Labour leader has called for a “national
consensus” on how Britain tackles the next phase of the
coronavirus crisis.
In a statement ahead of talks with the Prime Minister later
this week, announces that Labour will
support an extension of lockdown measures.
He says: “Our priority is protecting the public’s health
and saving lives. That is why we supported the lockdown and again
support the restrictions staying in place at this time.”
The Labour leader has announced the seven “core principles”
that should be considered by the Government as part of its
planning for what happens next:
· Keeping
people
safe by enforcing a
‘national safety standard’ for
businesses, schools and other public services to show
that they are safe to use and work in. This standard should be
developed and delivered in consultation with business groups,
trade unions and other relevant organisations.
The Government should also address the TUC’s concerns about
the draft back to work guidelines, including ensuring clear
enforcement for these standards and requiring businesses to
publish individual risk assessments.
· Mass
expansion of community testing and
tracing by stating when the Government
will hit its daily testing target of 250,000 and recruiting
50,000 people as contact tracers, alongside the use of any
workable apps and technology. For tracing to be effective, the
Government should set an ambitious target for tracing. For
example, the proportion of the contacts of all confirmed cases
they will be tracing within 24 hours.
· Protect
key and essential workers by publishing
a national plan to ensure supply chains are developed that
guarantee personal protective equipment and facial covering to
those who need it. Additional support should also be made
available to protect staff’s physical and mental
wellbeing.
· Support
people’s livelihoods, jobs and
businesses by introducing bespoke
support for people and industries facing significant challenges,
such as the hospitality sector, the self-employed and
unemployed.
Ministers should urgently make the existing furlough more
flexible to manage people’s gradual return to full and part-time
work. The Government should also take further action to address
and support people who are being disproportionately affected,
including older people and the BAME
community.
· Structured
approach to easing and tightening
restrictions. Any easing of restrictions
should have advance warning to allow planning and be done in
conjunction with all nations, regions, local authorities and
elected mayors. To
maintain public confidence and safety, the Government should be
clear that it would rapidly reintroduce targeted restrictions
where necessary, should R increase towards one, and spell out how
it would do it.
· National
vaccines plan setting out how the
Government intends to ensure the manufacture and distribution of
any resulting vaccine. This plan should include the steps we need
to take to develop the capacity and infrastructure required to
deliver a vaccine when it is ready.
· Preparations
for winter flu. Ministers must urgently
publish a national plan for the winter flu season. Flu vaccines
can take up to six months to produce. This year’s flu season is
likely to put the NHS under huge strain. Early planning is
therefore essential.
In a statement ahead of talks with the Prime Minister
this week, said:
“We want to support the Government to get this right and
that is why we need a national consensus on what happens
next.
“Our priority is protecting the public’s health and saving
lives. That is why we supported the lockdown and again support
the restrictions staying in place at this time. However, we need
to be honest with the public about the challenges ahead. We are
in this for the long haul. It is imperative that the Government
is properly planning for what happens next and properly
supporting our NHS and social care services.
“Mistakes were made at the beginning of this crisis. The
Government was slow to implement the lockdown, slow on testing
and slow to get PPE to frontline workers. We need to learn from
those mistakes.
“Labour is setting out seven core principles that need to
be considered by the Government to ensure public services,
businesses and people are supported and kept safe. People rightly
need confidence it’s safe before they go back out to work, travel
or use public services.
“When I was elected leader, I promised to act in the
national interest and I meant it. Over the coming days and
weeks, I will work constructively with the
Government on these proposals to ensure we have the best possible
response to this crisis.”
