Government 'worried' by protests, Defence Secretary expresses anger over blood scandal mismanagement

Police should be present at pro-Palestinian marches, said Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. During a march in London, seven people were arrested, including a man carrying a coffin with offensive language. Shapps expressed concern about the protests, stating that the government is worried. He mentioned that arrests were made during the protests and emphasized the importance of police monitoring such events to prevent hate speech and racism. The Defence Secretary also expressed anger over the infected blood scandal, calling it a "shameful failure" of the government. A public inquiry chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff is set to publish its findings on Monday. The scandal involved thousands of people being infected with contaminated blood through NHS products, resulting in thousands of deaths. Shapps stated that the government would take action based on the report's recommendations. Shapps shared that he had spoken to relatives of victims affected by the scandal, which made him feel angry. He highlighted the importance of the upcoming report in addressing the injustice. The compensation bill for the scandal is estimated to exceed £10bn. Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting also acknowledged the shared responsibility of successive governments in addressing the scandal.