In a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Oldham’s three MPs, Jim McMahon, Debbie Abrahams and Angela Rayner, have urged Mr Hancock to give the town an extra two weeks before a decision is made on a local lockdown in order to see the impacts of recent interventions made locally.
The letter highlights that the vulnerability of low-income workers in towns like Oldham and urges the Government to bring forward a programme of greater financial support for those who need to self-isolate after a request has been made by NHS Test and Trace.
Jim McMahon, MP for Oldham West and Royton, said: “Here in Oldham we have a considerable number of low-income workers, and for many of them the luxury of working from home when asked to isolate isn’t an option, neither can they rely on Statutory Sick Pay. It’s either too little to cover the bills or they don’t qualify for it in the first place.”
“This is one of the key barriers to a functioning test and trace system, until we have greater financial support for those needing to self-isolate, we will always have problems. And that it why it is a central ask in our letter. If we’re to avoid a lockdown in Oldham that would be so devastating to our town’s already fragile economy, we need to see support in place.”
“A lockdown would undoubtedly mean job losses across Oldham, so it’s important that we do everything we can to avoid that and that is why we’re asking for an extra two weeks so that we can witness the impacts of recent interventions here.”
Angela Rayner, MP for Ashton, Droylsden and Failsworth, said, ““The Government’s handling of this pandemic has been shambolic from the start.
“My constituents in Oldham are doing their bit to bring the number of cases down but what we really need is a test and trace system that actually works.
“People need to know they will be supported financially should they have to isolate. Statutory Sick Pay isn’t enough to live on and it certainly isn’t enough to support a family on.
“We don’t think a borough-wide lockdown – which will devastate our local economy and local businesses – is the right approach to take now for the people of Oldham, which is why we are calling on the Government to assess the situation over the next two weeks and take the necessary action to defeat this virus in Oldham.”
Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, Debbie Abrahams, who is a former public health consultant and a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, said: “With Covid infection rates at worrying levels Oldham faces a full lockdown.
“No-one wants this but we are in the last chance saloon and we must all play our part.
“However to do that we need to make sure we have the right resources in place. We can’t do this alone and we are calling on Government to ensure we get timely and effective support.
“Given that we didn’t have a fully operational contact tracing system when the easing of lockdown restrictions was announced back in May, this needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”
Since the lockdown was introduced in March, people across Oldham have made some incredible sacrifices and made some incredibly important changes to our behaviour. Not seeing family and friends has been hard, not enjoying the things we usually enjoy is not easy, but it has been so important and for this hard work we must all thank each other.
Likewise we can never thank the frontline key workers who have put themselves at risk, in our shops, running our transport system, in our care homes, and our doctors, nurses and support staff across the healthcare system, enough. They have truly shown the best of us over the last five months.
The latest Covid-19 data shows an increase from the already worrying 57.8% to 107.5% per 100,000.
As a local MP I have been supporting hundreds of constituents and businesses employing thousands of people, I have seen first-hand the impact restrictions have had on our economy.
In the Oldham West and Royton constituency alone unemployment has almost doubled, rising from 3,418 in February to 6,740 in July. As of 30th June, 21% of all workers (13,700 in total) were placed on furlough, with 79% of self-employed people (3,800) forced to apply for government support.
But even with this, many people have fallen through the cracks, for instance those who had to self-isolate with the only safety net being Statutory Sick Pay of £95 a week, and some not even able to claim this, for instance if they do not earn enough or if they work less than 16 hours a week.
And so, any lockdown is in the context of an already fragile local economy, thousands impacted by the inability to work, and businesses on the verge of going under. These are serious decisions with very real consequences for every household.
We have to beat this together. It will need collective action but firm personal responsibility.
None of us can be blind to the routine breaching of the rules which are in place to support us all. It only takes a bus or tram journey to see people routinely not wearing a face covering, a visit to the supermarket, or even more likely the local convenience shop or takeaway, or a visit to a local bar or restaurant with members from different households. Though we are getting to a stage where the majority are observing, we must be honest and say that a significant number are still flouting the rules.
The same is true of household visits, including outside in the garden, and just nipping in for a few minutes, meeting up with family and friends, and the list goes on. Too often the reason is explained away, sometimes with an imaginative interpretation of what a ‘bubble’ is.
During the early days of the pandemic I am sure all of us were washing hands for the 20 seconds, regularly applying alcohol gel and minimising how often we touch surfaces and our face. As time goes on that urgency becomes lessened and old habits kick back in.
Many will make significant sacrifices, and I’ve heard heart-breaking stories which drive this home, but sometimes the rules aren’t followed, or perhaps its human nature to want to break out after so long being placed under restrictions. The urge to see family and friends, to get back to normal, they are all understandable. But the truth is that it makes us weaker in fighting the virus, and ultimately in saving lives.
There is also a risk, that in an effort to be transparent with data, recent localised infection rates are published by ward. This shouldn’t allow any of us to think that, even in areas with current low positive test results being shown, we are not at risk. It must be remembered that the testing approach changes over time, for instance early on much was done in hospitals, but not in the community.
