When the news broke on Saturday evening that the country will be going back into a form of national lockdown from this coming Thursday, I was disappointed, feelings which I am sure were shared by people and businesses across Truro and Falmouth, given our continuing lower rates of COVID-19 in Cornwall compared to the rest of England.
Over the weekend I took the time to speak to the management
team at RCH Treliske on their feelings around the proposals. While we do have a
low number of people currently in hospital with COVID-19, the overall cases in
Cornwall have increased by one of the largest percentages nationally. The
people who are currently suffering the most from COVID-19 are also older people
– because our population in Cornwall is typically older than elsewhere in the
country, we have to particularly bear this in mind should the increase of COVID-19
cases continue along its current trajectory, that even with comparatively less
cases than other areas, our population could be adversely affected due to our
demographics.
I also spoke to local businesses both about the support they
would need to see, as well as the kind of impact a November lockdown would have
on them. While the Government has modified and extended its furlough scheme, as
was announced on Saturday, one particular concern was that similar measures would
not continue for our self-employed, who we have a large number of in Cornwall.
I was pleased then on Monday, to see the Chancellor announce increased funding
for the Self Employed Income Support Scheme, up to 80% of averaged earnings for
November, something local self-employed people tell me will make a big
difference to them.
I also understand from organisations such as Visit Cornwall,
that if a lockdown, as unpalatable as it might be, needs to take place, then
for our tourism and hospitality businesses, November, which is one of the quietest
times of the year, would be the when it would be least felt.
My concerns when I spoke up about this previously were that
any sort of national lockdown should be a last ditch decision, rather than a
knee jerk reaction, and that it should not come at the expense of the October
half term, which is traditionally the last opportunity for many of our tourism
and hospitality businesses to have any sort of busy spell ahead of reduced
hours or closure during the winter. With half term now passed, a lockdown will
be less of a burden for many of these businesses to take.
When I returned to Parliament on Monday I was also keen to
raise my concerns with senior members of the Government, including the Chief
Whip. I was pleased to be reassured in my meetings, as well as in the Prime
Minister’s subsequent statement to Parliament, that the lockdown starting this week
will be strictly timebound, facing another vote of Parliament to end it by 2nd
December, and that when this lockdown finishes, we will return to regional variations,
of which I hope Cornwall will again be lowest risk.
So on today’s vote, I will, despite my earlier misgivings,
be voting with the Government. There is no doubt that COVID-19, while currently
not as severe in Cornwall as other areas of the country, continues to grow, and
we therefore owe it to the national effort to work together to follow the
rules, fight the virus off and come through this difficult period stronger than
before.
My thanks continue to go to the hard-working key workers
from all sectors who will carry on through lockdown, as well as to our amazing
community volunteer groups for everything they do. If you need my assistance with
anything then my team and I are here to help. Please get in touch with me by
email at Cherilyn.mackrory.mp@parliament.uk, by telephone on 01872 229698.
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