UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised to protect black and minority ethnic people today as Public Health England data confirmed their elevated coronavirus death risk.
But just a couple of hours later, the Tory government has been called out for forcing black and Asian catering staff back to the Commons kitchen as MPs debate whether or not to continue remote working.
The in-person vote was called as leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, attempts to bring an end to the virtual sessions put in place during lockdown.
But many MPs are fiercely opposed to the move.
They include Labour's Valerie Vaz, who called out Rees-Mogg over the added danger that puts parliament staff in.
The new report confirmed "people of Bangladeshi ethnicity had around twice the risk of death than people of white British ethnicity" and "people of Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, other Asian, Caribbean and other black ethnicity had between 10 and 50% higher risk of death when compared to white British."
Yemen-born Vaz, who has an Indian background, told Rees-Mogg: "Half the catering staff who have returned today are from the BAME community.
"We are twice at risk of dying from this disease."
She went on: "Scientific advisors are adamant — we are not over the virus. This is a dangerous moment."
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