Sir Keir calls for clarity from Government

LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer has said his party would back the Government if scientists call for tougher Covid-19 regulations in response to the new virus strain.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir called for any Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) recommendations on restrictions to be published without delay, accompanied by a plan for rolling out vaccines “as quickly as possible”. He said further national restrictions now seemed “sadly inevitably”, adding that Labour would back plans to recall Parliament should a vote be required.

In the letter, Sir Keir told Boris Johnson: “It is important the Government is now straight with the British people about the hard choices that are ahead and the steps that are necessary to get back control of the virus.

“Sadly, it does now seem inevitable that further national restrictions will be necessary. The chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said on Monday: ‘It’s likely that measures will need to be increased in some places in due course and not reduced’. It is essential that any future restrictions are introduced swiftly to save lives and protect the economy in the long term.”