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| UK coronavirus live: officials meeting today to consider case for new restrictions for London, says Hancock | UK coronavirus live: officials meeting today to consider case for new restrictions for London, says Hancock |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Health secretary says nation is at a tipping point and if people do not follow the rules further restrictions may be necessary | Health secretary says nation is at a tipping point and if people do not follow the rules further restrictions may be necessary |
| This is what Sir Keir Starmer told Andrew Marr when Marr asked if he wanted to see further restrictions imposed now. Under Starmer Labour has backed the government’s coronavirus measures, and generally he has avoided advocating an alternative Covid strategy. He has said it is important for public messaging to be clear, and he told Marr he did not want to second guess the PM. | |
| But, when pressed by Marr, Starmer said it would be wrong for the government to delay imposing further restrictions (as Johnson is reportedly considering - see 9.53am.) After referring to what Prof Neil Ferguson said yesterday, Marr suggested that bold decisions were needed from leaders now. Starmer replied: | |
| Marr turns to Scotland. As Sophy Ridge did earlier (see 8.50am), he quotes Starmer saying in January that an SNP majority in next year’s elections would create a mandate for a second referendum. | |
| Starmer insists Labour will be arguing against one between now and next May. | |
| Q: Mark Drakeford, the Welsh first minister, said Westminster should not block a referendum if the Scottish people want one. | |
| Starmer repeats the point about Labour being opposed to the idea in principle. | |
| Q: And what if the SNP win? | |
| Starmer says he does not want to start being “hypothetical”. | |
| Marr points out that Starmer already set out his view in January. | |
| And that’s it. The interview is over. | |
| Q: Should the Brexit transition be extended? | |
| Starmer says he does not think that is necessary. He thinks a deal can be achieved. The government should do what it promised. | |
| Q: What do you want - extension or no deal? | |
| Starmer says he does not think you have to choose. A deal is possible. | |
| Starmer says he does not support raising taxes now. | |
| But, before the election in 2024, Labour will present its plans for addressing the debt. | |
| Q: Are you in favour of a wealth tax? | |
| Starmer says it does not make sense to set out tax plans so far ahead of a general election. | |
| Writing the manifesto now, four years early, in the middle of a pandemic “does not seem to me very sensible”, he says. | |
| Q: Neil Ferguson says action is needed now. Do you support that? | |
| Starmer says local restrictions and national restrictions might be needed. | |
| And he say it would be a mistake to wait for several weeks. | |
| According to today’s Sunday Times (paywall), Boris Johnson is meeting officials to discuss options for further restrictions today. It says Johnson “will reject calls from scientists for an immediate two-week ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown after being urged by the chancellor to minimise the number of businesses affected by any new curbs. It is still under consideration for the half-term fortnight next month.” | |
| UPDATE: See 10.20am for the full quote. | |
| Sir Keir Starmer is now being interviewed by the BBC’s Andrew Marr. Marr starts with coronavirus, and Starmer is broadly repeated the points that he made on Sky earlier - that testing needs to be fixed, that the PM should apologise, that he should have fixed this over the summer, but that Labour would support new restrictions. | Sir Keir Starmer is now being interviewed by the BBC’s Andrew Marr. Marr starts with coronavirus, and Starmer is broadly repeated the points that he made on Sky earlier - that testing needs to be fixed, that the PM should apologise, that he should have fixed this over the summer, but that Labour would support new restrictions. |
| Q: Do you think £10,000 fines are too draconian? | Q: Do you think £10,000 fines are too draconian? |
| Starmer says it is important to take action against the few people who are not complying with the rules. | Starmer says it is important to take action against the few people who are not complying with the rules. |
| Q: Would you dob in your neighbour? | Q: Would you dob in your neighbour? |
| Starmer says the police have got this right. They have focused on encouraging people to obey the rules. But where people aren’t, action should be taken. | Starmer says the police have got this right. They have focused on encouraging people to obey the rules. But where people aren’t, action should be taken. |
