Bad news for your estranged uncle
Keir Starmer has said he is willing to work with the government to pass legislation to deal with anti-vaccine campaigners, as Covid cases soar across the UK.
Prime minister Boris Johnson announced a new lockdown across England on Monday night, as another 58,784 people tested positive in the whole of the UK.
With two forms of a vaccine being rolled out, there is light at the end of the tunnel. But anti-vax campaigns remain a dangerous obstacle in convincing some people to take a vaccine.
Last week, a protest was staged outside a hospital in London, with demonstrators chanting ‘Covid is a hoax’, a sight that brought NHS staff to tears.
Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Tuesday morning, Labour leader Keir Starmer said: “We have to deal with the anti-vax campaigns because they will cost lives.”
“If we need to pass emergency legislation to deal with them, I’ll be quite happy to work with the government on that. We could pass it in a couple of days in parliament.
“For many NHS staff, it is really distressing. They’re under huge pressure, and it’s been building over the last few weeks and months.
“To come out and have to confront that, or even hear that, is against the national interest.
“If we need legislation, I’ll sit down with Boris Johnson, we can draft it, we can pass it very quickly.”
'They will cost lives.'
Leader of the Labour Party @Keir_Starmer tells @piersmorgan and @susannareid100 that he would be prepared to work with the govt to 'pass emergency legislation to deal with anti-vaccine campaigns'
Watch GMB 👉 https://t.co/yyUUJmzswF pic.twitter.com/UDLPjPD7yl
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 5, 2021
“That misinformation will cost lives,” he added.
“We need as many people vaccinated as possible, we all need to give people confidence to be vaccinated. That is pulling together and it is also dealing with this misinformation that is out there, which will cost lives.”
New lockdown restrictions in England mean takeaway pints have now been banned, just in case you were looking for more bad news.
The only reasons to leave the house include:
There are only five exemptions to the lockdown restrictions:
- For key workers, or for those where home working isn’t possible such as in construction
- Essential shop visits for food and medicine
- One exercise per day, to be done locally
- For those providing care for vulnerable people
- To attend medical appointments or to receive medical care
Those under threat of harm or violence may also leave their location in search of help.
