Amanda Milling: It goes against my Conservative instincts, but we must lock down to save lives
Amanda Milling, the Conservative Party Chairman and Cannock Chase MP, says that while lockdown goes against her instincts as 'a freedom-loving Conservative', it is necessary if the country wants to defeat the virus.
Back in March when we found ourselves at threat from the coronavirus, the Prime Minister acted by asking the country to stay at home, to protect the NHS and save lives.
On Saturday, in an address to the nation, he asked the country to do the same again.
I know many of you across the West Midlands will be frustrated by this action as some had only just gone in to Tier 2 or had been living with restrictions for some time, but with the virus spreading across the country we were faced with the very harsh reality of our hospitals having to turn patients away.
The virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific experts and if we do not take country wide action now there is a real risk of more lives lost and depriving non-Covid patients of the care that they need from the NHS.
As a freedom-loving Conservative, it goes against my political instincts to see our pubs, gyms and shops close and our everyday lives restricted.
But when faced with the reality that our hospitals could reach breaking point, we have to act so I voted to protect our NHS and to keep people in Cannock Chase and across the country safe.
We must act to stop the NHS being overwhelmed and our doctors and nurses being forced to choose who would live and who would die.
We owe it to our doctors and nurses, our heroes in the NHS to work together to fight the virus.
So from November 5 to December 2 let us come together again to fight this second wave and follow the new national restrictions to stay at home and ensure the NHS is not overwhelmed, so that it can be there for all of us should we need it.
While we ask you to do this, we will be providing financial support to protect jobs and businesses across the West Midlands.
We are extending furlough at the rate it was in March and mortgage holidays, supporting businesses forced to close and supporting local authorities.
The way ahead won’t be easy, or without painful choices for us all, but if we work together now, we can halt the spread of the virus so over the next month let’s stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.
