Mixed views on lockdown review

In a speech broadcast to the nation, the Prime Minister called on those who could not work from home to travel to work but avoid public transport, while also outlining a five-level Covid alert system and a phased reopening of businesses throughout the summer.

Leeds councillors have predictably been split, mainly along party lines, on the announcement, with some suggesting the speech was ‘shambolic’, while others seemed to believe it was a show of faith in the common sense of the public.

Following the announcement, a statement from leader of Leeds City Council Judith Blake (Lab) read: “Our clear priority remains the safety of our residents and workers.

“We will review the further statements due in Parliament (today) and continue to work with our partners to ensure we all fully understand their implications to enable us to safely bring in changes required.

“Moving forward, our future recovery will be an enormous challenge – one which will need everyone to be engaged and play their part in, and I would again like to thank residents for their continued efforts during these very difficult times.”

But, following the PM’s speech, Leeds councillors took to Twitter to air their views.

Coun Neil Walshaw (Lab) said: “There is a lot of confusion and fear after last nights frankly shambolic speech to the nation by the Prime Minister & equally confused media appearances by Cabinet members this morning. People should only return to work when it is safe to do so. (Also join a Union ASAP too).”

One defender of the PM’s statement was Conservative councillor Ryan Stephenson, who suggested it was a question of trusting the public to use their common sense.

He said: “My observation is that people fall into two camps: 1) the general public who understand rules require common sense to be applied alongside them; and 2) the left/anti-Boris folk who don’t trust the public to apply their own common sense and think they should be given a manuscript.”

Some were concerned at the Prime Minister’s messaging around returning to work, urging members of the public to join a union.

Coun Jess Lennox (Lab) tweeted: “People who aren’t in unions already need to be joining one now! You have a legal right to walk away from work if you are unsafe. This is in Section 44 of the Employment Act No matter what your job, we all need to ensure we are supported at work:”

Coun Paul Wray (Lab) added: “After the confused messaging, what we ended up with is the currently lockdown with a bit more exercise and travel.

“The direction of the “roadmap” out of lockdown is of course useful.

“But they should have kept the current slogon (sic) and just issued a statement on the roadmap.”

Others focussed on the aesthetics of the speech’s presentation.

Leeds Liberal Democrats leader Coun Stewart Golton (Con) said: “Is it just me or is the Prime Minister’s broadcast trying to channel an old fashioned Open University Broadcast? Making it look scientific doesn’t make it elementary.

“I’m not convinced he understands the message himself, never mind making the position clear for us.”

In his speech, Mr Johnson thanked the public for their efforts in social distancing but said it would be “madness” to allow a second spike in the coronavirus pandemic by completely lifting the lockdown.

Instead, he announced a gradual lifting of the rules – but stressed the plan is “conditional” and would be led by science.