Today, the Labour Party are launching their new campaign with the GMB Union for Covid-safe public spaces.

Despite the Government lifting Covid restrictions, Labour and the GMB are conscious that cases remain stubbornly high in Brighton & Hove, and as it stands, workers in every industry from hospitality to retail are being expected to put themselves at daily risk of transmission without protection.

That is why we are asking residents and local businesses to sign our pledge for Covid-safe public spaces. Our pledge recognises the risk the pandemic poses to workers and residents, and asks everyone to keep wearing masks and maintaining distance in public spaces, particularly indoors.

We will be marking the launch of this campaign with an Action Day on Saturday, where Labour Party councillors and members will be delivering our Covid safety posters to local businesses around the city, encouraging them to put them up in their windows to ask customers to wear masks and maintain distance to keep their workers safe.

The Labour Group will also be writing to key institutions in the city, such as the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, Brighton & Hove Bus Company, the local taxi trade, Churchill Square and more, asking them to sign our pledge and join our campaign to protect workers and residents from Covid-19.

If we want our valuable services and shops to stay open, we must protect the staff.

To sign our pledge and find out more, visit: https://www.brightonhovelabour.com/covid-safe-public-spaces/

Councillor Theresa Fowler, Labour Party lead spokesperson for Health & Wellbeing, said:

“We feel it’s crucial we step up to protect workers and residents in the city. It’s not a big ask for people to keep wearing their masks indoors and maintaining physical distance.

“Covid cases remain high and if we want to return to some form of ‘normality’, we need to do so in a way that doesn’t needlessly put people at risk of transmission.

“The Government may have lifted restrictions, but the pandemic is far from over.

“We hope all local businesses and residents will sign our pledge and join with us and the GMB in the fight for Covid-safe public spaces.“