Johnson leaves the North to rot

HAVING listened to the speeches from Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, I feel we have been massively let down in the North and basically left to rot by the wealthy South.

I fear for those poor people in the hospitality industry.

Two-thirds of very low pay is not enough when you’re at home in winter and using more heating and lighting, aside from not having enough to pay your rent and eat.

Many people in hospitality are on minimum wage and eke their pay out with tips.

It’s understandable the poorest and lowest paid want to break lockdowns because they are the ones hit the hardest.

Patricia Withers Southport, Merseyside

Once again the North is bearing the brunt of a national crisis as the Tories try to deal with the pandemic on the cheap and cities like Liverpool and Manchester pay the price.

This Government’s handling of the whole pandemic beggars belief. They have spent billions of taxpayers money on test and trace with no results, while bars and clubs face closure despite efforts to provide a safe environment.

The club I go to has a well- organised one way system and table service and should not have to close due to a Downing Street ‘diktat’, while hospitality businesses in other parts of the country are allowed to remain open. Dave Mellor Warrington, Cheshire

Boris Johnson’s election pledge to help poorer voters in the North has been proved to be void of detail and just more empty words.

He happily exploited Brexit sentiments in the North to grab votes from ex-Labour strongholds, promising the Earth to areas that had suffered 10 years of Tory austerity.

But deep down he has festering wounds from when Liverpool berated him for his comments about Hillsborough, accusing the city of wallowing in victim status.

Reg Barrett, Southminster, Essex

Why is the impression given – usually on maps to illustrate the virus hotspots – that the whole of the North has high infection rates?

I drove through the Yorkshire Dales recently and great swathes of that part of the North have few people living there who don’t take chances because many with livelihoods in farming depend on staying well. These graphs and maps give a false picture. Maureen Asquith, Wetherby North Yorks

After tearing down Labour’s so-called Red Wall at the election, the Tories are now doing a very good job of rebuilding it by shutting down great swathes of the North.

And inept ministers like Matt Hancock and Gavin Williamson making important decisions just put more bricks in it.

G Hadley, Tilbury, Essex

Ten years of deliberate Tory austerity is now coming home to roost.

Years of cuts to public services, particularly in the North, has destroyed our ability to fight this pandemic.

The rise in poverty and deprivation has not helped either. How long do we have to suffer this appalling Government?

John Walker, via Facebook

I’ve always said living in the North West is like living on another planet – and the Prime Minister is simply confirming it.

It’s about time the North was given the same consideration as the South, but I’m not holding my breath.

Sylvia Harrop, Tameside