Government should have acted earlier

WHEN making the case why the Government should have acted before the weekend over the pending new restrictions, Labour’s shadow public health minister Alex Norris, the MP for Nottingham North, said “they’ve let the city down” (“We’ve been abandoned”, Post, October 10).

Considering how the virus is transmitted, haven’t some people also let everybody down by not following the basic rules while others have partied on with no concern for others or the NHS? It is as Councillor David Mellen (Post, October 10) said: “If you aren’t taking active steps to be part of the solution, then you are part of the problem...”.

This delay seems another case of the Government trying to close the stable door after the horse has bolted – but this time they must have known there was a high probability that things might go wrong based on the alarming increase in local infections and the past form of people’s reckless behaviour.

Why else did Mark Spencer, MP for Sherwood and the Government’s Chief Whip, plead with students in Nottingham to “stop and think and show some selfrestraint” (Post, October 10)?

It is a great pity that the Government hadn’t similarly addressed the whole nation some months ago and at every opportunity ever since.

For instance, Robert Jenrick, the Housing Secretary and MP for Newark, whilst doing the Sunday morning media rounds failed to do so.

If the Government had, then we might have been well on our way to recovery by now as I do not believe that so many could be knowingly acting so irresponsibly.

So, come on Mr Jenrick and all MPS – become more of the solution by educating people about the deadly virus and by setting an example by wearing face masks and keeping your distance at all times.

This is a national crisis so I would say that it is your parliamentary duty to do so.

Mark Iles Newark