Inside Politics: Keir Starmer puts Boris Johnson under pressure with lockdown call

The Labour leader gets out in front of the prime minister, who is thought to be considering a short ‘circuit breaker’ for England, writes Adam Forrest

Labour leader Keir Starmer called for the government to be more transparent about its decisions (Getty Images)

The Covid crisis hasn’t shut down our escapist fantasies. Filming has resumed on the new Batman movie in Liverpool – with Robert Pattison seen on the streets as the superhero, despite the city’s real-life restrictions. Keir Starmer has taken the bold step of asking us to imagine an alternative reality: one in which he heroically rescues the country from rising infections. The Labour leader says he would impose a national “circuit breaker” lockdown if he was in charge. Critics say Starmer is more Captain Hindsight than caped crusader. But others are enjoying the idea of a knight, rather than a joker, at No 10.

Inside the bubble

Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for today:

As the three-tier system of Covid curbs takes effect, Keir Starmer will face Boris Johnson at PMQs – with the Labour leader likely to repeat his demand for a “circuit breaker” lockdown. Later Johnson will speak to Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, ahead of Thursday's summit of EU leaders. Oliver Dowden, the culture secretary, will be quizzed by the culture select committee.

Daily briefing

BLEAK MIDWINTER: Fortune favours the bold, they say. Keir Starmer has shattered the uneasy political consensus over Covid – calling for a full “circuit breaker” lockdown in England of two to three weeks. The Labour leader believes current measures are “not working”, telling the nation: “We could sleep walk into a long a bleak winter”. Addressing Boris Johnson directly, he said: “You can’t keep delaying this – act now, break the cycle.” Starmer appears to be calculating the PM will have to impose a short lockdown, so better to get ahead of it. According to The Telegraph, the Johnson is indeed considering a two-week circuit breaker if new measures aren’t effective, and will decided at the end of next week ahead of half-term. Johnson attempted to reassure anxious Conservatives at 1922 committee on Tuesday (he made a joke about the rule of six being a “good excuse to avoid the in laws”), but it didn’t stop 42 Tory MPs voting against the pub curfew.

GUIDED BY VOICES: Apparently, Johnson told his own MPs that Labour are all “over the place” at the moment. But it’s the Tories who appear hopelessly divided. MP Chris Green spoke up for the Tory rebels who loathe current restrictions – quitting his role as a government PPS and claiming the “cure is worse than the disease”. But there are some Tories concerned that ministers aren’t listening to the scientists. Ex-health secretary Jeremy Hunt called on the government to “change tack” if current restrictions aren’t enough. His successor Matt Hancock insisted the government was still “guided by science”. Hancock also made the bizarre boast that our test and trace system is the envy of the world. “When I talk to my international colleagues they ask the question, ‘How did you manage to build this capacity so fast?’ … That is the truth of it.” The head of the vaccine task force has a depressing truth bomb for us: a coronavirus vaccine is only likely to be 50 per cent effective. Kate Bingham said it would probably only be as effective as the flu vaccine.  

BUDGETING FOR THE WORST: Johnson is to holding further talks with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen today – the eve of his self-imposed deadline for the “outline” of a Brexit trade deal. Despite recent optimism, that outline is not forthcoming. Ireland’s government is taking a glass-half-empty approach to its 2021 Budget, basing it on the assumption of a no-deal outcome (which would cut Irish growth by an estimated 3 per cent). Elsewhere, German chancellor Angela Merkel suggested Brussels would have to be more realistic in compromising on fishing rights – saying a deal had to be “in British interests as well as the interests of the 27-member EU”. The bloc’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier, meanwhile, told a meeting of foreign ministers that both sides would have to have “show domestic public audiences that they had won something on fishing”. Are the French ready to erase some of their red lines?

CASTLES MADE OF SAND: A government minister has managed to infuriate business groups even more than usual, after accusing British firms of taking a “head in the sand approach” to the end of the Brexit transition period. Cabinet Office minister Lord Agnew said traders “really must engage in a more energetic way” to get ready for the coming changes. The head of the Food and Drink Federation (FDA) in Scotland called Lord Agnew comments “outrageous”, while his FDA colleague down south said the remarks were not “accurate or helpful”. While the prospect of border chaos now only two-and-a-half months away, government hopes the ferries can help sort it all out. Four ferry firms have been given contracts worth £78m to boost post-Brexit freight capacity. The Department for Transport said it would ensure a smooth flow of goods “whatever the outcome of negotiations with the EU”.

PASTY PIECE OF WORK: Communities secretary Robert Jenrick has helped the nation define dinner. He said Cornish pasties may be considered a “proper meal” – so long as they are served with chips. If follows confusion over which pubs can stay open in Tier 3 zones (they’re allowed to avoid closure if they serve sit-down meals). “A substantial meal is ... what you would expect to have as a midday meal or an evening meal,” Jenrick told LBC Radio. The minister tried to make it even clearer. “It would be like a main course, rather than, say, a packet of crisps … a plated meal of a Cornish pasty with chips.” Jenrick and his ministerial colleagues may have to cut down on the slap-up meals. No 10 announced that ministers will have their salaries frozen this year, giving them around £4,000 less than expected. Dominic Cummings might have to cut back a bit too. He and his family are reportedly liable for council tax on two properties built at his family’s farm in the northeast. The Northern Echo claimed the amount written off could total up to £50,000.

SUBURBAN GOTHIC: Donald Trump called his rival Joe Biden a “bad guy” and a “dummy” at his latest campaign rally in Pennsylvania. “Can you imagine if you lose to a guy like this?” (That’s what we’re hoping for, Donald). The Republican brushed off Biden’s poll lead, but Trump is clearly following the latest surveys – making a bizarre appeal to one of the key groups he’s been losing in recent months. “So can I ask you to do me a favour? Suburban women, will you please like me? I saved your damn neighbourhood.” Biden spoke to a group of senior citizens in Florida – the crucial state where his poll lead is only 4 points – telling them that Trump thinks they’re “expendable”. Meanwhile Twitter has suspended fake accounts purporting to be from by black supporters of Trump. Many of the accounts used identical phrases, including: “YES IM BLACK AND IM VOTING FOR TRUMP!!!”

On the record

“We had whack-a-mole, a fairground game but it was never a strategy. It was just a soundbite from the circus ring showman.”

Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth on the PM’s failed act.

From the Twitterati

“This is the biggest gamble of Keir Starmer’s leadership so far.”

The FT’s Jim Pickard thinks the Labour leader’s call for a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown is a risk...

“Circuit breaker has such a scalextric vibe about it. And for that reason, it has my full and unconditional support.”

…but nostalgic author Francisco Garcia thinks it’s a great idea.  

Essential reading

Vince Cable, The Independent: How Boris Johnson could lose his ‘red wall’ seats

Femi Oluwole, The Independent: Why Britain’s ‘all or nothing’ response to Covid isn’t working

Katy Balls, The Spectator: Inside Boris Johnson’s Zoom call with Tory MPs

Aaron Rupar, Vox: Trump’s pandemic rallies shows how little he’s learned about the virus

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