British Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday said Covid-19 infections were rising in London and elsewhere, but that his government’s approach to controlling the spread of the virus was still the right one.
“The local and regional approach combined with the national measures remains correct,” Johnson told parliament, when asked why infections continued to rise in areas where local lockdown measures have been put in place.
Analysis presented in parliament by the opposition Labour Party showed that infection rates had risen in 19 out of 20 areas in England that are subject to additional lockdown measures.
Johnson’s strategy over the summer, when new nationwide infections were in the low hundreds per day, was to try to shut down localised outbreaks while reopening the wider economy.
On Tuesday, Britain reported more than 15,000 new infections.
The analysis showed that in Wigan, northwest England, the infection rate, measured as the number of confirmed cases per 100,000 population, had risen by 3,653% since a local lockdown was first imposed on July 30, increasing to 225 from six.
Increases in the other areas were between 13% and 2,241%, Labour’s data showed.
The prime minister must set out the scientific evidence behind the introduction of further lockdown measures, Labour leader Keir Starmer said, hinting his party could vote against implementing the 10pm hospitality curfew if the government fails to provide more evidence.
Starmer said the country was owed an explanation of the rationale behind key restrictions. “The prime minister can’t explain why an area goes into restrictions. He can’t explain what the different restrictions are, and he can’t explain how restrictions end. This is getting ridiculous,” he said.
“Next week this house will vote on whether to approve the 10pm rule. One question is now screaming out: is there a scientific basis for the 10pm rule? If there is then why doesn’t the government do itself a favour and publish it? And if not why doesn’t the government review the rule?”
He said the government should “commit to publishing the scientific basis for the 10pm rule before this house votes on it next Monday”.
More than a dozen Tory MPs have signalled they could also withhold support for approving the curfew, meaning the regulation could lapse if the government loses the vote next week.
“The prime minister really needs to understand that local communities are angry and frustrated. So will he level with the people of Bury, Burnley and Bolton and tell them what does he actually think the problem is here?” Starmer said.