Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, responding to today’s press conference, said:

‘Yesterday we urged the government to do more testing and we have consistently questioned why ministers were not moving to a test and trace strategy. It is welcome ministers now recognise the importance of testing and tracing.

“It is crucial that greater numbers of critical workers such as care staff are now able to access testing.

“We will continue to hold the government to account for the promise it has made of 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month.”