Jennifer Saunders denies writing viral Facebook post blaming NHS for PPE shortages
The viral post claims that the NHS, rather than the government, are to blame for PPE failings
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Actor Jennifer Saunders has been forced to deny any link to a viral Facebook post blaming the NHS for personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, after it was falsely attributed to her.
The lengthy post attempts to shift blame for PPE failings among health workers during the coronavirus pandemic to the NHS itself, calling those who criticise the government “crayon eaters who are set on pulling Boris [Johnson] down”.
Taking to Twitter, the Absolutely Fabulous actor addressed the post, writing: “Not me. Not by me. The Official Jennifer Saunders Facebook page is not me. Please ignore.”
As reported by Full Fact, Saunders’ link to the post seems to have come from the “Jennifer Saunders Fans” page, who shared the words but claim not to have attributed them to the comedian.
In recent weeks, Saunders has regularly used her social media feed to retweet posts criticising the government for their “inaction” during the Covid-19 crisis, leading fans to immediately separate the post from the actress.
“The tiniest amount of research would tell you this illiterate garbage is not written by Jennifer Saunders,” one Twitter user wrote. “Sort yourselves out.”
It comes as a BBC Panorama investigation found that the UK government failed to include key items of PPE, such as gowns and visors, in its pandemic stockpile before coronavirus reached the UK.
More than 90 front-line NHS workers have died during the UK’s epidemic, with other deaths occurring due to the virus in sectors such as private social care and transport.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments