Tory MP's explanation to what 'stay alert' means branded 'incomprehensible dangerous gibberish'

The government has attempted to explain what their new slogan on coronavirus means after it has already been subjected to widespread ridicule.

The slogan which was previously 'stay home, save lives, protect the NHS' is set to be changed this evening to 'stay alert, control the virus, save lives.'

However, the new branding is already being called vague and confusing so it was left to Robert Jenrick, the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government to offer a broader explanation.

Appearing on Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday the 38-year-old said that the message means:

Stay alert by staying home as much as possible, but stay alert when you do go out by maintaining social distancing, washing your hands, respecting others at work.

Ridge then questioned if this message was so vague that it was bordering on being 'meaningless.'

My point is that 'stay alert' is so vague that it borders on being meaningless.

You could 'stay alert' by staying at home, you could 'stay alert' by going to work, you could 'stay alert' while having 20 of your friends over for a party.

Is there not a danger that this is so wooly that it could apply to anything?

Jenrick's simple reply was that he 'hopes not' and believes that the message to the public now needs to be updated as they "slowly and cautiously want to restart the economy and the country."

This added explanation to what 'stay alert' actually means has only caused more confusion, with Piers Morgan branding it 'gibberish.'

During his appearance on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, later that morning, Jenrick gave a much more succinct answer by saying that stay alert means 'stay alert by staying at home.'

Ian Blackford, the SNP's Westminster leader accused the government and Jenrick of spreading 'mixed messages' and that the 'stay at home' slogan must remain.

Ministers from both Scotland and Wales have added that their messages to the public will remain 'stay at home.'

At the time of writing, more than 31,000 people have reportedly died from coronavirus in the UK which is the second-highest death toll in the world behind the United States.