- Boris Johnson is under growing pressure to step up the coronavirus lockdown by closing all non-essential workplaces.
- Members of Parliament have urged the Prime Minister to shut down construction sites and call centres amid concern that workers are unable to distance themselves from each other.
- Dozens of Labour MPs including leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey have signed a letter to Business Secretary Alok Sharma calling for more stringent rules.
- It warns that letting these workplaces stay open is "inevitably adding to the risk that many more people will be infected than necessary."
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Members of Parliament have urged Boris Johnson to close all non-essential workplaces amid concerns that workers at construction sites, call centres, and other workplaces which cannot switch to remote working, are at a growing risk of catching the coronavirus.
Labour MP Bill Esterson has written to Business Secretary Alok Sharma, warning him that letting some workplaces stay open is "inevitably adding to the risk that many more people will be infected than necessary."
The letter warns that in workplaces like construction sites, workers are struggling to stay two metres apart from each other, while letting non-essential workplaces stay open is leading to cases of crowded public transport.
Pictures emerged this week showing construction sites and factories full of workers, triggering concern that the lockdown measures introduced by Johnson's government this week are not sufficient for containing the virus.
"Unfortunately, while some workers are able to work from home, many are not and we have all been contacted by constituents who have been told they have to go to work or lose pay and whose businesses continue to operate. These include construction sites, call centres, distribution centres and factories," the letter sent on Friday states.
"Some of these are essential. Many are not. This is forcing non essential workers to travel on public transport unable to stay 2 metres away from other people, including essential workers. Meanwhile, at work people are closer than 2 metres to their colleagues sometimes with inadequate hand-washing facilities."
85 MPs had signed the letter on Friday, including senior MPs like Brexit Committee Chair Hilary Benn, Shadow Communities Secretary Andrew Gwynne, and former Cabinet minister Harriet Harman. It is expected to attract dozens more signatures in the coming hours and days.
Rebecca Long-Bailey, who is in the running to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour Party leader, added her name to the letter this weekend. She met with Sharma this week and raised the issue with the business secretary.
Prime Minister Johnson on Monday moved to close swathes of businesses across the country, and told the British public that they could only leave their homes for essential reasons like for food and medicine.
However, the UK government is currently letting some non-essential workplaces stay open.
Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick on Wednesday said work on building sites could continue as long as workers follow the strict social distancing rules set out by Johnson this week.
However, the letter warns Johnson that crowded workplaces make it difficult for workers to follow these rules.
It adds that constituents of the MPs who have signed the letter have reported being told by their bosses that they will lose pay if they do not go to work, even if they are concerned about catching the COVID-19 virus.
A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy told Business Insider: "Businesses and premises that must remain closed have clearly been set out on gov.uk. Where businesses have not been asked to close, work can continue.
"We've given a clear instruction that people must stay at home wherever possible, so employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home.
"For cases where work cannot be done from home, employers should ensure their workers are able to follow the public health guidance where possible, and they should consider responsible arrangements for ensuring workers can travel in line with this advice, such as through staggering site hours to reduce public transport use during peak periods."
Read the letter in full:
Dear Alok,
We recognise that businesses are under huge pressure given the current crisis and we welcome the guidance given by the government that everyone should stay at home to save lives. This advice has been confirmed by the Prime Minister a number of times. The package of measures for employed and self-employed is very important support for workers and builds upon the health advice which exists to protect everyone.
Unfortunately, while some workers are able to work from home, many are not and we have all been contacted by constituents who have been told they have to go to work or lose pay and whose businesses continue to operate. These include construction sites, call centres, distribution centres and factories. Some of these are essential. Many are not. This is forcing non essential workers to travel on public transport unable to stay 2 metres away from other people, including essential workers. Meanwhile, at work people are closer than 2 metres to their colleagues sometimes with inadequate hand washing facilities.
The BEIS website lists businesses that must close but also says that other businesses are not required to close, indeed it says it is important for businesses to carry on. The government tells workers who have concerns to speak to their employer but many staff fear that they will be victimised if they complain not least as trade unions are often not recognised by many employers.
You and your colleagues have made clear that the instruction from government is to Stay At Home and Stay Safe. The Cabinet Office says the only exception should be defined activities in order to protect the NHS and save lives. We believe that this is the correct instruction.
The BEIS website is therefore contradicting the advice being given by government ministers. We are therefore calling on you to clarify the guidance to businesses in the interests of putting health first, giving the greatest support to our health and protecting workers and all those who they might be in contact with.
The closure of the hospitality sector and schools was in order to reduce the spread of infection. Allowing non essential workplaces to stay open is inevitably adding to the risk that many more people will be infected than necessary and we call on you to clarify matters straight away.
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