Starmer criticizes UK virus response

The man at the helm of the United Kingdom's opposition Labour Party has slammed the ruling Conservatives for moving too slowly, and for making serious mistakes, while responding to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Keir Starmer, who was elected last week to lead the party, said too few UK residents have been tested for the virus that causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease, something he says ministers must acknowledge and explain to the nation.

And he also questioned why some front-line medics have had difficulty accessing personal protective equipment, or PPE.

But, he said, under his leadership the Labour Party will not criticize the government for the sake of it, and will support British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's administration when appropriate.

He made the remarks in a column in the Sunday Times newspaper noting: "There will be many times when... I will fundamentally disagree with the prime minister. However, there will also be times when Labour can－and must－engage constructively with the government. Now is such a time. Coronavirus is a national emergency. It is also a global emergency. Everyone is anxious about what the next few months will bring, but we know we must be resolute in our determination to see this virus defeated, as it will be."

And he said he wanted the government to be successful in saving lives and protecting livelihoods.

He said: "All of us should be asking what more we can do" and noted that his party will help by exposing mistakes "to ensure that they are rectified as soon as possible".

Vaccination centers

Starmer also called on the government to build vaccination centers nationwide, so a vaccine can be administered as soon as one becomes available.

He also said, on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, that key workers, such as National Health Service medics, must be more highly valued in a post-pandemic world, and noted that wealthy people will have to pay additional tax, so they can be better-paid.

"What we can't do is go back to business as usual," he said. "We now know who the key workers are, they have very often been overlooked, underpaid and there has got to be a change."

Party members elected Starmer as their new leader in a landslide vote, following a leadership battle that was triggered by the resignation of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was crushed in a general election in December.