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‘Who’s dead? I’m not’ – Lord Sugar sparks anger with lockdown comments

Lord Alan Sugar, Business Titan And Star Of The Apprentice UK, speaks at Pendulum Summit, World's Leading Business and Self-Empowerment Summit, in Dublin Convention Center. On Thursday, January 10, 2019, in Dublin, Ireland.   On Wednesday, 8 January 2020, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Lord Alan Sugar speaks in Dublin, Ireland (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Lord Sugar has sparked anger with an interview in which he suggests the UK approach to coming out of lockdown is overly cautious and asks: “Who’s dead? I’m not.”

The entrepreneur spoke out on Jeremy Vine’s show, implying the UK should be more in line with America where restrictions were eased weeks ago.

The Apprentice star, who has been living in Florida, said he had viewed the transition from lockdown to shops and other services reopening in the last six weeks and that nobody he knew had died.

Read more: Piers Morgan's mum becomes embroiled in Lord Sugar feud

“Who’s dead? I’m not. I’m still alive,” he said. “My wife, thank God, is still alive.

“So is everybody else I know. No-one else has caught anything.”

He went on: “So, I suppose it is a bit of a clue there that says that maybe we have reached a peak.

“And maybe it is time for us to follow the example of America, or indeed France that have opened up, or indeed Spain.”

Lord Sugar implied that the fact Boris Johnson had the coronavirus himself may have contributed to him adopting what he sees as a bit of a cautious approach to lifting restrictions.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly session of Prime Ministers Questions in Parliament in London, Wednesday, June 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly session of Prime Ministers Questions (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

“I think Prime Minister Johnson unfortunately had a problem himself and I think he’s being a little bit too cautious if you ask me, just slightly,” he said.

The TV star’s comments did not go down well with viewers, who posted messages on social media pointing out the pandemic’s death toll.

Alan Sugar attending the after party for the House of Fraser British Academy of Television Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London
Alan Sugar attending the after party for the House of Fraser British Academy of Television Awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London

“Alan Sugar: ‘Who’s dead?’ Nearly half a million,” tweeted one person.

“'Who's dead? I'm not dead'. Good for you, you daft p***. But over 40,000 ARE dead (55k excess deaths), 440,000 worldwide. Just shut up,” said another.

“Ah ok, so Alan Sugar and everyone he knows is still alive... so it MUST be fine to come out of lockdown then,” said one person.

Read more: The Apprentice could be delayed until late 2021, says Lord Sugar

Another posted: “According to Alan Sugar, no-one he knows is having that problem so let’s just get on with it.”

“Who knew the vaccine for Covid-19 was just to be known by Alan Sugar?” asked another.