There is growing pressure on the government to stop essential construction work to help stop the spread of Coronavirus.
There was initially confusion about the sector following the Prime Minister's announcement of tougher restrictions on Monday but Health Secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday (Tuesday) that those who cannot do their jobs from home should continue to go to work to "keep the country running".
Mr Hancock said construction work can continue as long as social distancing is observed. Speaking at the daily briefing in Downing Street, Mr Hancock said: "The judgment we have made is that in work, in many instances, the 2m rule can be applied."
However, a growing number of politicians and business leaders are calling on the government to halt all non-essential construction.
During an appearance on BBC's Newsnight on Tuesday, former Conservative cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith said: "I think the balance is where we should delete some of those construction workers from going to work and focus only on the emergency requirements."
Labour's Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: "When you're in the middle of a global pandemic, health reasons alone really should be guiding all decision-making."
