Chris Whitty’s takedown of this Tory MP over Covid was as brutal as it was unfailingly polite

England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has been answering questions from MPs about Omicron today.

Whitty appeared via video link to members of a Commons select committee and one question in particular stood out.

It came from the Conservative MP for Watford, Dean Russell, who shared comments he’d heard from other people that the country had got its priorities wrong when it came to Covid and was perhaps putting too much emphasis on the pandemic compared to other things.

And Whitty’s response went viral because it managed to be unfailingly polite and totally brutal at the same time.

“This is sometimes said by people who have no understanding of health at all… and when they say it, it’s usually because they want to make a political point.”

Prof. Chris Whitty responds to concerns that the NHS is prioritising Covid other serious health issues such as cancer. pic.twitter.com/tlvsYM3YI5

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) December 16, 2021

And here’s the transcript.

Boom.

“This is sometimes said by people who have no understanding of health at all… and when they say it, it's usually because they want to make a political point.”

Whitty on scorching form.

The way to protect general health care is to control covid.

pic.twitter.com/vGuZQpfdx2

— Kit Yates (@Kit_Yates_Maths) December 16, 2021

Crystal clear and very assertive coming from a mild mannered man https://t.co/XzafHPUw6N

— Fionna O'Leary, (@fascinatorfun) December 16, 2021

Spot on from @CMO_England. We are trying our utmost to do our best for *all* patients. We simply can’t help everyone if we’re overrun with Covid.

Only disingenuous commentators pretend otherwise. And that’s putting it politely. https://t.co/PicT5L1YJD

— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) December 16, 2021

“inversion of reality” how a professional scientific communicator implies something is total bollocks

— Nick McAteer (@nickmcateer) December 16, 2021

Chris Whitty politely destroys a Tory MP bravely asking an idiotic question on behalf of fellow idiots. #covidiots #omicron pic.twitter.com/dbo5S5YAnh

— Brendan May (@bmay) December 16, 2021

This is why I would like @CMO_England to have the time & space to do separate science briefings to the nation. This is such a precise and clear answer to a common misapprehension. We are still failing many NHS patients because we have a long-standing shortage of staff & capacity https://t.co/hzGM4ER5m8

— Dr Phil Hammond (@drphilhammond) December 16, 2021