Oldham MPs ask Government for two-week extension

Reporter: Jon Chubb
Date published: 19 August 2020

Oldham’s three Labour MPs have called on the Health Secretary to give the town an extra two weeks before a decision is made on a local lockdown in order to see the impacts of recent interventions made locally.

In a letter to Matt Hancock, JIm McMahon, Angela Rayner and Debbie Abrahams have urged him to bring forward a programme of greater financial support for those who need to self-isolate after a request has been made by NHS Test and Trace.

Jim McMahon, MP for Oldham West and Royton, said: “Here in Oldham we have a considerable number of low-income workers, and for many of them the luxury of working from home when asked to isolate isn’t an option, neither can they rely on Statutory Sick Pay. It’s either too little to cover the bills or they don’t qualify for it in the first place.”

“This is one of the key barriers to a functioning test and trace system, until we have greater financial support for those needing to self-isolate, we will always have problems. And that it why it is a central ask in our letter. If we’re to avoid a lockdown in Oldham that would be so devastating to our town’s already fragile economy, we need to see support in place.”

“A lockdown would undoubtedly mean job losses across Oldham, so it’s important that we do everything we can to avoid that and that is why we’re asking for an extra two weeks so that we can witness the impacts of recent interventions here.”

Angela Rayner, MP for Ashton, Droylsden and Failsworth, said, ““The Government’s handling of this pandemic has been shambolic from the start.

“My constituents in Oldham are doing their bit to bring the number of cases down but what we really need is a test and trace system that actually works.

“People need to know they will be supported financially should they have to isolate. Statutory Sick Pay isn’t enough to live on and it certainly isn’t enough to support a family on.

"We don't think a borough-wide lockdown - which will devastate our local economy and local businesses - is the right approach to take now for the people of Oldham, which is why we are calling on the Government to assess the situation over the next two weeks and take the necessary action to defeat this virus in Oldham."

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, Debbie Abrahams, who is a former public health consultant and a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, said: “With Covid infection rates at worrying levels Oldham faces a full lockdown.

“No-one wants this but we are in the last chance saloon and we must all play our part.

“However to do that we need to make sure we have the right resources in place. We can't do this alone and we are calling on Government to ensure we get timely and effective support.

"Given that we didn’t have a fully operational contact tracing system when the easing of lockdown restrictions was announced back in May, this needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”

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