Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Science & Tech
  2. Coronavirus
15 April 2020updated 06 Oct 2020 9:45am

Government rejects Starmer’s calls for coronavirus exit strategy publication

By Samuel Horti

The government has rejected calls from Labour leader Keir Starmer to publish a coronavirus lockdown exit strategy this week. 

Starmer had written to foreign secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to ask that the government publish its lockdown strategy this week so that the document can be scrutinised and debated in public. But the prime minister’s spokesman said today that it would be a mistake to begin a national conversation about leaving the lockdown until the virus peak had passed. The spokesman added that Whitehall officials were carrying out “extensive work” on an exit strategy.

New Statesman political editor Stephen Bush believes Starmer is right to push for a debate on the UK’s lockdown strategy – you can read why here.

Content from our partners
<strong>What you need to know about private markets </strong>
Work isn't working: how to boost the nation's health and happiness
The dementia crisis: a call for action