The Commons vote looked like an endorsement of Johnson’s lockdown policy – but it actually highlighted the weaknesses of his approach

Not only has Keir Starmer claimed ownership of the policy but the vote allowed a group of Tories to coalesce around an anti-lockdown stance, which is going to become more troublesome for the PM, writes Andrew Woodcock

Boris Johnson speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons (EPA-EFE)

This week’s Commons division on lockdown was one of those odd occasions when a landslide victory is not as helpful to the prime minister as you might think.

On the face of it, the 516-38 vote was a powerful endorsement of Boris Johnson’s policy of putting England into lockdown for four weeks to quash the coronavirus.

In reality, however, the figures served only to highlight weaknesses in the prime minister’s approach and divisions on the Conservative side, while giving his opponents a chance to claim the high ground.