Online voices
STORY
Officials have identified the first UK cases of the Manaus variant of coronavirus, a new strain that may spread more rapidly and may respond less well to existing vaccines.
Pete Steel: So Britain is the only country on earth to be attacked by so many different types of covid. The rest of the world seems to be doing OK. Smells a bit fishy to me .
Jim Tansey: I thought everyone entering from the likes of Brazil had to go into a Covid hotel and pay £1750 for the privilege. Something is seriously amiss.
Wendy Oliver: They should have locked the borders like Australia and new Zealand no one in no one out but no we are to soft
Stuart Mclaren: I can’t believe what I am reading, the gov stalled again to act on something they said they were going to do and waited up to two weeks to get there act together on what was going to happen at our borders, shame on them, incompetent bunch of bluffers.
Kathy Haq: So it would appear that one person cant be identified because they didn’t complete the test form properly. This is how it will spread.
Ruth Mather: How many strains are they going to come up with, I think it's about 7 up to now. X
Phillip Gripton: Amazing how these new variants have only appeared since the vaccines rolled out I mean three or four different ones they can't all have the same ingredients in them ?
Rose Wharton: Just plucked up the courage to go out after being stuck in for months I'll have to think again now
Lilian Popov: Good excuse for another lockdown
Elaine Mansell: How about giving the photos of all people flying to test and trace.xxxxxxx
Paula Hammond: Ahhh, a handy new variant to blame the school opening spike on...
Ian Lines:
CLOSE
THE BORDERS!! STOP LETTING THE DISEASE SPREADERS IN!!!
Julie Jeffries Kenny: Shut the borders
Easington’s MP is backing the Long Live The Local initiative that is campaigning for action to help pubs.
Grahame Morris is one of more than 500,000 people who have signed the petition so far, including 714 in Easington alone.
He believes the Government should cut beer tax to support the sector, which has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, beer sales in pubs fellby56%–whichamountsto £7.8billion in lost sales.
Mr Morris said: “Pubs are at the heart of communities across Easington, but with pubs bearing a disproportionate burden as a result of the pandemic, the Government should consider a cut to beer tax.
“I’m supporting the Long Live The Local campaign and cutting beer tax will support pubs in our local communities.”
Long Live The Local says that UK beer duty is one of the highest in the world. It says that it is three times the EU average.
According to the latest official statistics, brewing and pubs in Easington supports 597 jobs and contributes £10.3million to the local economy.
David Cunningham, Long Live The Local programme director, said: “Beer duty has increased by 60% over the last 17 years and now the UK has one of the highest rates of tax in Europe.
“When over two thirds of all alcoholic drinks purchased in the pub are beers, a cut in beer tax would go a long way to protecting pubs across Easington that have suffered so much in the last year.
“We are very grateful to Grahame Morris and everyone else for their support and we hope that the Government listens.”