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With Britain suffering from one of the highest rates of COVID
deaths in the world and struggling to reduce a spiralling
increase in the number of cases, Starmer renewed his criticism
of Johnson by saying he "simply isn't up to the job".
The British government has warned that hospitals could soon
struggle to treat the rising number of cases if people do not
follow the restrictions, a message Starmer also took up by
calling on everyone "to come together".
"The indecision and delays of the prime minister cost lives and
they cost people's jobs," Starmer said in a speech.
"The British people will forgive many things. They know the
pandemic is difficult. But they also know serial incompetence
when they see it – and they know when a prime minister simply
isn't up to the job."
Johnson has faced criticism from all sides over the spread of
coronavirus, with even some in his governing Conservative Party
taking aim at his seeming reluctance to introduce tougher
measures quickly to curb a surge in infections.
Starmer also said he wanted the government to protect more
people's money as a new lockdown bites by stopping council tax
rises, preventing any cut to welfare payments, extending a ban
on evictions and by handing key workers a pay rise.
But he backed the government's vaccine programme, which
ministers want to offer people in the four highest risk levels,
including those over 70, the most clinically vulnerable and
frontline health workers, the shots by Feb. 15.
"I hope they do. Let's hold them to that, and let's help them
with that," Starmer said.
"But then we must deliver even more and double that target in
February."
(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper)
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