Government action is needed now for those impacted by the infected blood scandal.

Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Wokingham is supporting all those impacted by the infected blood scandal in their call for long-overdue justice. After meeting with local resident Matt Lincoln and hearing his story, Clive is calling on the Government to swiftly and transparently accept the Infected Blood Inquiry recommendations for compensation.

Clive met with Matt after Matt attended a mass lobby of parliament by infected blood campaigners, like himself. The rally outside Parliament saw over 30 Parliamentarians including Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron, attend and demand that the Government take action on compensation for people infected and affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

If Parliament passes the Victims and Prisoners bill with the amendment intact, there will be a firm three-month deadline for the Government to set up the compensation body. However, it is vital that the Government sets the scheme up as fast as possible and starts getting payments out to people who have already waited for far too long. It needs to ensure the scheme covers everyone who is eligible and is built around the needs of people using it.

Matt Lincoln, who lives locally, was infected with Hepatitis C in 1988, when he was just 3 years old, during treatment for leukaemia. He has had to live with the consequences his entire life, along with the other 30,000 people given infected blood.

Matt says:

“I will not stop campaigning and raising awareness until we see justice. People infected continue to die, and those infected and affected continue with their daily struggles.

“Meanwhile this government continues to delay, despite already having accepted the moral case for the payment of compensation. The Infected Blood Inquiry recommended that the Government set up a compensation system almost a year ago (April 2023) yet we are still waiting and victims continue to die.

“Justice delayed is justice denied and the government must act now to ensure full and fair compensation is given to everyone infected and affected.”

Clive says:

"We need the government to act quickly otherwise this scandal will be seen as a repetition of the Post Office Horizon scandal where the government was only pushed into action by the release of the TV programme, “Mr Bates vs the Post Office”.

"More than 500 victims of the infected blood scandal are estimated to have died since the Inquiry began – in addition to the thousands who have already died – there is no time to waste in delivering long-overdue compensation to surviving victims and bereaved families.

"All parties need to unite to ensure compensation is paid as quickly as possible. I have written to the Secretary of State for Health asking her to make a swift decision to support the amendment to the Victims and Prisoners bill.”