Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of being "too weak to lead" the nation through the latest Covid crisis after his authority was battered by a Tory revolt and accusations of rule-breaking.
The Labour leader branded Mr Johnson the "worst possible Prime Minister at the worst possible time" - and demanded to know how he could ask the public to obey Covid curbs.
Plan B measures passed in the Commons last night but Mr Johnson suffered a massive revolt, with 100 backbenchers rebelling against him.
The revolt raised serious questions about his authority, which has been battered by multiple claims of rule-breaking parties in Westminster in the run up to Christmas last year.
In a fiery Prime Minister's Questions clash, Mr Starmer said: "The virus is spreading once again and lives and livelihoods are at risk.
"The British public are looking for a prime minister with the trust and the authority to lead Britain through the crisis.
"Instead we are burdened with the worst possible Prime Minister at the worst possible time."
He mocked jeering Tory MPs, many of whom rebelled against the Government yesterday, saying: "Where were they in the lobby last night?"
Mr Starmer went on: "His own MPs have had enough, they won't defend him and they won't turn up to support him and if he proposes them, they won't vote for basic public health measures."
He said the PM was "so weak" that Plan B measures would not have got through without Labour backing.
The PM declared "it's not true", with Mr Starmer adding: "He's so socially distanced from the truth, he thinks that's not true. I don't know where to start.
"We can't go on with a Prime Minister who is too weak to lead. So will the Prime Minister take time this Christmas to look in the mirror and ask himself whether he has the trust and authority to lead this country?"
Mr Johnson replied: "We won that vote last night with Conservative votes. I respect the anxieties have colleagues have - of course I do - about restrictions on their liberty.
"But I believe the approach we are taking is balanced, proportionate and right for this country."
Mr Johnson defended the "tough" decisions he has taken and tried to accuse Labour of playing politics during a crisis.
He concluded: "They vacillate, we vaccinate. They jabber, we jab. They play party politics and we get on with the job."
In bad-tempered scenes, SDLP MP Colum Eastwood called on the PM to resign to restore public confidence.
He said: "The Prime Minister's actions over the last number of months has absolutely eroded public confidence at the worst possible time and a public health crisis. excusing rule breaking by its own MPs ignoring real breaking and his own posts.
"He can't even lead Tory MPs to vote for his public health guidance. How does he expect to lead anybody else?
"Surely no, it is time Mr. Speaker for him to do the right thing. The only thing left him to restore public confidence and resign."
The PM replied: "No, I'm going to get on with making sure that we get through this pandemic together as one UK and making sure that we protect trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the way that I know he would want it protected."
