A Labour councillor has been suspended from the party after boasting on Facebook about privately purchasing a Covid-19 jab from a private care doctor, despite all jabs in the UK legally only being available on the NHS.
Jamila Azad, who represents St Clements and Cowley Marsh on Oxfordshire County Council, and St Clements on Oxford City Council, was suspended from the partythis weekend after posting on Facebook that she had received the jab from a private doctor.
“My darling daughter took me to a Private Care Doctor for Covid 19 vaccine” she wrote – ignorant of the fact that despite the UK having one of the most successful vaccination programs, vaccinations are in tight supply and millions are still waiting their turn.
Cllr Azad even arrogantly stated that she did not want to wait like the rest of British citizens, saying “A long wait for NHS waiting list. We had take away from Akber take away.”
Her post was accompanied by photographs of the councillor and another woman, understood to be her daughter, receiving shots from a man in medical scrubs and PPE.
When asked to comment on the post and her suspension from Labour, Ms Azad said she did not want to comment.
Susan Brown, the Leader of the Labour Group at Oxford City Council and Liz Brighouse, Leader of the Labour Group at Oxfordshire County Council issued a joint statement.
“Following a recent post on her Facebook account about her Covid 19 vaccination, Cllr Jamila Azad has been suspended by the whips of both the Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council Labour Groups, pending further investigation” it said. “Cllr Azad has now removed the post in question.”
According to the Government it is currently illegal for coronavirus vaccines to be administered outside of the NHS.
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency had only authorised Covid vaccinations for use through the NHS.
The Government spokesman added: “It would be illegal to administer vaccines outside of the NHS and, if this happened, the MHRA would take enforcement action.”