Now localised testing is actively targeting those who are considered high risk, many because of the frontline, customer facing or intensive work they do. On top of this the decision to test whole households including those not displaying symptoms (Asymptomatic), though the right approach in identifying the virus, creates higher results particularly with larger, sometime multi-generational households, where the virus can be picked up at work and spread at home.
We also need to be honest and accept that far too many do not have the financial safety net to self-isolate, when the best that’s on offer from government doesn’t even cover the rent, let alone other bills and actually putting food on the table.
It is highly likely the virus will be with us well into next year, from its outbreak to its eventual defeat once a vaccine is found, how it spreads and where it spikes will change. What we must see is action to reduce the risk at every opportunity. For that we need government to get a clear plan in place, but whatever government’s many failings, we cannot defer our own responsibility.
I have made contact with Oldham Council, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Mayor and I have asked that given we are now months into the crisis we must see robust, consistent and endured enforcement across supermarkets and local shops, in hospitality, and on public transport. I am pleased that today confirmation has been given that enhanced inspections and enforcement will take place on Metrolink and in the bus station too.
It’s also been good to see that Oldham Council have been out in Oldham Town Centre today handing out face coverings, giving advice to residents, and ensuring that businesses are all doing their bit to keep us safe and prevent the need for any further restrictions. On top of the new visual presence of Social Distancing Marshals, the council have also started door-to-door testing in certain areas of the borough this morning. I expect further details of inspection and enforcement in other places will follow.
I’ve also asked that we push forward with working up plans to carry out workplace testing in high risk sectors. One statistic which stood out for me was that 10% of those infected are responsible for 80% of transmission, you probably have heard of the term ‘super-spreaders’ before, and so having a system in place to track them fully is critical. And importantly it must be remembered that it is the case that many who are carrying the virus do not display symptoms, or if they do often very mild symptoms.
I’ve also suggested that although the government has failed to come forward with a robust system to capture contact tracing details in bars and restaurants, let alone basic minimum standards which are enforced. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking at creating our own system in Greater Manchester, not least of all to ensure that personal data is handled in compliance with the law, but most importantly so that any spikes can be dealt with swiftly.
I do not support the approach taken in other places where the government has intervened to lockdown whole council areas. Like many places Oldham borough is not a single place, but a collection of seven towns. A boroughwide lockdown not just has the potential to close down businesses, and with that almost certain job losses, in areas with few recent positive test results, but it also dilutes the available resources to fully target areas which are at risk with the necessary support.
A boroughwide approach also misses that people do not see the local government administrative boundaries; Oldham’s boundaries are less important as to their workplaces, places of education, where they shop, where they socialise and who they then interact with as a result. With a borough which stretches from Manchester to West Yorkshire, an outbreak on the Manchester border would more likely impact more on its adjourning neighbourhoods outside of Oldham than another district miles away on the opposite side of the borough.
This was part of the rationale for Greater Manchester wide restrictions we are currently subject to. The truth is that both are a blunt tool, and any intervention must be localised, targeted and resourced properly. Vitally, it must be supported by evidence.
Please stay safe, and as always if you need support and are not sure where to go, my office is here to help. I’ve also provided helpful links to support and advice on my website which you might find useful.
Oldham MP Jim McMahon OBE has reacted to the news that the UK is in a recession for the first time in 11 years and is enduring the worst in Europe. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that in the second quarter of this year UK GDP plummeted by 20.4%
“We saw once again yesterday that unemployment has rocketed over the past 5 months, it’s more than doubled here in my constituency of Oldham West and Royton. The double prospect of the Job Retention Scheme ending in a couple of months, and a second wave is deeply worrying, and government must act to prevent further loses and worsening economic conditions for many people here in Oldham.”
“My colleagues in the Shadow Cabinet have been warning the government of the danger of sticking to their one-sized-fits-all approach for some time now and they appear to be being ignored. Instead we find ourselves in the midst of Johnson’s job crisis.”
“Oldham still hasn’t recovered from the global financial crisis, we cannot allow the recovery from this current crisis to be built on the back of those on low wages, on our towns that have borne the brunt of the last ten years of Tory Austerity, or on communities so in need of investment. It is absolutely crucial that we build back better, the old way cannot be allowed to continue.”
“To start with government should back Labour’s five point plan for jobs: fix the furlough scheme to support those in the worst hit industries; back our businesses with a fightback fund to stop firms going under and save our high streets; ensure no one is left behind with targeted support for areas forced back into lockdown; keep our workers safe; and finally, drive job creation by investing in infrastructure, speeding up our transition to a zero-carbon economy, and improving access to skills and training.”
Jim McMahon OBE, Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton, has today backed the ‘Time Out to Help Out’ campaign proposed by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotherham, and the TUC. The campaign seeks to mitigate against those who would lose out on pay if requested to self-isolate, and therefore be unable to pay their bills, by calling for employees to still be paid their full wage if they are self-isolating and unable to work from home.
Mr McMahon said, “We should be doing everything we can to help everyone do the right thing, short of a vaccine Test and Trace is our best method of opening back up and getting people back in work. But it won’t work if people are unable to follow requests to self-isolate, especially if that means between choosing between paying the bills or not.”
