And now the main event, Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer:
Starmer opens with more generous words for Tom Moore and a tribute to the NHS, describes the vaccination as ‘remarkable’.
Starmer asks the PM on the South African variant and the lack of border closure.
Johnson denies SAGE advice for border closures, clarifies travel restrictions from South Africa.
Starmer challenges the PM to publish SAGE advice in full. “We know the South African variant is spreading across England”.
Johnson accuses Starmer of undermining border restrictions in the past. States that much of the UK’s supply lines rely on an open border.
Starmer calls Johnson’s comments “complete nonsense”.
“Our schools are shut and our borders are open.” - Starmer.
Starmer clarifies his question and calls for the government to secure the border to prevent further waves.
“Why does the Prime Minister think that the variants of the virus would behave differently and only arrive by direct flights?”
Johnson says Starmer “can’t have it both ways.” Before clarifying the stringent travel restrictions. Lambasts Starmer for wanting to remain in the EU vaccination scheme.
“Nonsense.” Snaps Starmer, before accusing the PM of using pre-prepared ‘gags’. “The truth escapes him.”
Starmer changes track and asks the PM about cladding, in the legacy of the Grenfell disaster. Asks why hundreds of thousands of people still live with insecure cladding.
Johnson hangs on the last question and tells Starmer to ‘consult YouTube’. On cladding, the PM agrees with the problem, mumbling as he vaguely discusses ‘work under way’ to resolve the issue.
Starmer challenges the efficacy of the government response. References a doctor in Sheffield who has to pay a £52,000 bill for cladding repairs and a 27-year old who went bankrupt after a similar bill.
Johnson expresses regret for those effected, pledges funding to replace insecure cladding and build safe buildings. He then boasts about the 10M vaccinated against COVID-19 and throws a few light jabs at Labour before the Speaker intervenes.
