Parents are being put in an “impossible position” over a return to offices due to a lack of childcare support, the Government has been told.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer issued the warning after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an end to the Government’s “stay at home” messaging.

In an announcement on Friday, Mr Johnson said that from August 1 employers would have the discretion to decide how staff could work safely, whether from home or in offices, in consultation with workers.

However, Sir Keir said that parents would be penalised due to no extra help being provided for families over the summer holidays.

He said: “We all want society to get moving again, but it requires a clear plan and national leadership from the Government.

“Despite ordering millions of parents back to the office, the Prime Minister has refused to provide any extra help for families, penalising parents by putting them in an impossible position.

“Parents got a back-to-work notice on Friday just as the summer holidays began.

“But they got no support for structured activities, no summer catch-up schemes, and no support for a childcare sector on its knees.

“If we are going to reopen our society and economy safely and successfully, we need the public to have confidence in the Government’s advice, we need test, track and trace to be working properly, and we need proper support for children to learn and for parents to get back to work.”