A national survey has found that 70% of Brits back a short lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, but does Suffolk agree?

This paper has run an online poll over the past 24 hours and more than 60% of respondents said they thought a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown is a good idea.

The study received 965 votes as of 6am today, October 16, with 552 people backing Sir Keir Starmer’s suggestion that the government should introduce a short lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Labour leader called for stricter measures after documents revealed government scientific advisers had suggested such action to the government three weeks ago.

Sir Keir said that the lockdown would “not mean schools closing” but advised that it should “run across half-term to minimise disruption”.

All bars, pubs and restaurants would be forced to close, with compensation “so that no business loses out because of the sacrifices we all need to make”.

“The government has not got a credible plan to slow infections. It has lost control of the virus and it’s no longer following scientific advice,” he said.

The poll is backed up by a new YouGov study which found that 68% of Brits would back a national lockdown.

Only 20% said they would oppose it.

Of Conservative voters, 65% said they would support the lockdown and 76% of Labour voters supported their leader’s suggestions.

The poll has come as Suffolk remains in the lowest category of the government’s three-tier coronavirus alert system.

Suffolk County Council confirmed that restrictions would not be changing and there are no plans to move the county into a higher tier, despite an increase in the most recent weekly case rate – where there were 47.15 cases per 100,000 people.

There are currently 71.72 cases per 100,000 in Essex, which will move into the second tier on Saturday.