Boris Johnson rejects demand for urgent inquiry into government's handling of coronavirus pandemic

Starmer offers Labour support for 'un-lockdown', saying PM trying to do right thing

Boris Johnson has rejected demands for an urgent independent inquiry into his government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis.

The prime minister was challenged to call an inquiry by Liberal Democrat acting leader Ed Davey, but insisted it would not currently be “a good use of official time”.

The clash came as MPs debated the prime minister’s dramatic relaxation of lockdown measures in England from 4 July.

The changes, which allow pubs, restaurants and cafes to reopen and cut the two-metre social distancing rule to “one-metre plus”, were given a rapturous reception in the House of Commons by Tory MPs who queued up to invite the PM to visit venues in their constituencies.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that Mr Johnson was “trying to do the right thing” and said his party would back the government in implementing the moves. He said parliament had to recognise the “risks of inaction” if businesses were kept closed and families apart.

But he warned: “Any unlocking carries risks. It has to phased, managed and carefully planned. It needs to be based on scientific evidence, properly communicated, accompanied by robust track and trace systems.

“And there must be support for local councils and communities to respond quickly and decisively if there any fresh outbreaks.”

Sir Keir warned that Labour continued to have “very serious concerns” about the NHS test and trace system, particularly the failure to develop a smartphone app which would alert people if they had been in close contact with someone who had tested positive.

Davey told MPs that it was time to “learn the lessons” from the government’s widely-criticised response to the outbreak.

The acting Lib Dem leader called on Mr Johnson to “urgently set up an independent inquiry into the Government’s handling of this pandemic”

But Mr Johnson replied: “I’m sure there will come a moment where lessons need to be learned, we’re learning them indeed the whole time, but I do not consider at the moment, that a full-scale national inquiry is a good use of official time.”

The Scottish National Party’s leader in Westminster Ian Blackford noted that the relaxations do not apply north of the border and said that public safety should remain the government’s top priority.

“The virus has not gone away,” said Mr Blackford. “The margins for ensuring the virus does not take off again remain tight.

“Keeping people safe remains the first priority. We cannot put a price on human life.”

Mr Johnson responded: “He is right to express the caution that he does, he’s right to anticipate the risk of second spikes.

“And that is, I’m afraid, that we will see future outbreaks and I must be absolutely clear with the House about that.

“We will see future outbreaks and we will be in a much better position now to control those outbreaks.”

The PM agreed with Tory backbencher Gareth Johnson, who said people should “do their patriotic best for Britain” by going to the pub.

“Yes I want to see people out in the shops – it is a fantastic thing to see,”he said. “Yes I want to see people taking advantage of hospitality again, a wonderful thing.

“Yes I want to see people enjoying friends and family again but they’ve got to do it in a responsible way and observing social distancing.”

Mr Johnson told Hove MP Peter Kyle to “show some guts” after he pressed the prime minister on how destination communities like the south coast resort can be kept safe as restrictions are eased.

Mr Kyle said: “There will be people who will be meeting and drinking on places like the seafront and in parks where it will be impossible to get the names and addresses of every customer.

“There will be other pinch points where lots of people from various destinations will be rubbing up against each other.

“What will (the prime minister) do in the absence of the promised app to make sure that these communities are destinations for investment and not destinations for Covid?”

Mr Johnson responded: “I think I will be calling on local representatives such as himself to show some guts and determination and to champion their communities as venues for people to return to and to support.”