WOKINGHAM MP Sir John Redwood says that the Government should find methods to protect people other than the new Tier 4 system and is calling for parliament to be recalled.
Writing on his blog, he called for a parliamentary debate on the measures introduced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson that sees Wokingham, along with other parts of the south east, placed into strict measures that will prevent households from mixing over Christmas.
The measures were introduced after a new strain of coronavirus had been found, which is thought to be 70% more likely to be spread than the previous strain. With case numbers soaring across the country, the Government felt it had to act.
This saw Wokingham borough, along with the rest of Berkshire, go from Tier 2 restrictions on Friday, Tier 3 on Saturday and now Tier 4 today.
Residents are asked to stay at home except for limited reasons, including commuting to work if it cannot be completed from home, or essential food shopping. Non-essential shops are unable to open for browsing. Gyms and beauty salons have to close, but places of worship will be allowed to hold services.
Tweeting this morning, Sir John called for Parliament to be recalled to debate the changes – and find an alternative solution.
Sir John has previously expressed concerns over any new lockdown or Tier measures. He voted against the Tier restrictions at a debate in Parliament on December 1.
“Many of my constituents are very angry that west Berkshire and Wokingham have been placed in tier 2 when we were in tier 1 before the national lockdown and we still have very low figures,” he told the chamber, adding “my constituents will expect me to reflect their anger in the way that I vote tonight”.
And yesterday morning, before the Tier 4 announcement was made, Sir John tweeted: “Wales went for a tougher lockdown and has had more cases and deaths per million than England. Time for a U.K. rethink on how to fight the virus.”
This morning, on his website, Sir John outlined his thinking in more detail, warning that: “Ministers seem to suggest now that restrictions will be with us until next spring, when the arrival of warmer weather and more natural ultraviolet light might cause recession in the virus, and when many more people will have opted for the vaccine protection.”
He also said that at the parliamentary debate on December 1, MPs had been told they should look forward to the mid-December review – which took place this week – as it could see areas move down a tier. “The government was allowing people to believe that the restrictions would bear early fruit resulting in gradual relaxation,” he noted.
Instead, “last evening there was a further change with the invention of a new Tier 4 for a quarter of the country and cancellation of most of the Christmas relaxations for the rest of the country. Parliament needs to debate and vote on these measures.”
When this happens, Sir John promised: “I will present a case again to find other methods of protecting the vulnerable and keeping more people safe, whilst allowing the resumption of more business activity. Livelihoods matter as well as lives.”
He added: “The scarring to business life in entertainment, travel, leisure, shop retail, commercial property and some personal services is very pronounced.
“We run the risk of more bankruptcies, more people deciding to pack up their small businesses, and more people deciding working for themselves is simply too difficult with all the regulations.”
Sir John again called on the use of isolation hospitals and the NHS’ Nightingale capacity, as well as improved ventilation systems in indoor venues and other methods to “allow more safe business activity to take place”.
“There needs to more strenuous official efforts to find an alternative to these severe controls on economic and personal freedom,” he concluded.
