Terry Ledlie, Chair of Yeovil Constituency Labour Party, said: “We are all getting fed up with the extremely long-running Covid restrictions, but we really do need one last push to beat the virus. The Labour Party supported the extension of the current restrictions until 19 July to allow more people to be vaccinated . I believe that this was a difficult but necessary step if we are to avoid the stop-start economy we have suffered during the past year. I was therefore very disappointed to see that our local MP voted against the restrictions. It has been widely reported that Mr Fysh wanted the government to adopt a regional approach. My view is that it would have been daft to set different rules here for just 28 days, especially as the number of confirmed Covid cases has been increasing again since the restrictions were relaxed in May. While Covid is still fairly rare in South Somerset , the number more than doubled last week. There were 40 new cases in the past week, compared with just 18 the week before. This is a sign that we have not quite won the battle yet.”
“One reason that we have keep been able to prevent the virus from spreading too far in Yeovil and the surrounding area is that local people have been willing to rise to the challenge and have followed the rules. When I investigate the local shops, gyms, cafes and bars, the vast majority of people by now are well practiced in doing the right thing. I think that Mr Fysh has adopted the wrong approach that could put our health further at risk, should his gamble go wrong, and I believe that a more cautious approach should be adopted by the Yeovil MP.
“There are plenty of aspects of the government’s handling of the crisis where Labour has rightly been critical. That is the proper role of the opposition party. However, when the government does the right thing then it would be irresponsible to criticise just for the sake of it.
Thankyou to Health Care workers
“Instead, we should take a moment to say “thank you” to all the health and care workers who have been in the front-line in fighting the virus and to those who are managing and delivering the vaccination program. This ”thank you” should be a proper pay rise that rewards the key workers within our NHS.
“Once Coronavirus is defeated, the government should try to develop a laser-like focus on rebuilding our economy, ensuring that there are more jobs available and building a more inclusive society. UK businesses have taken a hard pasting over the past few years, and Yeovil and South Somerset have not avoided the impact of these difficult times.
“A cautious approach will see the end to restrictions on the 19 July, this will be a real cause for celebration. First things first though. Right now, let’s keep calm, carry on and make one last push to beat the pandemic and keep everybody safe. I dread to think of what could happen if the Yeovil MP had any real influence within number 10 Downing Street. “