| Q: Boris Johnson calls you Captain Hindsight? | Q: Boris Johnson calls you Captain Hindsight? |
| Starmer says Labour said earlier that testing needed to be sorted out. That was foresight, he says. | Starmer says Labour said earlier that testing needed to be sorted out. That was foresight, he says. |
| Q: Would you back a lockdown now? | Q: Would you back a lockdown now? |
| Starmer says he does not want to second guess what the PM is doing. | Starmer says he does not want to second guess what the PM is doing. |
| Scotland’s health secretary Jeane Freeman has raised concerns about the impact of the newly-announced Covid fines on working people. Freeman said this morning: | Scotland’s health secretary Jeane Freeman has raised concerns about the impact of the newly-announced Covid fines on working people. Freeman said this morning: |
| Freeman told BBC Breakfast on Sunday that the Scottish government would announce new restrictions very shortly, “not necessarily today, but definitely by the early part of next week”. | Freeman told BBC Breakfast on Sunday that the Scottish government would announce new restrictions very shortly, “not necessarily today, but definitely by the early part of next week”. |
| Yesterday, first minister Nicola Sturgeon reiterated her call for a four nations Cobra meeting in the next 48 hours. | Yesterday, first minister Nicola Sturgeon reiterated her call for a four nations Cobra meeting in the next 48 hours. |
| Q: Boris Johnson said tests would be turned around in 24 hours. That is not happening. | Q: Boris Johnson said tests would be turned around in 24 hours. That is not happening. |
| Hancock says around half of people get a result the following day. | Hancock says around half of people get a result the following day. |
| (Within 24 hours and the next day are not the same thing. Now the government is focusing on the latter measure.) | (Within 24 hours and the next day are not the same thing. Now the government is focusing on the latter measure.) |
| Q: When do you think a useable vaccine might arrive? | Q: When do you think a useable vaccine might arrive? |
| Hancock says the Oxford vaccine is still at the front of the queue. | Hancock says the Oxford vaccine is still at the front of the queue. |
| It could arrive this year. But it is more likely to come early next year. | It could arrive this year. But it is more likely to come early next year. |
| He says, until the cavalry arrives (vaccines, mass testing and treatments), people must follow the social distancing rules. | He says, until the cavalry arrives (vaccines, mass testing and treatments), people must follow the social distancing rules. |
| Q: And if they don’t, how many people might die? | Q: And if they don’t, how many people might die? |
| Hancock says he does not know. | Hancock says he does not know. |
| And that’s it. The interview is over. | And that’s it. The interview is over. |
| Q: Dido Harding said up to 1m people might be asking for a test every day. How many are getting them? | Q: Dido Harding said up to 1m people might be asking for a test every day. How many are getting them? |
| Hancock says it is over 200,000. | Hancock says it is over 200,000. |
| Q: So just one in five? | Q: So just one in five? |
| Hancock says the number of people asking for tests has gone down this week. | Hancock says the number of people asking for tests has gone down this week. |
| Q: You said people had a duty to get a test. You said, if in doubt, people should get them. | Q: You said people had a duty to get a test. You said, if in doubt, people should get them. |
| Hancock says he meant if people were in doubt about their symptoms. | Hancock says he meant if people were in doubt about their symptoms. |
| He says 100,000 tests per day are going to care homes. It would be politically easier to give those tests to others, he says. | He says 100,000 tests per day are going to care homes. It would be politically easier to give those tests to others, he says. |
| Asked if the government is considering a further national lockdown, Hancock says he is not ruling it out. | Asked if the government is considering a further national lockdown, Hancock says he is not ruling it out. |
| Q: Death rates are very low. Are you over-reacting? | Q: Death rates are very low. Are you over-reacting? |
| No, says Hancock. He says death rates are a lagging indicator. | No, says Hancock. He says death rates are a lagging indicator. |
| He says you can compare the UK to two countries. One gives a warning, another gives hope. | He says you can compare the UK to two countries. One gives a warning, another gives hope. |
