UK was too slow to act on COVID-19 initially, opposition Labour leader says

By Kylie MacLellan

 

A person in a protective suit near St James' Park as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Newcastle, Britain, April 15, 2020. REUTERS/Lee Smith

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain was initially too slow to respond to the novel coronavirus outbreak and did not learn quickly enough from other countries, opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said on Wednesday.

 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson initially refrained from approving the stringent controls that other European leaders imposed but then closed down the country when projections showed a quarter of a million people could die in the United Kingdom.

 

So far, more than 12,000 people with COVID-19 have died in British hospitals, though new official data indicates the true death toll could be much larger.

 

“I think that some of the decisions made in the last few weeks were too slow and didn’t learn quickly enough from other countries, let’s not repeat that,” Starmer told BBC Radio.

 

Starmer, a 57-year-old former prosecutor who won the leadership of the Labour Party earlier this month, is calling on the British government to publish its exit strategy from lockdown restrictions.

 

Governments around the world are grappling with how to reverse measures put in place to contain the outbreak and which are battering the global economy. Several European countries have announced plans or already begun to relax restrictions.

 

Starmer said mass testing was likely to play a big role in any exit strategy and the government needed to put the necessary planning, investment and infrastructure in place early.

 

Foreign minister Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Johnson while he recovers from COVID-19, said on Monday he did not expect to make any changes to the restrictions for now. They are due to be reviewed on Thursday.

 

Starmer said Labour supported extending the measures in Britain but that to “maintain morale and hope”, the public needed to have an idea of what is coming next.

 

“Overcoming this crisis requires taking the British public with you,” Starmer said. “The government needs to be open and transparent... The silent pressures on communities across the country cannot be underestimated.”

 

A British government source said all decisions would be guided by scientific advice and data.

 

“Talk of an exit strategy before we have reached the peak risks confusing the critical message that people need to stay at home in order to protect our NHS (National Health Service) and save lives,” the source said.

 

The government promised on Wednesday to test all residents and employees of nursing homes who have COVID-19 symptoms after official data showed the death toll from the pandemic was far higher when the elderly in care were included.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-15

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18 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Britain was initially too slow to respond to the novel corona-virus outbreak and did not learn quickly enough from other countries, opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said.

???? ???? ???? what another comedian, ask him where Gordon Brown put the gold.

2 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

 

“I think that some of the decisions made in the last few weeks were too slow and didn’t learn quickly enough from other countries, let’s not repeat that,” Starmer told BBC Radio.

to a degree he has point .. Even into March the buzzword was herd immunity with an acceptance a lot of the population would contract it .. Mass gatherings like the Cheltenham horse racing festival's went ahead , Boris was pic'ed in close proximity with all the Cab' and social distancing was embryonic .. 

It was after the report by epidermatologist's at Imperial College London in early March who presented a picture that suggested a similar situation to the one that Italy was experiencing and what Spain would also suffer a little later would also happen in Britain .. The scramble to change course was fairly swift after that .. When this is all over there should be questions asked about the original direction the Gov' were taking the country in .. 

This Tory government has killed more British citizens in 4 weeks than the IRA, ISIS and the Taliban did in years.

Start as you mean to go on, Keir, talking nonsense from the sidelines in an attempt to score points by criticizing the government's efforts after the events unfolded. You really should go back to trying to overturn the results of Democratic votes because you think you know better than the electorate.

 

On the bright side, the silver spoon Lawyer Sir Keir will guarantee Labour stay irrelevant for a few more years, especially with brilliant minds like Jess Phillips in his shadow cabinet ????.

Would have been so much better with Corby and Abbot at the helm....with her math skills, could be anywhere between 30 and 30 million infected...

Dear God, please spare us from second guessers !

1 hour ago, DPKANKAN said:

Just another slimeball who has got away with so much and now is a party leader!!! Incredible!!????????????????????????????????

OK, what has he got away with? 

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Start as you mean to go on, Keir, talking nonsense from the sidelines in an attempt to score points by criticizing the government's efforts after the events unfolded. You really should go back to trying to overturn the results of Democratic votes because you think you know better than the electorate.

