Pass this test to stop lockdown

Yorkshire leaders demand help

THE TIGHTENING of lockdown restrictions in parts of West Yorkshire – and confirmation that Scarborough and Selby have been newly- designated as ‘ areas of concern’ – comes at the end of another week that has exposed fundamental flaws in Britain’s testing regime.

This is now self- evident despite Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock criticising the media; Commons leader Jacob Rees- Mogg ordering the Government’s critics to stop “carping” and Dido Harding, the peer in charge of testing, clearly oblivious to the fact that the reopening of schools would create extra pressure.

This isn’t about party politics – it is about the health of the nation – and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the obstreperous Mr Hancock need to accept, and acknowledge, constructive criticism if there’s to be any hope of Britain avoiding the second national lockdown, the so- called ‘ circuit break’, that they clearly now fear.

And rather than ignoring correspondence – a telltale trait of administrations not in control of events – they should heed the joint letter written by the leaders of all 14 Yorkshire councils that have responsibility for public health.

A cross- party collaboration, it confirms that areas on the Covid- 19 ‘ watch list’ have not had access to testing promised by Mr Hancock and the emergence of “soft intelligence suggesting people with symptoms who are unable to get a test just give up”. They also cite the knock- on effects for social care staff and schools.

Sincerely written, the letter also commits Yorkshire councils “to support solutions to address the current acute capacity issues”. As local leaders, they are highly aware of the crucial role that they, and their staff, have to play at this time – the question is whether the Government has a plan to overhaul the glaring glitches in testing and if it can be implemented before it is too late?