EMMA LEWELL-BUCK: Testing and contact tracing are nowhere near the levels needed

Last week the Prime Minister spoke of “success” and how his government had introduced the “right measures at the right time”, as the daily death toll from coronavirus was rising. A death toll at the time that didn’t include the thousands of people who had died in care homes and their own homes.

I know, due to the numerous calls and emails myself and my team are receiving daily, that I am not the only one who is completely fed up of the congratulatory, pat on the back tone of our Prime Minister and his Cabinet. Day after day we watch ministers come to the podium for the daily update to tell us what a great job they are doing.

The reality is this; the Prime Minister was slow to lockdown (when announced the death rate was already rising), slow to testing, slow to tracing and slow in the provision of PPE.

These decisions cost lives and are continuing to cost lives. This pandemic wasn’t a surprise. In January the World Health Organisation warned us the pandemic was on its way. In February we could see what was happening across Europe yet our lockdown wasn’t announced until mid-March after we had witnessed the PM’s cavalier behaviour shaking hands with those infected, sending the wrong message to the country.

For almost a decade, pandemics have been designated as the biggest threat to Britain, yet stockpiles of PPE simply weren’t there. Even warnings as recent as February to the Government from the European Centre for Disease Control that they needed to be prepared fell on deaf ears. As a result, health and social care workers have been left without adequate protection.

Worse still, government have downgraded the diseases status so they could weaken the PPE guidelines. Decisions are being taken on availability not safety.

Testing and contact tracing are nowhere near the levels needed. Frontline workers are still awaiting tests as they continue to go to work to keep our country functioning and the Government’s plans for tracing via an app will exclude many people who don’t have access to smart phones. For other means of tracing they have yet to outline their plans in full. The tone from the PM should be one of sombre, serious leadership, one that shows some honesty and treats people

with respect and is realistic about the challenges before us. The

self-congratulatory tone adopted by him and his Cabinet needs

to stop.

I refute that holding the Government to account is not working together for the good of the country, when my constituents are dying due to decisions made by this Government. I will not stay silent and I will not make apologies for fighting for them. Behind every single death is a person whose life political decisions may have saved. I will never forget that and nor should our government.