Coronavirus: St Helens MPs respond to new lockdown measures

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Parliament this morning that he is extending the measures introduced in North East to the Liverpool City Region, which St Helens is a part of.

The Government will bring in regulations to prevent social mixing between different households in all settings, except outdoor public spaces, such as parks and outdoor hospitality.

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The regulations, which will also cover Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, will come into force from midnight on Friday.

It is recommended people should not attend professional or amateur sporting events as spectators – and only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances.

The Health Secretary also said the Government will provide £7 million of funding to local authorities in these areas to support their “vital work”.

Following the announcement, St Helens North MP Conor McGinn, St Helens South and Whiston MP Marie Rimmer and St Helens Borough Council leader David Baines have released a joint statement.

Conor McGinn, MP for St Helens North

“Our priority during this pandemic will always be the health and wellbeing of people in St Helens borough, and the social and economic interests of our community,” the Labour politicians said.

“Alongside the Liverpool City Region Mayor and Merseyside MPs and council leaders, we have had intensive engagement this week with Government ministers and officials about potential new restrictions for our borough and the wider region.

“Our responsibility is to protect public health and to protect the local economy. It must not be a choice – we can and must do both.

“As we made clear to ministers, where there is evidence that stricter measures are required to defeat the virus, then of course we must support those, alongside our call proper and comprehensive test and trace.

“We were equally clear that if such measures were introduced they must come with support to mitigate the effect on local businesses and workers, and therefore it is disappointing that Government has not come forward with any such financial package for our region.”

According to the latest public health data, between September 21 to 27, the infection rate in St Helens had risen to 212.2 cases per 100,000 population, after 382 cases were recorded in that period.

Labour politicians said while they “hope and expect” the new measures will have an impact on slowing the spread of Covid in St Helens, they will also closely monitor the advice of the Sue Forster, St Helens’ director of public health, and Chris Whitty, the Government’s Chief Medical Officer.

They added that they will also press the Government for “robust” data locally, regionally and nationally to determine whether further action is required.

“We are confident that the vast majority of our residents and businesses will continue to do everything possible to keep themselves and each other safe, and will follow the new Government regulations and guidance carefully,” the Labour contingent said.

“As MPs and the leader of the Council, we will continue to work closely together to press the case for financial support for our local businesses and worker, to lobby for adequate testing capacity, and to monitor and respond to local outbreaks with the limited powers we have.

“We urge everyone to keep playing their part in helping to get us through this together.”

Following this morning’s announcement, a joint statement has also been released today by council leaders and MPs across the Liverpool City Region, including Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson.

Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram

While they said the measures are a “step in the right direction”, city region leaders and MPs have questioned whether they go far enough.

On Wednesday night, Merseyside MPs and council leaders spoke with Minister fro Care Helen Whately, where a series of regional restrictions were mooted.

It is understood these measures went much further than the ones announced today, including restrictions around the hospitality sector and a possible travel ban.

But it appears the Government stepped back from these tougher measures overnight, opting instead to apply the restrictions announced for the North East earlier this week.

The Liverpool City Region statement said: “The measures announced today are a step in the right direction but we need to understand whether they are enough to really address the escalating cases in our city region.

“Therefore, we are requesting that the Government provide us with the scientific evidence so we can understand if these measures will be sufficient to prevent the spread of the virus.

“In addition, we are also aware that, without appropriate financial support from the Government, restrictions will damage businesses and industries – in many cases irretrievably – when in normal times they are perfectly viable.

“Our region is an international destination, and our visitor economy is worth almost £5 billion to the city region economy every year and employs over 50,000 people.

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“Over recent years, our hospitality and retail industries have been vibrant and growing. But we have already seen some businesses go under in the face of Covid and, without Government assistance over the past few months, many more would have followed.

“These new restrictions mean that we will also need an immediate substantial additional package of economic support from the Government urgently and, so far, it is not clear that this is being provided.

“We will now seek further urgent talks with the Government on these measures, any further measures, and what their response is to our request for a financial support package.”