people fear they may not have enough money to get through the crisis.

Ms Latham was asked on Twitter whether the current level of statutory sick pay of £94 a week was enough to live on, resulting in a short and ignorant reply.

“The reply was not about benefits, but to a keyboard warrior who is with many others always negative about everything,” she said.

Ms Lathan later apologised on Twitter: “I must apologise for the Tweet to a constituent … At the time, I was in Spain in a state of distress having just visited my brother who is suffering from acute dementia. Very sadly, we could not bring him home to the UK because of coronavirus.”

Users were quick to point out that she was still yet to answer the question and offer any advice. They also wondered what element of the question caused the user appear as a ‘keyboard warrior.’