“The ‘Time Out to Help Out’ campaign would remove that choice, it would ensure that some of our lowest paid workers, the self-employed, and those for whom Statutory Sick Pay represents a huge fall in income, can do their bit and take some time out to help out.”
“Until we sort this problem out there is still going to be a massive issue with our national effort to combat Covid-19. I think the comparison to jury service is a good one, self-isolating to combat the coronavirus is a civic duty and we don’t expect people to not get paid when they’re called to serve on a jury.”
It’s good to see GMP and Oldham Council working together to combat the dangerous behaviour of loan sharks, they prey on those who more often than not can least afford it.
With the financial pressures that Covid has brought to many across Oldham we need to get the message across how important it is not to turn to Loan Sharks.What can start of as a small loan to get you through the next week or month can soon become something that lasts for years to come, costs much more than you originally intended and often lead to violent intimidation.
If you think you’ve been a victim of a Loan Shark, call the 24/7 confidential helpline on 0300 555 2222, email: reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk or use the online reporting form at: www.stoploansharks.co.uk
A good alternative for those in need of financial help is the Oldham Credit Union, the OCU is a not-for-profit financial co-operative, it is owned and run by its members. the OCU exists to promote financial inclusion within the Borough of Oldham and to make a key contribution to our towns economy.
The credit union doesn’t need to be just for those in need of help, anyone who lives or works in the Borough and is over 16 can become a member for free, more details about that can be found here: oldhamcreditunion.co.uk/
At the start of August the government’s failure to fund free TV licences for those 75 years old and over meant that 3,930 households in Oldham West and Royton no longer qualify for the for a free TV license.
That’s equal to 70% of 75-and over households in the constituency. Free TV licenses remain available for those in receipt of Pension Credit, but there is some concern that people eligible for Pension Credit are not claiming it.
Reacting to the news, Oldham West and Royton MP Jim McMahon said, “It was a good decision by the BBC back in June to delay the implementation of the changes to free TV licenses, it wasn’t a good decision allow them to go ahead on August 1st though.”
“We’ve been asking those over-75 to isolate themselves and take extra-precaution over the last few months so for many of them their TV will have been the only source company whilst not being able to see their families and friends. It just seems cruel to take this away now.”
“Not least we’re still in the middle of the pandemic, people need to be able to access news and information about the rules and restrictions now more than ever. Last week showed how confusing it can be when new guidance is issued locally, we need to be ensuring that people have access to information and surely our public broadcaster should be at the forefront.”
“We know that government will try and blame the BBC for this, because like always it will pass the buck, but it’s important to remember that it’s the result of a government decision to withdraw the funding that the BBC has had to go down this route.”
“If you’re going to be impacted by these changes you should receive a letter from the TV Licensing setting out your options, and it might well be worth low-income pensioners in Oldham West and Royton looking into whether they’re eligible for Pension Credit and can retain the free TV license.”
Today marks a year since the unilateral revocation of Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian Constitution, meaning it has been a year since Indian-administered Kashmir had its special status taken away.
It’s been a year where people in Oldham have been constantly worried about the safety of their friends and family members in the region, we’ve seen massive clampdowns on important freedoms that we take for granted – although some have been lifted now, and then with the pandemic that has affected us all so much the people of Kashmir have in effect been subject to a double lockdown.
I think in the last year we have seen good cross-party progress on this issue, and that has to be crucial in everything we do. We have to work together to highlight and prevent any and all human rights abuses in the region.
The human rights violations are well documented, and the international community should do more, as should the UK government, to uphold the standards and protect people from harm. The UK government has shown a disregard for those affected.
We all recognise that progress will not be made until Indian and Pakistan come together and show a willingness to cooperate to resolve issues of tension between the two nations.
Our responsibility is both a moral one, that we call out human rights abuses where we see them, and an historic one, recognising that the current dispute is a legacy of the British rule.
I know just how important a cause this is to many people here in Oldham, I will always remember the solidarity shown here in Oldham at the event we held when the original lockdown came into place last year. It wasn’t just a conflict taking place in a foreign country, this was touching people right here in Oldham in their hearts and homes.
I will continue to work with my colleagues on the APPG for Kashmir to build support across parliament to finally end the human rights abuses, and though it currently feels a distant ambition; to support self-determination by Kashmir people.
It’s been quite a week here in Oldham, a spike in positive Coronavirus cases means that the council introduced new public health guidance to try and curb the spread and prevent an extremely damaging full local lockdown and a deadly second wave.
It’s so important ahead of the hot weather this weekend that we remember the virus hasn’t gone away and we must remain vigilant and follow the advice in every way possible.
Late last night government announced new restrictions now apply across Oldham and Greater Manchester, this new guidance goes further than the previous guidance in Oldham did. It can be found here and clarifies what a support bubble is, the new restrcitions on meeting friends and family outside your household and what it means for those celebrating eid today https://www.gov.uk/guidance/north-west-of-england-local-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do
In the video below you can hear my thoughts on the new local guidance, on the need to follow it and the damage that Covid has done to our town.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 