ANGELA Rayner, MP for Ashton and the Labour Party’s deputy leader, has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to learn from earlier mistakes as the third national lockdown begins.
And she has also called for a “clear plan” how the Government intends to vaccinate two million people each week.
Mrs Rayner said: “These new restrictions are needed but the Government must use the third lockdown to do the things that they failed to do in the first and second lockdowns – like sacking Serco and delivering an effective test and trace system that actually works.
“The fact that the Prime Minister is unable to learn from his own mistakes, and keeps on making the very same mistakes, after 75,000 people have already died, is utterly unforgivable.
“Many people will be going to bed every night deeply worried about the impact this will have on their jobs and livelihoods.
“It’s beyond belief that the Government could announce yet another lockdown without providing details of support to help people get through it.
“Economic support must fit these new circumstances – for parents, for businesses and for their workers. The Government must fix it now.
“Sick pay and support for those isolating, business support, the millions who have been excluded from support, Universal Credit and home learning – these are all issues that need addressing immediately.
“When the Prime Minister announced the third lockdown, he didn’t say a word about test and trace. What a colossal failure. What a complete waste of £22 billion. What an absolute scandal and an insult that we spent months in lockdown last year and the Government couldn’t deliver an effective test and trace system.
“We cannot afford to waste another lockdown. During this lockdown the Government must deliver millions of vaccinations every week to get us out of it. We need a clear plan as to how the Government are going to ensure that two million people are vaccinated every week.”