Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has third the a third nationwide lockdown is 'inevitable'.
He has urged the PM to bring in new restrictions within the next 24 hours, and says it us the 'necessary first step' in getting the infection rates under control.
“We can’t allow the Prime Minister to use up the next two or three weeks and then bring in a national lockdown which is inevitable.
“Do it now. That’s the necessary first step to get the virus back under control.”
He added: “Everybody wants children back in school. There is nobody that would argue with that. Of course that’s what we all want.
“It’s inevitable more schools will close.
“I don’t want to call for the closure of schools tomorrow morning and add to the chaos, but we do need to recognise that it is inevitable that more schools will close, and we need a plan in place to deal with it.
“But it can only be part of a wider strategy that has a national lockdown in place in the next 24 hours.
“The Prime Minister is hinting at it, but he’s not doing it. We can’t afford that delay again".
Sir Keir added: “The more important thing in a way is that national restrictions need to come in the next 24 hours.
“Let’s not have the Prime Minister saying ‘I’m going to do it, but not yet’, that’s the problem he has made so many times.
“Nationwide lockdown – the Prime Minister has hinted that that’s going to happen but he’s delaying again. And we can’t afford that again.”
