Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PM told to get a grip
Starmer takes PM to task over virus response and tells him to ‘get a grip’ on it
LABOUR leader Keir Starmer yesterday challenged Boris Johnson to “get a grip” on the coronavirus crisis and accused him of “winging” his response.
The Prime Minister’s allies claimed he was taking “direct control” of the Government’s response to the deadly disease after a difficult fortnight.
But at PMQS, Mr Starmer demanded: “So an obvious question for the Prime Minister: Who’s been in direct control up till now?”
The Labour leader stepped up his criticism, saying: “I am putting the Prime Minister on notice that he has got to get a grip and restore public confidence in the Government’s handling of the epidemic. If we see a sharp rise in the R rate, the infection rate, or a swathe of local lockdowns, responsibility for that falls squarely at the door of No10.
“We all know the public have made huge sacrifices.
“This mismanagement of the last few weeks is the responsibility of the Government.
“I’m deeply concerned the Government has made a difficult situation 10 times worse.
“There is a growing concern the Government is now winging it.
“At precisely the time when there should have been maximum trust in the Government, confidence has collapsed.” Trust in the Government has been shaken by the Dominic Cummings row, the easing of the lockdown and doubts over whether the NHS’S new Test and Trace system is effective.
But a disgruntled Mr Johnson said he was “very proud” of the Government’s record and accepted “full responsibility”.
Downing Street confirmed the PM had set up two centrally run committees, covering strategy and operational delivery, to shape the Government’s approach.
Tory insiders said they would allow Mr Johnson to tighten his grip on the fight against the virus after being treated for it himself in an intensive care unit.
When Mr Johnson complained about being criticised, Mr Starmer accused him of “confusing scrutiny for attack”, adding: “I have supported the Government, openly, and I’ve taken criticism for it.
“But boy, you make it difficult to support this Government.”
A further 359 people died from coronavirus yesterday, taking the official UK death toll to 39,728, though the real figure is expected to be far higher.
Mr Starmer challenged the PM over polling showing levels of trust in the Government had dropped since the Mirror revealed his top aide Dominic Cummings had
broken lockdown guidance. A new Yougov poll showed that one in five are now following lockdown rules less strictly than before – and one in three of those cited Mr Cummings as part of the reason.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said the recent rule changes – schools reopening, groups of six allowed to meet outside and the “shielded” permitted to leave home – did not mean that life could suddenly return to normal.
He said: “We shouldn’t take the fact that small adjustments are being made now to mean that lockdown is over.”
Police chiefs and council leaders across the country have warned that growing numbers are flouting rules.
At the No10 daily briefing, Mr Johnson warned against holding small gatherings indoors, where transmission rates are higher.
The PM said: “As the weather threatens to take a turn for the worse, some of you may be tempted to move the gatherings you have been enjoying outdoors indoors, out of the rain. I really urge you: Don’t do that.”
Mr Johnson also faced questions over his decision to start easing lockdown when Government scientific and health advisers, as well as public health chiefs, suggested it may be too soon. Prof
Whitty said it was the “unanimous view” of the UK’S four chief medical officers that the coronavirus alert level should remain at four, though he added: “We are trending downwards”.
He said the twometre rule would continue for as long as the pandemic existed despite calls from Tory MPS to reduce it to one metre.
The CMO admitted the Test and Trace programme, which public health chiefs have said is not ready to tackle local spikes, was “in the early stages of its development”. He added that it would be “quite some time” before the new system was working at full capacity. Mr Johnson has claimed that thousands of people have been traced by the system but has not given a precise figure.
Wales’ government announced yesterday school reopenings would start on June 29, with a four-week term before the summer holidays.
A phased approach means staggered start times, lessons and breaks, with a third of pupils at most in school at any one time.
Mr Johnson also warned “many, many job losses” are “just inevitable”.
But he claimed the Government would continue to be “as active and as interventionist” on employment as it has been to date.