People on streets make no effort to social distance, Minister says
A CABINET Office minister has bemoaned members of the public for making “no effort” to social distance in the street.
Lord True said he frequently saw the lack of distance between people, adding that this was in sharp contrast to their behaviour during the first lockdown.
His comments came as peers considered the approach of the four nations of the United Kingdom to dealing with Covid- 19.
During the exchanges, Lord True’s frontbench colleague sat nearer to him than is allowed under House of Lords social- distancing guidelines.
Speaking during a private notice question, Conservative backbencher Lord Haselhurst said: “Shouldn’t we all recognise that unlike in a real war, the present Government is fighting an invisible and still not fully understood enemy while being offered an array of conflicting expert opinions
in the full glare of publicity? And so there really does have to be great restraint exercised if we’re to help to bolster public resolve, which in the end is what we all depend upon if this virus is to be defeated.”
Lord True replied: “I think he makes an extraordinarily important point and indeed it’s something that’s always emphasised by the Prime Minister and all those others who speak to the nation. A lot does rest on us ourselves in the way we behave and in our sense of responsibility and common resolve and we should not let that flag.
“I frequently note now as I walk down the road people make no effort to social distance at all, which is in sharp contrast to the observance of space practised in the original lockdown.”
Independent crossbench peer Baroness Finlay of Llandaff noted: “In Wales, the Distance Aware message means that people are still consistently creating distance in the street.”
Baroness Meacher, another crossbench peer, earlier suggested young parents who are shielding were at risk from their children going to school – and should be among those at the front of the queue for Covid- 19 vaccine.
Lord True said a “very important point” had been made, adding the proposal would be brought to officials’ attention.