Brexiteer calls for pubs and restaurants to re-open as ‘majority don’t care about coronavirus’

Paul Bullen appears on BBC Look East. Photograph: YouTube. Archant

A Brexiteer politician has called for pubs and restaurants to re-open because he claims a ‘majority don’t care about the coronavirus’.

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Paul Bullen's tweet about the coronavirus which provoked a backlash. Photograph: Twitter. Paul Bullen's tweet about the coronavirus which provoked a backlash. Photograph: Twitter.

Paul Bullen, the former UKIP leader on Cambridgeshire County Council and Brexit Party candidate, disappeared off Twitter shortly after he made the surprise declaration on the social media network.

“Isn’t it about time we stopped this nonsense,” he wrote. “The majority don’t care about Covid-19, don’t care if they catch it and know that it won’t have any adverse effects.

“Do we really want to kill our economy? Let’s get back to work, open our pubs and restaurants and get back to normal.”

When challenged by Cambs Times journalist John Elworthy, the politician accused him of being “another journalist with nothing to say”.

He continued: “Do you know what Covid-19, how it originated where it came from and why it is co [sic] contagious that we can’t stop it.

“And why am I wrong in what I say.”

Kathy Jackson tweeted: “As knowledgeable about the nations health as Brexit. He will begin to care when his mum, dad & gran are on life support.”

“We should start locking idiots like you up for encouraging the spread up,” tweeted Brian Feeney.

“Had to read this twice before I could believe you have written it,” responded Lynn Rosa Richards.

Shortly after the scrutiny Bullen’s account disappeared.

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