We are at a critical moment for our country, with a rise in infection rates, hospital admissions, and tragically, the number of deaths.

I’m glad that the government has finally taken the decision to bring in lockdown restrictions, but this should have been done weeks ago. The government chose to ignore the guidance from its own scientific advisers and wasted valuable time which will come at an economic cost and a human cost.

This government needs to act fast. We desperately need a test, track and trace system that works. Instead of wasting billions of pounds on private contractors such as SERCO who have failed to deliver, the government should be working collaboratively with local health providers and local authorities. This is the only way to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and enable us to get out of the cycle of lockdowns and damage to lives, livelihoods and the wider economy.