PMQs: Johnson insists public understand Covid rules and accuses Starmer of 'sniping from the sidelines'
Video report by ITV News Political Correspondent Libby Wiener
Boris Johnson has insisted the British public understands the UK's varying coronavirus restrictions, despite himself and senior ministers appearing to slip up on which rules apply where.
The prime minister batted away attacks from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions, accusing him of trying to "undermine" the government's response to coronavirus by "sniping from the sidelines".
Sir Keir suggested local lockdowns do not work - pointing to Luton as the only area to have had local restrictions lifted - and said the wide range of measures are confusing for the public to understand.
He said questioned the effectiveness of the PM's "whack-a-mole" strategy, saying the term "implies that at some stage the mole goes down and that restrictions are lifted".
But he said in many areas infections are continuing to rise, despite them being under restrictions for months.
"In some lockdown areas infection rates are still going up. And in towns like Bradford, Bury and Oldham, restrictions have now been in place for months.
"Things feel like they're getting worse not better", Sir Keir said.
Mr Johnson accused Sir Keir of lacking consistency in his response to the government's coronavirus measures, saying the Labour leader often supports the measures in public before criticising them in the House of Commons.
Neither side landed any killer blows at PMQs but the opposition had been provided plenty of ammunition in the past week to fire at the prime minister.
Sir Keir asked how members of the public are supposed to understand the rules when the prime minister does not understand them himself.
He told the Commons: "One of the major problems, as we've seen in the last 24 hours, is widespread confusion about the local restrictions and I don't just mean the Prime Minister not knowing his own rules - having sat opposite the Prime Minister at PMQs every week that didn't come as a surprise to me. "
On Tuesday, the PM apologised after he provided a wrong answer when asked about lockdown rules in the North East of England.
Sir Keir added: "If the Prime Minister doesn't understand the rules and his own council leaders are complaining about mixed messages, how does the Prime Minister expect the rest of the country to understand and follow the rules?"
Mr Johnson hit back: "Actually, I think that the people of this country do understand and overwhelmingly do follow the rules, and that I may say is in spite of the efforts of (Sir Keir Starmer) continually to try to snipe from the sidelines, to undermine what we are trying to do, and he mentions the restrictions in the North East, and I cleared that matter up as fast as I could."
Sir Keir said he supports the coronavirus restrictions but warned jobs are at risk, as he urged the PM to "not be so tin-eared" when it comes to responding to job concerns caused by the restrictions.
"The reality is the Chancellor has made a political choice to reduce economic support just when the new health restrictions are coming in."
Mr Johnson defended the government's economic support package but said he "feels" for business owners who have been impacted by the latest restrictions.
The prime minister fielded questions from MPs at PMQs just hours before delivering a coronavirus press conference from Downing Street.
Ahead of PMQs the government was condemned by the Speaker of the House for using its powers to make legislation under the Coronavirus Act during the crisis in a "totally unsatisfactory" manner.
He said: "All too often, important statutory instruments have been published a matter of hours before they come into force and some explanations as to why important measures have come into effect before they can be laid before this House has been unconvincing and shows a total disregard for the House."
Watch PMQs in full: