The Government must make it quite clear that when they say they are following the Scientific advice and guidance; it is the Government that makes the Political decision. Opening the economy after lockdown is a political decision not a scientific decision. The Government is always saying that they are following the scientific evidence and advice, to try and eradicate the responsibility for what they are saying and the political decisions Government makes.
Bridgwater Town Council Economic Spokesman Cllr Mick Lerry (Labour, Victoria) is angry at the Tory Governments approach and says “We have witnessed the way that Care homes have been treated, with patients being returned from Hospital to Care homes with the virus, no testing took place and Care homes were asked to take residents back. Plus, the real problems of the lack of PPE not being available in the quantities needed. With schools now the political decision has been made to open schools for certain year groups by June. Teacher Unions have asked for the scientific evidence to be produced for this political decision, especially as the British Medical Association supports the teachers’ concerns”.
Mick says “These decisions are being made at a national level, which started off with the Prime Minister announcing that people could return to work the next day and that schools would open in June. No discussions at a local level with Local Authorities and most importantly teachers and parents. Many parents will be concerned about sending their children back to school now. Teacher Unions are also concerned for the welfare of pupils and teachers, at a time when the scientific evidence is not sound”.
“To stop the transmission of the virus is through social distancing, testing, tracing and tracking. Social distancing will not be totally possible in schools and the testing and tracing is not available. This is now a time for Local Councils to be in a position to consult and lead at a local level for the careful transition from lockdown, rather than central directives from Government”, says Mick “If the chief executive of Somerset County Council wishes to close all the council buildings he really should also close all Somerset schools connected to the local authority like other councils have done.”
Seems to me that the government should be asking teachers how to create really high quality distance learning and how to maintain good contact with families instead of drawing out a conflict with the teaching unions to distract the media from its poor performance in recent weeks. Teachers find this depressing as it follow a pattern going back over years of government refusing to sit round the table and work with professionals for the sake of children.
Quite right, this government has made a total ballsup of the response to Covid-19 and it trying to lie their way out of the hole they have dug. We are not all fools like the 31% that voted tory at the last election.