DON’T TREAT US LIKE KIDS
BRITAIN IN LIMBO Labour leader demands talks on lockdown exit
SIR Keir Starmer has accused ministers of treating us like children by not revealing how they will end the lockdown.
In a scathing letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the Labour leader writes: “The British public have made great sacrifices to make the lockdown work.
“They deserve to be part of an adult conversation about what comes next. Acting as if this discussion is not happening is not credible.”
The call came as lockdown-weary Brits flocked to reopened B&Q stores and enjoyed yesterday’s sunny weather in Regent’s Park, London.
The PM received the letter at his Chequers country retreat as he prepares to return to work tomorrow. He told aides after two weeks recovering from his Covid-19 battle: “I’m raring to go.”
A No10 insider added: “The PM has told the team he will be back at his desk on
Monday morning.
“It’s given everyone a huge lift.”
Doctors gave Mr
Johnson the green light to return to No10 shortly before he held a three-hour Chequers strategy meeting with Cabinet ministers and his top adviser on Friday.
But Mr Starmer is handing the PM his own exit strategy as we start a fifth week of lockdown.
He told the PM: “If we want to take people with us and secure their consent, this is necessary now.
“The UK Government is behind the curve on this. I fear we are falling behind the rest of the world.”
He says the PM must reopen town halls and libraries so they can be used as centres to boost testing.
And he says everyone needing a test must be able to get one no more than 20 minutes from home.
The Labour leader also warned he will hold Health Secretary Matt
Hancock to his vow of 100,000 tests a day by Thursday – and demanded assurances it will rise to 250,000.
Mr Starmer wants talks about ending the lockdown to begin now with teachers, unions, businesses and local authorities. And as we start using public transport again, preparations must be made “to ensure an accessible stockpile of face masks.” For the most at risk, who will need to continue shielding, he said there must be a plan to get them food. Mr Starmer said: “The Government cannot fall short in its preparation for what happens when the time is right for measures to be gradually lifted.
“Other nations are publishing exit strategies and having honest conversations about what arrangements might look like. We need a significant stepchange in the response to this pandemic. Decisions need to be taken quicker and communication must be clearer.”
The PM was joined at Friday’s Chequers summit by First Secretary
Dominic Raab,
Chancellor Rishi
Sunak and top adviser Dominic
Cummings.
He held daily
Zoom calls at 3pm throughout the week to be briefed on developments.