Largan column: 'I will continue to hold the government's feet to the fire'

In his latest column, High Peak MP Robert Largan says he'll be working to get the coronavirus vaccine rolled out as fast as possible but his focus is on providing support for businesses and individuals affected by the Tier 3 restrictions.

The UK has become the first country in the world to start the rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. This is a vital step towards turning coronavirus into a manageable disease, allowing us to return to normality in the future.

An initial 800,000 doses are being made available, helping the most vulnerable people in the country, beginning with care home residents and their carers, all those over 80, and frontline health and social care workers. I am delighted that Stepping Hill Hospital is one of the first hospitals in the country to receive the vaccine.

I will be working closely with Ministers, public health professionals and the local councils to get the vaccine rolled out as fast as possible. This is a promising start, but the Government still has a responsibility to strike a balanced approach towards controlling the virus.

I strongly disagreed with the decision to put the High Peak into Tier 3. That is why I rebelled against the Government and voted against the proposed restrictions. I’ve always said that I will take an independent-minded approach and put the High Peak ahead of party politics. That’s exactly what I’m doing.

I agree with the Government that we needed to replace the national lockdown with more targeted, localised measures. However, placing entire counties under the same restrictions risks turning the tier system into a blunt instrument, undermining public confidence and trust.

I also wanted to send a clear message to ministers that more support is needed for businesses that depend on the Christmas period for a large part of their annual earnings.

More needs to be done to help local businesses affected by Tier 3 restrictions, and I have made this case repeatedly to the Government. I wrote to both the Chancellor and the Health Secretary last week, urging them to look again at the situation and act.

Throughout the crisis, I have consistently spoken up for the High Peak and worked constructively and on a cross-party basis to get us through the crisis. I have made a number of speeches on the issue, emphasising the need for investment in our NHS capacity, and the need to balance the public health and economic challenges of this pandemic.

My focus is on providing support out to businesses and individuals who have been affected and making the case to get the High Peak out of Tier 3 as fast as possible.

In the meantime, I will continue to hold the Government’s feet to the fire so High Peak families and businesses can get urgent support during this difficult time.