James O'Brien's instant reaction to "surreal" moment in PMQs
23 September 2020, 13:39 | Updated: 23 September 2020, 13:44
James O'Brien's instant review of PMQs
James O'Brien and LBC's political editor Theo Usherwood give their instant reaction to today's Prime Minister's Questions.
Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer faced each other at Prime Minister's Questions one day after tough new coronavirus restrictions were imposed on the country.
In the Commons, the pair had a fierce clash over the adequacy of the test and trace system with the Prime Minister insisting the opposition should stop "blaming the NHS."
This then launched into a debate over the lack of available tests, with Sir Keir accusing the PM of having a "poor defence" after stating the the testing system cannot cope with children going back to school.
Mr Johnson responded that there would be a test capacity of 500,000 per day by the end of October.
Starmer: Testing system cannot cope with children going back to school
Boris Johnson was also urged to continue the furlough scheme beyond the end of October in the light of the new coronavirus restrictions.
Sir Keir said “health measures and economic measures are now dangerously out of sync” and called on the Government to “support the businesses affected.”
But Mr Johnson insisted that the Government was supporting businesses and that they “want to depress the virus but keep pupils in school and keep our economy moving.”
Sir Keir’s calls were backed by SNP leader Ian Blackford, who called for "an immediate extension, no half-measures" to the scheme.
Govt to introduce creative and imaginative schemes to help the economy
Read more: PMQs: Boris faces calls to extend furlough beyond end of October