 

On the bright side, the silver spoon Lawyer Sir Keir will guarantee Labour stay irrelevant for a few more years, especially with brilliant minds like Jess Phillips in his shadow cabinet ????.

It's difficult to criticise anyone's actions, even a government's, before they have taken that action! As leader of the opposition it is his job, nay responsibility, to criticise the government where he believes such criticism is warrented. 

 

People from all parts of the political spectrum in the UK are making similar comments. 

 

As for the silver spoon you mention; tell us, where did this son of a nurse and a toolmaker obtain such? 

15 hours ago, Surelynot said:

 IRA, ISIS and the Taliban

Interesting list, sounds like the type of groups many of the labor party would share a stage with!!!!

22 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

OK, what has he got away with? 

Can you not read.? Look and find out about his previous work and senior positions and his lack of acting in roles he was supposed to do! Look at his new appointments!! ????????????????

38 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

It's difficult to criticise anyone's actions, even a government's, before they have taken that action! As leader of the opposition it is his job, nay responsibility, to criticise the government where he believes such criticism is warrented. 

 

People from all parts of the political spectrum in the UK are making similar comments. 

 

As for the silver spoon you mention; tell us, where did this son of a nurse and a toolmaker obtain such? 

Oh yeah, "Sir Keir" is a real man of the people, a millionaire who attended a fee paying Grammar school as a child, then studied as a Lawyer at Oxford University and now a knight of the realm, living in a 1.75 Million pound pad in Camden while co-owing a 600k pad in Surrey. The quintessential North London Champagne Socialist. I'm sure the average Northern Labour voter has loads in common with this guy. Saying his father was a toolmaker is like Bill Gates' son saying his Dad is a software developer, technically correct but still misleading.

 

It's actually very easy to criticize someone's policy before the effects of that policy become clear. Starmer is sniping from the sidelines, waiting to see what unfolds and then using 20:20 hindsight to score cheap political points. He'd better get used to being in opposition, Labour are a shambles. David Lammy, Jess Phillips, Emily Thornberry and Rebecca Long Bailey in his shadow cabinet, it's like a bad dream ????.

 

 

 

 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

UK was too slow to act on COVID-19 initially, opposition Labour leader says

What else was he going to say? Totally predictable. 

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“I think that some of the decisions made in the last few weeks were too slow and didn’t learn quickly enough from other countries, let’s not repeat that,” Starmer told BBC Radio.

Correct. 

44 minutes ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

What else was he going to say? Totally predictable. 

Yeah, like he was going to tell them it was a cracking effort!

Interesting list, sounds like the type of groups many of the labor party would share a stage with!!!!

 

 

 

 

Resulting in the Good Friday agreement you mean instead of the interminable mayhem the Tories would have invited?

A post with a playing golf conspiracy theory has been removed.

 

A post using a video from a comedy show has been removed as a comedy show is not a credible source of news. 

 

 

A post commenting on moderation has been removed. 

2 hours ago, 7by7 said:

OK, what has he got away with? 

 

2 hours ago, DPKANKAN said:

Can you not read.? Look and find out about his previous work and senior positions and his lack of acting in roles he was supposed to do! Look at his new appointments!! ????????????????

So you are calling him a 'slimeball' because of his professional performance! Yes, he has attracted criticism, especially for his support of the police when he was Attorney General. 

 

But anyone in public office should expect their performance of that office to be criticised. Though you seem to believe Boris is above such! 

 

Speaking of slimeballs, what about Boris? 

 

Left his first wife to marry his pregnant mistress. Had several affairs whilst married to her, some of which resulted in abortions or the birth of his illegitimate children. Finally kicked her out and moved his current mistress in! 

 

Slimeball or gentleman? 

@JonnyF,

Yes, he did attend Reigate Grammar School. He entered when it was a state funded school by passing his 11 plus. When state grammar schools were offered the choice of becoming state funded comprehensives or fee paying independents, the places of pupils already at those which opted for the latter continued to be funded by the state. 

