PM still to pass lockdown tests

North’s trust needs rebuilding

BORIS JOHNSON’S new three- tier set of lockdown rules is intended to simplify measures to suppress Covid. It also came as three Nightingale hospitals across the North, including Harrogate, were put on standby as NHS admissions match those of March when the UK went into lockdown.

Yet, while West and South Yorkshire escaped the more draconian restrictions now being applied to Merseyside, the Prime Minister is hindered by a breakdown of trust between the Government and the North. As such, it would be remiss not to highlight a number of matters before MPs vote on this new strategy.

First, the effectiveness of local lockdowns when their enforcement has led to an increase in Covid cases in 19 out of 20 areas of the North where they have been applied – the PM’s argument needs to be more convincing. The Treasury also needs to remain open to providing additional support to sectors of the economy, and geographical areas, with specific needs.

Next, Mr Johnson’s failure to set out more clearly how he expects local councils to lead the ‘ test and trace’ programme and dovetail with the Department of Health’s protocols – and then questioning whether ‘ micro’ measures work. Such details do matter.

And then the 10 Downing Street briefing that a postcode checker on the Gov. UK website will advise people on what guidance applies to their area. A move which appears to partly acknowledge The Yorkshire Post’s call for postcode- specific advice to be sent to every house, it wasn’t functioning when Mr Johnson told MPs to use it find out their area’s status.

Communication is key. Yet the London government’s cackhanded approach has lost the trust of leaders here – and Mr Johnson needs to improve these relations if the fragile confidence of families is to be retained. After all, the test of his latest remedy will be if a second national lockdown can still be avoided; it’s that serious.