THE Labour leadership was at odds with Britain’s biggest teaching union today on whether secondary schools should be closed in a bid to limit coronavirus infections.

Members of the party’s front bench have spoken out against the idea of closing schools, while the National Education Union (NEU) argues that doing so would help to halt the increasing spread of Covid-19.

The day before, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan urged the government to consider asking schools and colleges in the capital to close for Christmas a few days early and reopen later than usual next month.

In a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr Khan warned that there were “significant” outbreaks among 10 to 19-year-olds and that the early closure of schools should receive “urgent consideration.”

Mr Khan also requested “priority testing” for people unable to work from home, along with students and staff at secondary schools and colleges.

Schools in the south London borough of Greenwich started closing today, with classes being moved online for children who are able to study at home. 

Islington council also advised schools to shift to online learning from tomorrow.

Council leader Richard Watts said: “There is a serious and very worrying rise in coronavirus across London, with cases doubling every few days.

“We must all take action now to stop this deadly disease spreading serious illness and death to the people we love.”

However, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that he was “very reluctant” to see schools shut, but that it would be “smart” for them to close for the Christmas break a day earlier than normal.

Shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves said that Labour nationally was against schools shutting, insisting that they should be the “last thing to close after everything else.”

NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney urged other councils to follow Greenwich and Islington’s example by closing schools to all pupils except vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers.

He said that the union also backed Mr Khan’s call for ministers to provide extra resources for online learning. 

“The government should have been planning for this weeks ago,” Mr Courtney added.

“They have now started to recognise the blindingly obvious fact that transmission is happening in schools and that this can spread to families.

“But the government now needs to act. Much more is needed to control the virus in schools and to protect communities.” 

Downing Street said that it expected schools and colleges to remain fully open until the end of Thursday.