 

Yes, after gaining his law degree from Leeds he did do post graduate work at Oxford. 

 

Toolmakers are highly skilled tradespeople and as such command higher than average wages. But to compare their income to that of Bill Gates is pure desperation on your part. 

 

Sir Kier was not born a Knight. He was made one by David Cameron in 2014. 

 

Compare his life, education, income etc. with Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. Who really has the silver spoon? 

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

On the bright side, the silver spoon Lawyer Sir Keir will guarantee Labour stay irrelevant for a few more years, especially with brilliant minds like Jess Phillips in his shadow cabinet ????.

Who would you suggest are the people of genuine ability in the current cabinet? Sunak looks like he actually might be up to the job, which wasn't really why he was chosen. What other talents do you see? Priti Patel went into hiding for weeks and then couldn't even read the numbers in front of her. Just as well that wasn't Diane Abbott.

35 minutes ago, 7by7 said:

Left his first wife to marry his pregnant mistress. Had several affairs whilst married to her, some of which resulted in abortions or the birth of his illegitimate children. Finally kicked her out and moved his current mistress in! 

They say he refused to educate his kids at home during lockdown as he was worried about contravening laws on class size.

18 hours ago, Surelynot said:

This Tory government has killed more British citizens in 4 weeks than the IRA, ISIS and the Taliban did in years.

 

Idiotic comment of the year award goes too...........................................

 

Are you a Momentum fan?

1 minute ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Idiotic comment of the year award goes too...........................................

 

Are you a Momentum fan?

Only April........plenty of time yet

Labour fell apart at the last election- too slow to identify the will of the people

 

'Sniping from the sidelines' with hindsight, as a previous poster noted, is a poor effort on the long road back to regain integrity

1 hour ago, KhaoNiaw said:

<snip>

Priti Patel went into hiding for weeks and then couldn't even read the numbers in front of her. Just as well that wasn't Diane Abbott.

Plus Cummings has kept Rees-Mogg well out of public view after his insensitive remarks about Grenfell during the election campaign. 

let's make everybody panic and give an enormous number of deaths and 2 weeks later, after the lockdown, you divide that by a factor of 20, but still don't go back to normal

 

old & sick people should be LOCKED DOWN, not the economy, not the healthy

7 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

let's make everybody panic and give an enormous number of deaths and 2 weeks later, after the lockdown, you divide that by a factor of 20, but still don't go back to normal

 

old & sick people should be LOCKED DOWN, not the economy, not the healthy

What makes you think this is not part of the plan when the spread of the virus is slowed - by lock down - and the NHS is in a position to cope with a steady flow rather than a massive spike?

Johnson did act too slowly. He could see what was happening in Italy the same as the rest of us. What had already happened in China. What was unfolding in Spain.

When he should have been stockpiling the stuff we would need he did nothing.

When he should have been introducing the lockdown he was talking about herd immunity, taking it on the chin and singing happy birthday. Slogans rather than action. Johnson has made a career out of that.

 

Johnson says he owes the NHS his life. He also owes it 350 million pounds a week.

3 hours ago, 7by7 said:

 

So you are calling him a 'slimeball' because of his professional performance! Yes, he has attracted criticism, especially for his support of the police when he was Attorney General. 

 

But anyone in public office should expect their performance of that office to be criticised. Though you seem to believe Boris is above such! 

 

Speaking of slimeballs, what about Boris? 

 

Left his first wife to marry his pregnant mistress. Had several affairs whilst married to her, some of which resulted in abortions or the birth of his illegitimate children. Finally kicked her out and moved his current mistress in! 

 

Slimeball or gentleman? 

Jesus!! You need to get out more.????????????????. Stop reading biased media hype and go in search of facts. 

"I rest my case m'lord". ????????????????

2 hours ago, 473geo said:

Labour fell apart at the last election- too slow to identify the will of the people

 

'Sniping from the sidelines' with hindsight, as a previous poster noted, is a poor effort on the long road back to regain integrity

The will of one third of the people, to be more correct.