A sign in a shop window in the centre of Leicester after the Health Secretary Matt Hancock imposed a local lockdown following a spike in coronavirus cases in the city
LABOUR sounded the alarm today over fears that councils will be unable to safely lift Leicester-style local coronavirus lockdowns for months on end due to lack of cash and resources.
Sir Keir Starmer warned that any imposed local lockdowns could stretch on for “months and months and months” due to local authorities’ financial “black holes” — collectively amounting to £10 billion — and a lack of an effective contact-tracing system.
Speaking to the Local Government Association annual conference, taking place online, the Labour leader called for councils to be given extra powers to enforce local lockdown regulations.
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