'I am absolutely fuming' - caller brands Labour abstention in Covid tier vote 'mistake'

1 December 2020, 20:47 | Updated: 1 December 2020, 20:57

'I am absolutely fuming, this is the biggest mistake Labour has ever done'

By EJ Ward

"I am absolutely fuming," this caller was raging over Labour abstaining from the Covid Tiers vote in Parliament.

After MPs backed the new system of coronavirus tiers for England Shaun from Consett called LBC to give his view.

Earlier Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a significant revolt from Conservative rebels to pass the restrictions.

Shaun told Iain Dale that he thought this was the "biggest mistake" Labour has ever made after the Party ordered its MPs not to vote on the matter, despite senior Tories having lined up to criticise the measures.

The caller said as a lifelong Labour supporter he thought this should have been the night to "kick the Tories into oblivion."

"But what happened? They abstained! That's wrong, they shouldn't do."

Branding the abstention a "joke" he said Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was "wrong."

Iain Dale branded it "interesting" that former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn defied the party whip and voted against the measures.

"He never used to like it when people defied his whips," Iain said, but caller Shaun said the ex-Labour leader was "right" do to that.

Caller says Labour Party is 'cowardly' for abstaining on tier system vote

The vote paves the way for 99% of England to enter the toughest Tier 2 and 3 restrictions when the second national lockdown ends on Wednesday.

The House of Commons voted by 291 votes to 78 - a Government majority of 213 - for the new restrictions.

The Labour whips suggested around 56 Tory MPs voted against the Government ahead of the voting lists being revealed by the Commons.