Keir Starmer forced to self-isolate after staffer tests positive for Covid

Keir Starmer has been forced to self-isolate for a second time after a staff member in his private office tested positive for coronavirus.

According to a spokesperson, the Labour leader was advised to self-isolate on Saturday afternoon. “Keir is well and not showing any symptoms. He will now be working from home” until his isolation period ends on 16 December,.

The staff member in question has not been named, and it is unclear when they contracted the virus or when Starmer last came into contact with them. The Labour List editor, Sienna Rodgers, said she understood the party leader had last come into contact with them on Tuesday.

Starmer previously self-isolated in mid-September when a member of his household showed possible symptoms of the virus. He did not experience any symptoms.

In a statement at the time, a spokesperson said Starmer had self-isolated in line with NHS guidelines “while awaiting the results of the test and further advice from medical professionals”. It was unclear which member of Starmer’s household has been experiencing symptoms, but he has two school-age children.

The isolation period meant he was forced to miss a crucial Brexit debate in the House of Commons over the government’s internal market bill.

The UK recorded 16,298 cases of coronavirus and 504 deaths on Friday. There are currently 14,917 people in hospital with Covid-19 across the UK. IThe virus has claimed more than 60,000 British lives, the fifth highest death toll in the world.