LABOUR has criticised the Government's strategy of local lockdowns after figures revealed the number of cases in Bradford has risen 381 per cent from when it was placed into local lockdown to now.

During Prime Minister's Questions, Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer criticised the local lockdown measures after figures collated by Labour revealed in 19 of the 20 areas with local restrictions, infection rates have risen, by more than 3,600 per cent in one area.

In Bradford, infection rates were 54 per 100,000 people when local lockdown was enforced on July 31, but now the infection rate is 258.

Neighbouring Kirklees' rate was 29 per 100,000, and is now at 169, a rise of 492 per cent.

Sir Keir asked the Prime Minister why his constituency's local authority, Hillingdon, is not in local lockdown when the infection rate there is 62 per 100,000.

Sir Keir called on the Prime Minister to explain why local restrictions are in place in some areas but not others, and to "level with" communities why they have to live with these restrictions while others don't.

He said: "The Prime Minister really needs to understand that local communities are angry and frustrated.

"So will he level with people and tell them: what does he think the central problem is that’s causing this?"

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson responded by saying: "The problem is, alas,  that the disease continues to spread."

He said the Government's combination of national and local measures are in place to try and stop spread of infection, before critcising Sir Keir for ordering Labour MPs to abstain in last night's vote on bringing the rule of six into law.

Sir Keir later went on to say: “The Prime Minister can’t explain why an area goes into restrictions.

"He can’t explain what the different restrictions are, and he can’t explain how restrictions end. This is getting ridiculous.”