Covid restrictions: Liverpool 'risks being dragged back to the 1980s'

The Liverpool City Region will be on the "very high" alert level from Wednesday

Liverpool "risks being dragged back to the 1980s" without proper financial support, the city's five MPs have said.

Labour politicians Kim Johnson, Paula Barker, Dan Carden, Ian Byrne and Maria Eagle have written to the government to criticise its handling of the pandemic.

The Liverpool City Region is the only area in England on the "very high" alert level to stop the virus spread.

The five MPs have questioned why they were "kept in the dark" over scientific advice recommending a short lockdown.

The Department for Health and Social Care has been contacted over the letter but has yet to respond.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has since called for a so-called "circuit-break" in England of two to three weeks to bring the rate of Covid infections under control.

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In the joint letter, the Liverpool MPs criticised the government for not instigating a "circuit breaker" lockdown after scientific papers released on Monday revealed government scientific advisers called for such action three weeks ago.

"Four weeks ago Liverpool's Mayor Joe Anderson called for a 'circuit breaker' in Liverpool to stop the virus spreading so rapidly," the MPs said.

"We have been kept in the dark and not told the whole truth of the scientific advice the government has received. Our city is being treated with contempt."

The MPs have requested further information on the scientific evidence behind "circuit-breaker" lockdowns and called for more support for the region, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has said.

"People also need security. Without proper financial support, Liverpool risks being dragged back to the 1980s," the MPs said.

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