Keir Starmer calls for nationwide lockdown within 24 hours

The leader of the opposition has called on Boris Johnson to implement tough nationwide Covid-19 restrictions as soon as tomorrow.

Sir Keir Starmer said the virus ‘is clearly out of control’ and urged the prime minister to act within the next 24 hours instead of ‘hinting’ at stricter measures.

He said further schools closures were ‘inevitable’ and that a plan needed to be put in place now – but stopped short of calling for all schools to close tomorrow as he did not want to ‘add to the chaos’.

‘There’s no good the prime minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week, or two or three,’ the Labour leader said. ‘That delay has been the source of so many problems.

‘So, I say bring in those restrictions now, national restrictions, within the next 24 hours.

‘That has to be the first step towards controlling the virus.’

His comments come after Mr Johnson this morning warned that tougher measures were needed in ‘many parts of the country’ and they may be implemented in the ‘weeks ahead’.

When asked about the prospect of a Tier five, the PM would not comment on the reports but admitted circuit-breaker lockdowns are not a long-term solution to the spread of coronavirus but they ‘buy you some temporary respite’.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow…

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