Johnson faces ‘loss of trust’ from UK public says Starmer

BORIS JOHNSON has been accused of presiding over a Government that lacks the “trust and confidence” of the British people as the UK’s coronavirus death toll passed 50,000.

At a fractious Prime Minister’s Questions Mr Johnson clashed with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer about his approach to easing the lockdown and reopening England’s schools.

The Prime Minister defended NHS England’s test and trace system – one of the key measures introduced to help the return to something approaching normality – but promised to increase the speed with which concerned people get the results of coronavirus tests.

The Commons clashes came as the grim milestone of 50,000 deaths linked to Covid-19 was passed, according to analysis of official figures by the PA news agency.

These are deaths where coronavirus was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, the Government’s official total of deaths after testing positive for coronavirus sits at 39,728 with 359 recorded yesterday. In Yorkshire, 19 further deaths were recorded, bringing the total to at least 2,597.

The Prime Minister defended his handling of the crisis, telling MPs: “I take full responsibility for everything this Government has been doing in tackling coronavirus and I’m very proud of our record.”

Sir Keir said there had been a “loss of trust” in Mr Johnson’s administration and claimed the Prime Minister had refused an offer to work together on building a consensus on the reopening of England’s schools.

The Prime Minister said Sir Keir had not offered “any dissent” during a private phone call about the Government’s approach and questioned the purpose of his “endless attacks” on the official response to the crisis.

In response to claims that the test and trace system was weeks away from being fully operational, Mr Johnson said it was working – but stopped short of giving figures to back up his claim. He said “thousands” of contacts of people who had tested positive for coronavirus had been traced.

Meanwhile, Business Secretary Alok Sharma has been tested for coronavirus after becoming visibly unwell in the House of Commons chamber during a debate. He went home to self-isolate.