Alok Sharma: Business secretary tests negative for coronavirus

Business Secretary Alok Sharma has tested negative for coronavirus after appearing visibly unwell in parliament.

The minister had been seen wiping his face with a handkerchief several times while addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday.

Ed Miliband, his opposite number in Labour's shadow cabinet, passed him a glass of water at one point.

But the business secretary's spokeswoman said a test revealed he did not have COVID-19.

"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," she said.

She did not immediately respond when asked if the Cabinet member would need to continue to self-isolate, amid fears that tests may not come back positive in the early stages of infection.

It had earlier emerged that Mr Sharma held a 45-minute socially-distanced meeting with Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Tuesday.

The PM had to self-isolate and later spent time in intensive care after contracting coronavirus earlier this year.

A Downing Street spokesperson said yesterday that the government was not reconsidering its move to end virtual voting in the Commons.

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And Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg also defended the move, saying: "It is important that while we are here, we follow the social distancing rules.

"Looking across this chamber, and across the palace, there are marks across the palace saying the distance people should keep."