Keir Starmer says coronavirus UK lockdown was 'too slow'

Keir Starmer slammed the government today for being "too slow" to launch a nationwide lockdown.

The Labour leader said the UK did not "learn quickly enough" from other countries that imposed restrictions more quickly.

Sir Keir's comments come three days after he said "now is not the time" to ask whether the lockdown was quick enough.

Questions have previously been raised over whether lockdown could have been announced earlier than March 23 to save thousands of lives.

Social gatherings were only banned after thousands attended mass events including the Cheltenham horse racing festival.

The Labour leader said the UK did not "learn quickly enough" (PA)

Government advisors initially said "herd immunity" with the majority infected could help protect the population in the future.

But scientific advice later said only slowing the spread of Covid-19, not trying to suppress it completely, could lead to 250,000 deaths.

Sir Keir told BBC Radio 5 Live today: "We were too slow I’m afraid.

"I and others called on the government to speed up not just the announcement of the lockdown, but then implementing it and making sure it was actually policed.

“I think we were slow, I don’t think we took decisions when we should, I don’t think we learned enough quickly from other countries.”

Despite his comments, Sir Keir reiterated that he wanted to help the government get things right and not "pick holes" in the past.

He said: “There were mistakes, we’re going to have to ask difficult questions, but let’s not repeat that, let’s not have that happen for the exit strategy.”

Since the lockdown was announced on March 23 more than 3,000 fines have been issued (stock photo from Greenwich Park) (NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

The Labour leader demanded the government spell out a plan for how the lockdown will end this week to give people the "light at the end of the tunnel".

However, he added: "I’m not asking for a date from the government, I don’t think that’s realistic, I don’t think that’s right."

Since the lockdown was announced on March 23 - and as it is expected to be extended by three weeks tomorrow - policing has been ramped up.

A total of 3,203 fines for alleged breaches of coronavirus lockdown laws were issued by police forces in England between March 27 and April 13, the National Police Chiefs' Council said.

The figures suggest police issued twice as many fines for alleged breaches over Easter Bank Holiday weekend than they did in the fortnight before.