WATCH: Lifting all Covid restrictions at once “reckless”, says Starmer

Keir Starmer has declared that “simply throwing off all protections when the infection rate is going up is reckless” after Boris Johnson announced that almost all remaining Covid public health restrictions will be lifted on July 19th.

In an interview following a Covid press conference held by the Prime Minister earlier this evening, the Labour leader said the decision announced today was about headlines and “party management” rather than public health.

“The Prime Minister has said that he’s going to be driven by the data, not by dates,” Starmer said. “He doesn’t have the data yet – he won’t have the data until later this week so he’s not in a position to take a decision until next Monday.

“So, you have to wonder what today’s announcement is all about, and I think it’s about party management rather than the public interest.”

The Prime Minister used his appearance this evening to tell those watching that his administration would be moving from a “universal government diktat to relying on people’s personal responsibility” later this month.

Starmer said: “We all want the restrictions to be lifted and we’re going to have to find a way of living with the virus, but that can’t just be a soundbite. We need a proper plan and to throw of all protections at the same time, when the infection rate is still going up, is reckless. We need a balanced approach.

“We need to keep key protections in place, including masks, including ventilation and crucially – something we’ve been asking for throughout the pandemic – proper payments to those that need to self-isolate.”

Labour has repeatedly criticised ministers for “not paying people decent sick pay to isolate themselves” and TUC research last year found that 43% of people in the UK could not afford to stay away from work after contracting Covid.

The TUC has recently published analysis showing that extending statutory sick pay protection to all workers, by removing the ‘lower earnings limit’, would cost the same as 1% of the budget provided for the NHS test and trace programme.

Starmer argued this evening that keeping “key restrictions”, offering the mandatory wearing of face coverings in enclosed spaces and on public transport and increased ventilation as examples, would represent a “balanced approach”.

Asked specifically whether he would keep legal restrictions requiring mask wearing, the Labour leader told those watching that “common sense has to play a part here”.

He added: “The public know the infection rate is going up and they’re bound to pinch themselves and say why on earth, then, are you throwing off all protections at the same time?

“Of course we want to open up. Of course we want to end these restrictions, we want our businesses to up and fully running. But to throw off all protections at the same time is reckless.”