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Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has said his own uncle died of covid-19 in a care home.

The Central Scotland MSP revealed that 92 year old Ralph Riley passed away last week.

The Labour stalwart told the Daily Record: “Ralph was not allowed any visitors for the past 6 weeks. My mum won’t be able to attend his funeral. It’s a very sad end to a great life.”

Leonard spoke about his heartbreaking loss at First Minister’s Questions today.

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Raising concerns about testing in care homes, he told Nicola Sturgeon: “Let me return to residential care homes. Families across the country are deeply concerned about the situation in our care homes.

“I speak from personal experience. On Friday last week, I lost my own uncle to covid-19. He was living in a care home.”

It is understood Leonard's uncle passed away in a home in Ipswich. In his working life, he was an insurance assessor for the Norwich Union.

Figures last week showed that one third of Coronavirus deaths were recorded in care homes.