Great Yarmouth candidate standing over Covid care dispute

Paul Brown, who is standing to become MP for Great Yarmouth, accused Kingsley Care Home of unfair dismissal after he was fired for "intimidating behaviour".

He claims he was raising health and safety concerns about guidance given to staff by bosses at Kirkley Manor Nursing Home in Lowestoft while working there during the pandemic.

Paul Brown, independent candidate for Great Yarmouth (Image: Paul Brown)

The dispute arose after Mr Brown received an email from management that told employees not to tell colleagues if they had tested positive for Covid - a decision the judge who later presided over his case called "an odd instruction".

Mr Brown, who now runs a shop, says he worried the advice could lead to the virus spreading, particularly due to his partner at the time working for another care home, and argued it may have put people at risk. 

Days later, Mr Brown found out he had been in a car with a colleague who had tested positive, which led to him becoming upset he was not informed sooner, according to court documents. 

He was later fired for his actions towards a senior staff member, which was described as "intimidating behaviour", when he complained about the situation.

This led to the tribunal where judges ruled against Mr Brown.

He says he is now standing for parliament because he wants to escalate his campaign against the care company.

He claims Brandon Lewis, Yarmouth's former MP, and the Care Quality Commission had failed to act on his concerns.

Kirkley Manor nursing home in Lowestoft (Image: Google)

As part of his campaign, Mr Brown has been sharing regular videos on YouTube, offering views on politics and his background.

In a recent video, he said: "I'm standing in the constituency because my faith in our representatives is minimal."