In Labour co-leader Cllr John Allcock’s column in Brighton & Hove News, he outlines the steps the Labour Party are taken to ensure that the country can remain safe from Covid-19.

Monday 19 July was billed as England’s “freedom day”, signalling Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conquest of the covid-19 virus.

At times of national crisis, it is essential that messaging is clear and coherent.

Unfortunately, the only consistency in the government’s communications around covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns has been their inconsistency.

The messaging has all too often been confused and consequently often misunderstood.

Covid cases remain persistently high in Brighton and Hove, and by lifting the covid restrictions, the government has left workers in a precarious and unsafe position.

Just over a week ago, our local Labour councillors launched a new campaign with the GMB union for covid-safe public spaces.

It is wrong to expect our shops, restaurants, pubs, bars, cinemas and buses to open as usual with no protection from coronavirus in place.

So we are pledging to work with residents and local businesses to keep often-crowded spaces covid-safe.

We are also writing to key institutions and organisations in the city, such as Brighton and Hove City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, Brighton and Hove Bus Company, the local taxi trade, Churchill Square shopping centre 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 read Councillor John Allcock’s full article, click here.

Photo credit: Creative commons.