PMQ: Continued Tension over COVID-19 Plans
The PMQ this week centered around the recently announced COVID-19 recovery plan. Starmer drew the House’s attention to one specific issue with the plan, “the decision [...] not to provide sector-specific support to those most at risk.” Johnson became defensive of the plan declaring that Starmer had to “work out if he’s going to support or oppose the government’s program to get people back into work.” Starmer responded honestly: “This is just such rhetorical nonsense. It is perfectly proper and right for the Opposition to set out the parts of the package that we support of the government and to highlight where there are problems.”
The Labour Leader then brought attention to the fact that in the time since Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, laid out the economic recovery plan, 10,000 have lost their jobs. Starmer boldly stated that the Prime Minister should “focus on them, not the rhetoric” in reference to Johnson’s continued tendency to attack Starmer’s position.
Starmer then pivoted to a discussion of a recently published report which had “assessed the reasonable worst-case scenario for this autumn and winter including a second COVID spike and seasonal flu” and that had “set out strong recommended actions to mitigate the risks.” Starmer asked if the government was to implement these actions “in full and at speed.” Johnson did not give a clear response to the Labour leader’s question, rather drawing the House’s attention to the Conservative Party’s investment in the NHS and preexisting infrastructure. Visibly to Johnson’s dismay, Starmer pushed further on this topic, inquiring about if the government would implement one specific and crucial recommendation of the report: an expansion of the test-and-trace system. Johnson, again, swerved around Starmer’s question, rather praising the preexisting system and refusing to acknowledge the dire need and science-backed evidence for its expansion. The back and forth continued between a seemingly deflated Starmer and a strong-willed Johnson. The Prime Minister remarked that “it is up to [Starmer] whether to get behind what the government is doing or not,” to which the Leader of the Opposition responded that he is perfectly capable of supporting the government’s plans while pointing out where they can improve.
The PMQ then moved into questions from SNP Leader in the House of Commons, Ian Blackford, and other MPs from around the UK.