Minister Alok Sharma tests NEGATIVE for coronavirus after becoming ill in the Commons

Business Secretary Alok Sharma has tested negative for coronavirus, it was confirmed tonight, saving Boris Johnson and other senior ministers from a potential fortnight in quarantine.

The Cabinet minister spent today in self-isolation and working from home after becoming visible ill in the Commons yesterday.

If he had come down with the virus, Mr Johnson and others may have had to isolate themselves under strict test and trace rules recently introduced.

But tonight a spokeswoman for Mr Sharma said: ‘Business Secretary Alok Sharma has received a negative result after being tested for coronavirus yesterday.

‘Mr Sharma would like to thank the parliamentary authorities and Speaker and also for the kind words from parliamentary colleagues and others who have expressed their well wishes over the last 24 hours.’

It came after furious MPs demanded Parliament sit ‘virtually’ again today after Mr Sharma ‘sniffled, sweated and snorted’ through a statement – before self-isolating for coronavirus.

In extraordinary scenes in the chamber last night, he ignored the government’s own guidance as he struggled on despite repeatedly wiping his brow and blowing his nose. 

The episode sparked concerns that dozens of politicians have been at risk of infection and will now have to go into quarantine – potentially including Cabinet ministers and top officials. Mr Sharma physically attended a 45-minute meeting with the PM and Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Tuesday. 

It also heaped pressure on Boris Johnson to reverse the controversial decision to scrap electronic voting and Zoom debates, after ‘farcical’ scenes this week that saw hundreds of MPs ‘conga’ through Westminster in a mile-long socially distanced queue to take part in divisions. 

Before tonight’s announcement was made, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps had used the daily press conference to say: ‘I have spoken to Alok within the last hour, he is doing fine. 

‘Actually, he is working today, but working from home as usual. He is awaiting his test result.’

Labour MPs warned that it was now clear the move back to a regular Commons could be ‘potentially deadly’. 

However, ministers suggested Mr Sharma might have merely been suffering from a ’bout of hay fever’. And Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg was defiant in the Commons this afternoon, insisting it was right that MPs should come to the chamber and ‘do our democratic duty’.

‘How can we look teachers in our constituencies in eye when we’re asking them to go back to work and we are not willing to.’   

A spokesman for Mr Sharma confirmed this morning that he has been tested for Covid-19, after developing the symptoms.  

According to a statement from his department: ‘Secretary of State Alok Sharma began feeling unwell when in the chamber delivering the second reading of the Corporate Governance and Insolvency Bill.

‘In line with guidance he has been tested for coronavirus and is returning home to self-isolate.’ 

Mr Sharma regularly attends the daily Covid meeting in Downing Street, and was in No10 on Tuesday. 

The PM’s spokesman said: ‘He does not yet have his test results. 

‘Should the Secretary of State receive a positive test then he will work with the test and trace service to share information about his recent interactions. 

‘He did attend a meeting in No 10, which took place before Cabinet. 

‘That was a discussion on the economy and in terms of who was present, it was the Prime Minister, the Chancellor and the Business Secretary.’ 

The spokesman stressed the meeting took place with two-metre distancing in place and pointed towards the Government guidelines on how the tracers operate, which include asking individuals whether they had been to a workplace recently. 

The spokesman confirmed that even those who have had Covid-19 must isolate and, when pressed on whether the PM would self-isolate if told to, he said: ‘I would expect us to take medical advice and to follow it.’ 

As a way of slowing the virus’s spread, contact tracers with the NHS service are asking infected individuals who they have come into recent contact with. 

Tracers will then decide whether it is necessary to tell those contacts to self-isolate for 14 days from their last contact with the individual, as a precaution. 

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said it was possible Mr Sharma just had a bout of ‘severe hayfever’.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Lewis said: ‘I don’t want to be premature because Alok, who I wish well and hope he recovers quickly, may well have had severe hayfever, we’re not sure yet.

‘He has had a test, he is self-isolating as you say, to take the correct precaution.’

Mr Lewis denied that Mr Sharma’s case supported the argument for virtual voting in the Commons to be resumed.

He said: ‘It is important for parliamentarians to be able to properly scrutinise legislation, not just for Covid but for the wider legislative agenda we have to continue with for people across the country, but to do so within proper guidelines.

‘That’s what the House authorities have set up, that’s what’s been working over the last few days and that’s a very good thing.

‘It highlights Alok’s situation, if he has got coronavirus, why it is so important that if you are in a work environment, you have got to follow the guidelines.’ 

Parliamentary colleagues rushed to wish Mr Sharma a speedy recovery.

But many seized on the development at evidence virtual sittings should be brought back, amid risks that MPs could become super-spreaders for the disease.

After Mr Sharma’s statement the government’s despatch box needed to be ‘deep cleaned’, causing a delay to proceedings.

During the debate, Mr Sharma was seen wiping his face with a handkerchief several times and his opposite number in Labour’s shadow cabinet, Ed Miliband, passed him a glass of water at one point. 

Labour MP Barry Sheerman wished Mr Sharma well today, but demanded to know: ‘How many other MPs will have been infected?’

He added: ‘Now obvious what a possibly deadly decision it was for Boris Johnson to demand that MPs flock back to Parliament.’ 

The SNP’s Philippa Whitford said: ‘Hope Alok Sharma recovers quickly but he should have stopped immediately. 

‘HoC claim despatch box etc ”deep cleaned” but can’t clean every door handle he touched since Monday when he became infectious! 

‘Cabinet meeting was on Tuesday so will THEY isolate?’ 

Labour MP Toby Perkins took to Twitter to share his concern that Mr Sharma had attended the chamber while ill, tweeting: ‘This is ridiculous. It was clear that Alok Sharma looked unwell.

‘If there are now fears that he may have covid-19 and he hadn’t already tested negative, it was the height of irresponsibility for him to be in parliament sniffling, sweating and snorting from the despatch box.’

Digital voting in the Commons was ended on Tuesday when MPs approved a Government motion introduced by Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg despite widespread objections.