Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would like to see all children back in schools from next month but admits that things will need to move forward “carefully”.

Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Sir Keir said that he was worried about the impact the lockdown and school closures were having on children and that he “ideally” wanted all schools back to being open more widely on 8 March, despite calls from education unions for a phased return.

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He said: “Ideally, I’d like to see all schools back open on 8 March and all children back in schools on 8 March.

“I’ve been worried through the pandemic - a number of people have - about the impact being out of school has on particularly vulnerable children, and the attainment gap is getting bigger. So, ideally, 8 March.

“We’ll have to see where the data is, where the science is, but that’s what we should be working towards. If that means more testing, if that means Nightingale classrooms, if it means other measures, let’s do that because I want to get our kids back into school.”

Sir Keir’s comments come the day before the government is due to announce the roadmap for easing the coronavirus lockdown, with 8 March the day pinpointed for schools to open more widely.