Newspaper column 11 November 2020 - More support against COVID-19

 

Last weekend I was honoured to attend the Act of Remembrance at the War Memorials in Newquay and St Austell. The ceremonies were very different than normal this year due to the current restrictions to protect us from the spread of Coronavirus. However, it was right that we continued to mark this important date in our civic life by paying our respects to those who died in the defence of our country and show our thanks to those who continue to serve in our Armed Forces.

The events were well organised and I am very grateful the Royal British Legion and our Town Councils for their work in organising them.

I was very pleased with the further announcements from the government of additional support for businesses, workers and families during this new period of national restrictions.

The Chancellor announced on Thursday that the furlough scheme would be extended until March and the government would be covering up to 80% of wages for eligible staff. I know this has been welcomed by many local businesses as it will enable them to keep their staff on over the winter.

The Chancellor also announced a further round of support for self-employed people, with another three month payment of up to 80% of average income available. As we enter the winter I know this will be a vital means of support for many locally.

There will also be another round of business grants available with up to £3,000 available to those businesses that have been told to shut for the next four weeks. In addition to this Cornwall Council will be receiving over £5million for a further discretionary grant fund. This will be available for them to use to support local businesses and the economy through the winter. I certainly hope they will ensure these funds are used wisely to best support our local businesses, who although not forced to close will be severely affected by the new restrictions.

The other big announcement at the weekend was for more funding to help families through the coming months. £170million was made available nationally that will go to local councils to be used to support families most in need over the winter. It has been confirmed that £1.8million of this fund will be coming to Cornwall.

I am pleased to see the government delivering on their commitment to support families and that no child should go hungry this winter. Following the recent political storm regarding the decision to not extend free school meals into the school holidays I made it clear I believed there was a better way and that I would be pressing the government for more funding to be made available.

This additional money will be very welcome, and I hope that Cornwall Council will use it to ensure that it gets to those who need it most. This is not just those families who qualify for free school meals, as there are many families who do not qualify, for a number of reasons, who still require support at this time.

Finally, I know that the coming weeks will once again be a tough time for many locally. As always, my office team and I are here to help. If you need advice, guidance or help in any please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can email me at office@stevedouble.org.uk or call 01726 829379 and we will do what we can to help.

Newspaper column 4 November 2020 - New lockdown measures and Remembrance Sunday

Clearly the big news of the past week was the announcement of new national measures to fight the spread of the Coronavirus.

I know this will come as a big disappointment to many of us in Cornwall where, although rising, the number of cases remain the lowest in the country. It is clear the government has done everything it could do avoid having to new national restrictions. However, the reality of the figures showed that although we are starting from a low level, the number of cases in Cornwall was increasing at a faster rate than the rest of the country. Regrettably, we needed to act now to avoid the risk of Cornwall being in the same position as parts of the North West which were seeing hospital admissions at similar levels to that of the Spring. Particularly with our population in Cornwall being more elderly and therefore in greater danger, this was not something we could risk.

 I appreciate this will be another difficult time for us all, economically, mentally, and socially. I will be doing everything I can to ensure we get the support we need and will also be seeking assurances from the government that we will be released from these new restrictions at the earliest opportunity when it is safe to do so.

As we enter another time of having to limit our lives for the national good, the fact that it is Remembrance Sunday this weekend is a timely reminder of the struggles of past generations. As tough and challenging as this year has been for us, it is still nowhere near as challenging as the struggles of those that lived through the war years.

Over the past months I have often thought to myself that comparing our struggles this year to those that lived through the war years does help us keep things in perspective. Throughout our history our nation has faced difficult times for a variety of reasons. We have always risen to the challenge, pulled together and got through it. I am sure this time will be no different.

This Sunday does provide us all with the opportunity to remember all those of previous generations who paid a price for us to be free today. Although we are all experiencing restrictions on our freedoms for a short while, it can help to remind us what it is those generations were fighting for.

Clearly events this Sunday will be very different to usual. We will not be able to have the big parades and church services of remembrance. I will be laying a wreath in both Newquay and St Austell in what will be a quiet and low-key act of remembrance along with the Mayor and representatives of the Royal British Legion. Although it will be disappointing not to be able to have the all the crowds, and we will particularly miss the armed forces veterans and the cadets, in some ways a low key event will seem more fitting to the current situation.

I do hope that all of us though will take a moment on Sunday, and indeed next Wednesday on Armistice Day, the 11^th November, to quietly remember, pay our respects and show our gratitude to the fallen. 

With each passing year those who are still with us that lived through the last World War become fewer and it is so important that as the living memory of those times passes we continue to ensure that each new generation is aware of the price that was paid and values the freedom we have.

It is also vital we continue to support the Royal British Legion and the vital work they do in supporting our veterans. Many of their usual means of fundraising have been restricted this year so I do hope we will all do what we can to buy and wear a poppy and donate to their work.

Finally, perhaps more than any other year this year we have reason to be grateful to those who currently serve in our armed forces. Often, their work is hidden from us in far away places as they serve our country in a multitude of ways to keep us safe – sometimes in ways we never get to hear of. But this year we have seen some of the vital work they do in the service of our country as they have played a central role in the fight again Coronavirus. Whether it has been building the Nightingale Hospitals, manning testing centres or helping with distributing PPE, they have provided vital support to the NHS during this year. So as well as remembering and respecting those who have fallen and served at times of war in the past, let us also show our gratitude to those who serve us today.