THE GOVERNEMENT is now delaying the full release of Covid restrictions until 19th July. I’m afraid the blame once again lies firmly with the Prime Minister. His Government knew that the more transmissible Delta variant was in the UK on 1st April, but it took 22 days to place strict travel conditions on India – allowing thousands of arrivals in April. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Labour has been warning that the Conservatives’ border protections against Covid are weak and put our freedom at risk. Worse still, it appears the reason for the delay was because Boris Johnson was due to meet the Indian Prime Minister from 25th-28th April and didn’t want to sacrifice this photo opportunity. As I put it to the Health Secretary in the House of Commons on Monday evening, this is going to cost Warwick and Leamington businesses dearly. The Government must now extend its business support beyond June to keep our businesses afloat.
Elsewhere, the Boundary Commission have recommended several changes to the Warwick and Leamington constituency boundary. Under the proposals, the constituency would lose Barford, Budbrooke, Hampton-on-the-Hill, Hampton Magna, Hatton village, Hatton Park, Norton Lindsey, Sherbourne and Wasperton to the Kenilworth and Southam constituency while gaining Old Milverton, Blackdown and parts of Cubbington village. I join the Commission in inviting residents to contribute their views during the public consultation which runs to 2nd August. I want to stress that I remain committed to representing all constituents and these changes will not take place until 2023 at the earliest, if at all.
Last week I met with M&S Chairman Archie Norman. I took the opportunity to reaffirm the case to keep the Warwick store open. It is vital for our town centre. I reminded him that his company assured residents in 2017 that it would retain the Simply Food store as a precondition for opening an out-of-town department store. Nearly 4,000 people have signed a petition to save it and I will keep working to reach a settlement.
As ever, I can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by ringing my office on 01926 882006.
