The right-leaning current affairs title wanted to explore the issue as some of its audience, including some Conservative MPs, have opposed the current covid-19 lockdown.

Pressure on the NHS, and modelling showing it would soon have to cancel more elective surgery and even turn away emergency patients, has been cited by the prime minister as the main reason a lockdown is necessary.

HSJ analysis has shown that while on paper NHS acute hospitals have more unoccupied capacity than normal for the time of year, they have 70 per cent more patients than they did in early April, and covid patients are already displacing non-covid patients in hotspot areas.

Dave also discussed with Spectator editor Fraser Nelson how the NHS bid in the summer for additional step-down capacity to help with a second wave, but was rejected by government.

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