Labour MP unable to answer questions on party's lockdown policy

15 October 2020, 17:57 | Updated: 15 October 2020, 18:04

Labour MP unable to answer Eddie Mair's question on lockdown policy

By Fiona Jones

This is the moment Labour MP Karen Buck admitted she "could not answer" Eddie Mair's question on why Labour are opposing the tier system when tier three is similar to national lockdown.

Earlier this week the Prime Minister unveiled the region-specific three tier lockdown system with the Labour leader calling for a two week "circuit-breaker" national lockdown in response.

Eddie asked wich restrictions would be in place if the Labour party were successful in persuading the Government to enforce a national lockdown.

"My understanding of that is it would be close to the kind of the level that is Tier Three," said Ms Buck.

"You're saying to me the policy of your party is to have a nationwide [lockdown], something similar to Tier 3, why aren't you calling for that for London now?" Eddie asked Ms Buck.

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She started to respond about the Government but then Eddie clarified, "I'm asking about your party policy."

"I don't think I can answer that question," the Labour MP replied.

"As you've told me, you believe Labour's policy on a circuit breaker, which you'd like to see applied nationally, would be a bit like Tier Three. I'm just asking you therefore if that's good for the nation in your view, why isn't it good for London?" Eddie asked.

She said that her preference is to have a national response and will have to see if London benefits from being in Tier Two.