GIVE US A FULL TWO-WEEK LOCKDOWN
Starmer joins scientists’ call for half-term circuit breaker to halt virus spread
KEIR Starmer has demanded a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown to tackle soaring Covid-19 cases. The Labour leader echoed the calls of scientists and accused Boris Johnson of ignoring their advice on tougher curbs. He said of the PM’s local restrictions: “The plan is not working.”
KEIR Starmer last night accused Boris Johnson of abandoning scientific advice as he demanded tougher curbs to tackle the deadly surge in coronavirus cases.
The Labour leader said the PM had lost control of the pandemic and called for a two or three-week “circuit breaker” lockdown in a bid to halt the soaring rise in infections that threatens to overwhelm the NHS again.
A YouGov poll result supported Mr Starmer’s plea as 54% of Brits quizzed said Mr Johnson should have imposed a short national lockdown instead of his three-tier system of local restrictions.
He spoke as the UK Covid death rate rocketed by 143 to 43,018 – the highest figure for four months. Another 17,234 new cases were reported as well as 655 new hospital admissions.
As ministers speculated “short, sharp shock” curbs were now inevitable, Mr Starmer also called for the Government to allow local authorities to deal with public health after the private test and trace fiasco.
Mr Johnson is facing mounting criticism for snubbing the advice of scientific advisers, who recommended an immediate circuit breaker on September
21. Writing in the Mirror, Mr Starmer warned it was needed to “stop the country sleep- walking into an increasingly bleak winter”.
He said: “The British people have made huge sacrifices throughout this crisis for the greater good. That is now being put at risk. The Government has lost control of the virus, lost control of the message and is no longer following scientific advice.” Mr Starmer acknowledged his plan would require “significant sacrifices” from the public. But he told reporters: “There’s no longer time to give the Prime Minister the benefit of the doubt. The Government’s plan simply isn’t working. Another course is needed.” Under a circuit breaker, pubs, bars and restaurants would shut, household mixing and non-essential travel would be banned and the public asked to work from home if they can.
Schools would stay open so pupils don’t miss more lessons, but the lockdown would be timed, if possible, to coincide with half-term in a bid to lessen the upheaval.
Amid growing unrest on the Tory benches, Mr Starmer offered Labour support to get a vote on a short national lockdown over the line.
Senior Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin suggested a “short, sharp shock” may be best to contain the virus.
Mr Johnson snubbed the move as “extreme” and said it “would do a great deal of extra harm to our economy”.
And No 10 admitted he rejected calls from SAGE scientific advisers for a circuit break because “economic impacts” had to be taken into account too. But Labour has argued failing to tackle the virus would inflict even worse damage on the economy.
And Mr Starmer said the circuit break will have to be accompanied by extensive support for jobs, businesses and local economies.
He added: “If we don’t do this, the cost to the economy will be much greater in the long run.
“If the R-rate continues out of control, it will be the economy that pays in the long run, so this will save money.”
But Mr Starmer’s plea faced some opposition from within his own party, with several local leaders determined to oppose a tougher economic lockdown.
Some Labour backbenchers are concerned there is nothing to prevent the temporary restrictions becoming much longer if cases do not fall.
And they questioned whether it
would just push the peak of the virus back into the winter, with the prospect of repeat circuit breakers until a vaccine is found.
Mr Johnson’s three- tier plan was blown off course on Monday when chief medical of f icer Professor Chris Whitty warned it may not be enough to stop the rise in Covid-19 cases. Scientific advisers had also criticised the Government ’s £ 12billion test and trace system as only having a “marginal impact” on Covid-19 transmission. Public Health England medical director Dr Yvonne Doyle said yesterday: “The trend in Covid-related deaths is starting to rise quickly, which is hugely concerning. We have seen cases increasing especially in older age groups which is leading to more hospital admissions.”
No 10 has warned regional leaders resisting entering the highest level of restrictions that the Government has the power to “imp o se” the measures if they reject them.
Merseyside became the first region to be placed into Tier 3, which means closed pubs and restaurants and a ban on social mixing. Officials are said to be keen for Greater Manchester and Lancashire to have the same measures.
Leeds has warned the city could be placed under the highest alert level as the rate is 422 cases per 100,000 people, with the number of hospital admissions doubling in the last week.
Council leader Judith Blake said: “I think the preference from No10 would be for more areas to go into Tier 3.
“But we need to have a much better understanding of the full implications of that. On the wider economy and, most importantly, how much it will help us to get the numbers down and stop the spread of the infection.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan said it was inevitable the capital will pass a “trigger point” to enter the higher Tier 2 restrictions in the “next few days”.
That would mean nearly nine million being banned from mixing with other households indoors, including in pubs and restaurants.
Essex county council is to request stricter restrictions after a significant rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in the area soared.
Leader David Finch said: “By acting now, we can hope to stem this increase, limiting the time we are in these restrictions and, above all, avoiding further escalation into ‘ Very High’.”
Mr Johnson last night suffered a major Tory backbench rebellion over the 10pm pubs curfew. In a symbolic vote in which Labour frontbenchers abstained, 44 Conservatives rebelled against the restriction.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has defended local lockdowns by explaining that “harder” economic measures would inevitably be needed, and for longer, if there were no restrictions.