Labour: We trust public to “do the right thing” despite Boris Johnson’s example

Wes Streeting has urged the British people to “do the right thing” and follow public health rules, saying that Labour trusts they will do so – despite the example set by Boris Johnson following recent Covid rule-breaking allegations.

Addressing MPs following a statement on the response to the Omicron variant from Sajid Javid, the Shadow Health Secretary accused the Prime Minister of having “tested patience by asking people to follow the rules when No 10 didn’t”.

The Labour frontbencher said: “The Prime Minister’s actions in recent weeks have undermined trust at a critical moment. So, I say to people feeling let down or lied to that I do trust the chief medical officer, I do trust the chief scientific adviser and I do trust the NHS.

“The Prime Minister might not lead by example, but the rest of us can. We, the Labour party, trust you, the British people, to do the right thing to protect yourselves, to protect the ones you love and to protect the NHS.”

He welcomed the target of distributing one million Covid booster jabs per day, unveiled by Johnson in a televised address on Sunday, but described the goal as “unprecedented” and warned that it “may also be impossible”.

The Prime Minister announced on Sunday that “people will have the chance to get the booster before the New Year”, but Streeting pointed out today that the Secretary of State said the target is to “offer” the booster to people before the end of the year, meaning some will have to wait until January or February.

“Is the government now rowing back on the target set yesterday? If so, why has it changed overnight? And what hope do we have of achieving the level of booster jabs we need if the public and those delivering the vaccines are told one this one day and another the next?” Streeting asked.

“The Prime Minister has got to learn to be straight with people because he undermining public trust in the government and public health measures at a critical time.”

Omicron cases increased by 65% between Saturday and Sunday, reaching over 3,000, and the UK Covid alert level has moved up from three to four. Johnson told the public over the weekend that a “tidal wave of Omicron coming”.

The government is offering booster jabs to everyone over the age of 18 in response to the spread of the new variant as the UK reached its highest Covid alert level since May this year and Johnson warned of an “Omicron emergency”.

Streeting said: “There is no doubt that the booster programme is the right priority. If we don’t get ahead of Omicron, the pressure on the NHS will be unbearable and the disruption to people’s appointments in the New Year will be severe.” He added that “mismanagement” of the health service over the past 11 years made the challenge greater.

“We are asking a huge amount of our colleagues in the NHS, and it is our joint view that we can try to offer all adults a chance to get boosted by the end of this month,” Sajid Javid told parliament this afternoon.

“That does not mean every person necessarily can get that booster, it requires them to come forward and take up that offer and everything going right in this huge expansion plan.”

The UK Health Security Agency estimates that there are currently 200,000 new cases of the omicron variant per day, and Johnson said this morning that it is expected to be dominant in London at some point “in the next 48 hours”.