| Spain saw the number of cases going up. At first people said, like Marr, that death rates were not going up. But they are now. | Spain saw the number of cases going up. At first people said, like Marr, that death rates were not going up. But they are now. |
| Belgium took a different approach. He says, as soon as cases started rising, it brought in restrictions. | Belgium took a different approach. He says, as soon as cases started rising, it brought in restrictions. |
| Q: They weren’t very popular ... | Q: They weren’t very popular ... |
| Hancock says he is not interested in popularity. | Hancock says he is not interested in popularity. |
| Q: What about Sweden? | Q: What about Sweden? |
| Hancock says Sweden does not provide a better model. It did impose some rules. And people followed strict social distancing measures voluntarily. But it has still had a much higher death rate than its neighbouring countries. | Hancock says Sweden does not provide a better model. It did impose some rules. And people followed strict social distancing measures voluntarily. But it has still had a much higher death rate than its neighbouring countries. |
| Matt Hancock is now being interviewed by the BBC’s Andrew Marr. | Matt Hancock is now being interviewed by the BBC’s Andrew Marr. |
| Marr presses him on whether he would report on a neighbour breaking the rules. He points out that Boris Johnson ruled this out last week. Hancock initially stresses the fact that most people are following the rules, but when pressed he says he would report someone to the police. | Marr presses him on whether he would report on a neighbour breaking the rules. He points out that Boris Johnson ruled this out last week. Hancock initially stresses the fact that most people are following the rules, but when pressed he says he would report someone to the police. |
| This is what Matt Hancock told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday about the possibility of restrictions in London. | This is what Matt Hancock told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday about the possibility of restrictions in London. |
| In a statement issued on Friday Khan said he was “extremely concerned” about the “accelerating speed” of new Covid cases in London and that it was “increasingly likely” new restrictions would have to be imposed soon | In a statement issued on Friday Khan said he was “extremely concerned” about the “accelerating speed” of new Covid cases in London and that it was “increasingly likely” new restrictions would have to be imposed soon |
| Q: Do you have the stamina for the fight ahead? | Q: Do you have the stamina for the fight ahead? |
| Yes, says Hancock. He says incredibly motivated to do the right thing. | Yes, says Hancock. He says incredibly motivated to do the right thing. |
| He says he could increase the number of tests available for drive-through centres. But that would mean taking some away from care homes. He wants to do the right thing, he says. | He says he could increase the number of tests available for drive-through centres. But that would mean taking some away from care homes. He wants to do the right thing, he says. |
| He says in Belgium they were seeing a second wave. But they brought in new restrictions, essentially on socialising, and that enabled them to bring the second wave under control. | He says in Belgium they were seeing a second wave. But they brought in new restrictions, essentially on socialising, and that enabled them to bring the second wave under control. |
| He says “we can get through this - until the cavalry comes” in the form of mass testing, vaccines and treatments. | He says “we can get through this - until the cavalry comes” in the form of mass testing, vaccines and treatments. |
| And that’s it. The Hancock interview is over. | And that’s it. The Hancock interview is over. |
| Hancock says he is not apologising for the performance of NHS Test and Trace. He defends what staff have done. | Hancock says he is not apologising for the performance of NHS Test and Trace. He defends what staff have done. |
| Hancock says his officials are meeting today to consider the need for lockdown measures in London. He says he has discussed this with Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London. | Hancock says his officials are meeting today to consider the need for lockdown measures in London. He says he has discussed this with Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London. |
| Khan wants new restrictions imposed in the capital from as early as tomorrow. | Khan wants new restrictions imposed in the capital from as early as tomorrow. |
| UPDATE: See 9.20am for the full quote. | UPDATE: See 9.20am for the full quote. |