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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Oliver Milne

Keir Starmer demands answers from PM on lockdown confusion - read and watch statement in full

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on Boris Johnson to provide "clarity and reassurance" as the Government begins easing the coronavirus lockdown.

In his response to the Prime Minister's broadcast on Sunday, Sir Keir said Labour would continue to work constructively with the Government in its response to the pandemic.

At the same time, however, he made clear they would seek to hold ministers to account for their actions.

Mr Johnson announced a widespread reform to the lockdown on Sunday.

On Monday he revealed the stages in which it will be lifted - with the Government saying some workers, in England, in construction, manufacturing and food production could return to work from Wednesday if workplaces met safety standards.

Mr Johnson has told MPs the Government's road map for lifting the coronavirus lockdown will enable the country to "control" the disease if people continue to follow the rules.

But Mr Starmer, who earlier told the House of Commons that Mr Johnson's plan to ease Britain's lockdown raises "lots of questions but contains precious few answers" criticised the plan in his national broadcast, set to air this evening.

He said: "What we needed from the Prime Minister last night was clarity and reassurance,"

"The Prime Minister said he was setting out a road map, but if we're to complete the journey safely a road map needs clear directions. So many of us have questions that need answering.

"For as long as this crisis persists I'll keep demanding answers to these questions because that's how we get better decisions and better outcomes.

"I remain committed to working constructively with the Government in the national interest."

Sir Keir said that as the country emerged from the crisis, there must be a collective effort to build a better society.

Mr Johnson defended his plan in the House of Commons earlier today (UK PARLIAMENTARY RECORDING UNIT/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

"After all this, all the sacrifice and the loss, we can't go back to business as usual," he said.

"When we get through this it will be because of the hard work and the bravery of every key worker as they took on this virus and kept our country going.

"In their courage and their sacrifice and their bravery, we can see a better future. This crisis has brought out the resilience and the human spirit in all of us.

"We must go forward with a vision of a better society built"

Keir Starmer's speech in full

We are living through the biggest threat this country has faced for a generation.

Coronavirus has taken so much from us.

It’s brought normal life to a halt.

We can no longer see our friends, no longer spend time with extended family, and over 30,000 people have lost their lives.

Behind these statistics are families torn apart by grief.

Millions are worried about their loved ones, their jobs, their communities, their families and their future.

That’s why when I was elected Leader of the Labour Party, just over a month ago, I promised a new type of opposition.

Labour will always put the national interest first.

We will have the courage to support the Government when that’s the right thing to do, and the courage to challenge the Government where it’s getting it wrong.

Today I repeat that message.

Labour has supported lockdown and we continue to do so.

Public health and saving lives must always come first, whether we voted for this Government or not.

At this moment of national crisis we all rely on the Government to get this right.

That’s why we’ve called for a national consensus and offered to work with the Government to defeat this dreadful virus.

What we needed from the Prime Minister last night was clarity and reassurance.

We needed to hear that nobody would be asked to go to work or send their children to school without it being safe to do so.

We needed to know that the huge problems we've seen with protective equipment are over.

That the crisis in our care homes has finally been gripped.

That everybody who needs a test can finally get one.

Above all, we needed know when we could see our loved ones again.

The Prime Minister said he was setting out a road map, but if we’re to complete the journey safely a roadmap needs clear directions.

So many of us have questions that need answering.

How can we be sure our workplaces are now safe to return to?

How can we get to work safely if we need public transport to do so?

How can millions of people go back to work while balancing childcare and caring responsibilities?

How do our police enforce these rules?

And why are some parts of the United Kingdom now on a different path to others?

For as long as this crisis persists I’ll keep demanding answers to these questions because that’s how we get better decisions and better outcomes.

I remain committed to working constructively with the Government in the national interest.

And when this is over, and one day it will be, I’m determined we will build a better society.

Because after all this, all the sacrifice and the loss, we can’t go back to business as usual.

We can’t go back to a society where we clap our carers once a week but where half of our care workers are paid less than the real living wage.

We can’t go back to a society where we pay tribute to the heroes of the Second World War, but see our care homes as an afterthought.

And we can’t go back to a country where we don’t invest in our public services, but expect our frontline workers to protect us.

When we get through this it will be because of the hard work and the bravery of every key worker as they took on this virus and kept our country going.

In their courage and their sacrifice and their bravery, we can see a better future.

This crisis has brought out the resilience and the human spirit in all of us.

We must go forward with a vision of a better society built on that resilience and built on that human spirit.

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