"Tory MPs are pushing for lockdown lift against advice," claims Labour MP

2 September 2020, 15:42 | Updated: 2 September 2020, 16:16

Labour MP Kate Green told LBC that Tory MPs in Trafford are risking public health by pushing to lift the "inconvenient" lockdowns against advice.

Bolton and Trafford have been kept in lockdown, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed.

The Government had initially lifted restrictions despite pleas from council leaders but Matt Hancock reversed this move "following a significant change in the level of infection rates over the last few days".

MP Kate Green's area of Stretford and Urmston covers the north part of Trafford and she told Shelagh Fogarty, "The virus can be found everywhere in the borough.

"What I am very worried about now is that we as a borough are seeing a very sharp increase in the rate of infection and that's put us quite high up in the Government's danger zone."

The Government had initially lifted restrictions on households mixing at midnight, despite pleas from council leaders to keep the rules in place following a spike in cases."

Ms Green said she was disappointed that the Government "allowed political considerations to get in the way of a public health decisions."

Shelagh asked, "Are you saying here that Tory MPs in Tory constituencies in these boroughs pushing for change that is ill-advised? Is that plain and simple what you're saying?"

Ms Green confirmed, "Yes plain and simple that is what I'm saying...they don't want the inconvenience of a lockdown, they somehow believe they're going to be immune from the spread of an infection that we have seen is quite willing to go on the attack.

"We should be suppressing it everywhere."

She continued Trafford's public health chief was "explicit" last week that lockdown should not be lifted "and for MPs to second guess the local public health professionals, I think is utterly wrong."