Government has been ‘asleep at wheel’ over schools, Starmer says

LABOUR LEADER Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the Government for being “asleep at the wheel” on the issue of reopening schools.

The debate over schools has intensified in recent weeks as many sectors – from retail, sport and hospitality – are having lockdown restrictions eased.

However, the nation’s education system remains in turmoil with only a phased reopening targeting specific years in both primary and secondary schools.

Yesterday, Sir Keir said: “There has been a total lack of planning. From the day the schools were shut down, it was obvious what needed to happen to get them back open again.

“You needed a risk assessment, and you needed to look at the space.

“I’ve talked to loads of headteachers, and the points they have made to me were obvious and practical and could have been overcome.”

He added: “If you could put up Nightingale hospitals – a good thing to do – you can certainly put up temporary classrooms, you can certainly take over libraries, community centres.

“Had there been work on this from the day the schools closed down, I genuinely think we could have had all our children back in school by now, but the Government was asleep at the wheel, didn’t get to this until too late in the day, and now we’re in the situation where children will be able to do other things this weekend, but not be in school on Monday.”

However, the Government remains committed to ensuring that schools remain safe for both students and teaching staff, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

He told Times Radio yesterday that teaching unions and councils should be saying “loud and clear” that schools are safe.