UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has defended his decision to argue the Cheltenham Festival should have gone ahead. The four-day Festival was staged as planned, with additional hygiene measures in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, and concluded on 13 March - with Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressing the UK 10 days later to impose the current lockdown.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Dowden was accused by presenter Piers Morgan of "actively encouraging" people to attend the likes of the Cheltenham and the Liverpool versus Atletico Madrid football match after the British government decided not to ban major events until late March.