Government must provide real support for our city
LEICESTER’S second lockdown has been extremely difficult. People across the city have already made huge sacrifices; now lives and livelihoods are up in the air all over again.
We can and we will beat this virus by working together.
I am very grateful to my constituents for sticking by the rules, and to all the city council staff, local NHS and care workers, police, teachers and volunteers for going the extra mile. But we need more support from the government if we’re going to exit lockdown quickly, and protect businesses and jobs.
The first thing we need is more detailed information on testing, including where people live and work.
We are still only getting weekly postcode data on positive tests, not daily data on all tests, and some vital information is not mandatory, such as where people work. This must change so we can swiftly identity where problems are happening, and take appropriate action.
Second, Ministers must change course and provide extra help for Leicester’s economy.
Local businesses are having to stay shut through no fault of their own. Many spent money getting ready to re-open, for example restaurants buying stock that has gone to waste.
My constituents are understandably worried that if we are still in lockdown when the government starts reducing furlough payments, they will lose their job if their employer can’t afford to pick up the strain.
Despite these obvious problems, the Minister for Business has told me “there are no plans to change the scope or extend any of the schemes currently available”. As the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce says, this is “a massive mistake” that could create “a two-tier recovery” that puts Leicester “at a long-term disadvantage”.
Our public services also deserve proper support. For example, our city council will be continuing to help those who are shielding during lockdown, keeping rough sleepers off the street, and helping food banks make sure thousands of people have enough to eat.
This extra work comes with a cost that ministers have so far failed to acknowledge.
Last but by no means least, we need to know what it will take to lift the lockdown.
There is still no clarity about the criteria the government will use for its review on July 18, creating even more uncertainty for our citizens, businesses and public services.
The government has got to get to grips with these issues, and fast. They must also lessons from the mistakes that have been made in Leicester, so any future local lockdowns don’t go through the chaos and confusion we’ve experienced here. Ministers were too slow to act. They failed to share vital information at an early stage.
Now they are refusing to provide Leicester’s economy with the additional support we need because of the lockdown.
This isn’t just unfair, but makes no economic sense either, because if more businesses close and more people lose their jobs, it will be worse for everyone in the long run.
The government must think again.