Tory MP faces backlash for sharing anti-mask message that called school policies ‘abusive’

Sir Desmond has frequently criticised the government’s Covid restrictions

UK Parliament/PA (PA Media)

Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne has been criticised for sharing an anti face mask message that described the coverings as “abusive”.

As of last week, school children are required to wear face masks during class as well as in communal areas to tackle the spread of Omicron.

Sir Desmond Swayne shared a photo of a face mask he has been sent with the political message written on it. The words read: “Putting germ/bacteria ridden cloths over kids faces for 8+ hours is abusive”

Sir Desmond shared the image with the caption: “Whoever sent me this anonymously, I agree with you!”

He has received backlash on social media for the post, with Professor Stefan Marciniak, from Cambridge University, responding: “As a respiratory doctor and academic I see no sense in your tweet. What evidence do you have? Masks are a helpful measure in reducing viral spread. Please consider deleting your tweet.”

Sir Desmond, who was a senior aide to former prime minister David Cameron, has consistently criticised Covid restrictions and described Britain as a “police state” during the pandemic. He has also described the government’s Covid rules as a formal of “social control” and referenced the wearing of masks as an example of this.

Sir Desmond also likened wearing a face mask to going about “like Darth Vader” in a Channel 4 interview in 2020.

Twitter users poked fun at the Conservative MP for sharing the anti mask message, with one joking that Sir Desmond had sent the mask to himself.

On Monday, Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said that the government wants to make sure that schools had “as many tools to be able to make sure that education is open”. He admitted that it would be “more challenging, of course, to deliver education with masks on in the classroom.”

But added: “This is an aerosol-transmitted virus and if you’re wearing a mask, if you’re asymptomatic, then you’re less likely to infect other people.”