Is Mr Buckland listening?

I recently (1st Nov) wrote to Robert Buckland MP with questions relating to government policy on Covid-19.

He declined to answer any of them, giving only a generic response and claiming that the government measures were needed because otherwise "we will run out of hospital capacity in a matter of weeks". This claim was demonstrably false at the time it was made, as I pointed out to him. I have twice more asked him to address the questions, to no avail. Here are three of the questions:

Media reports quote the PM and the Foreign Secretary as saying the rate of false positives on the PCR test is as high as 93 per cent. Can you confirm?

Do you rule out making the vaccine mandatory, or effectively mandatory (ie tying things like careers, travel and leisure to being vaccinated)?

Can you reassure that any programme of mass testing will be for a short term only, not a long term or permanent feature of society?

I find Mr Buckland's non-replies concerning as the implications to our way of life in Swindon could be profound.

I'm also disturbed that we have an MP who appears unwilling to answer a constituent's simple questions or acknowledge when shown that the information he is relying on is inaccurate.

Is he even listening?

David Norris

Address supplied

Displays lift spirits

Walking through my local area and far beyond during these dark winter nights.Through wind and rain and probably later snow. It lifts my heart up, regarding the British human spirit to see so many houses with wonderful displays of lit up Santas. Reindeers and Christmas trees in their front gardens.

May I thank the many houses in my area and beyond ,for the pleasure that has given me, and I suspect every passing person.

Regardless of the electricity bill that ensues

Bill Williams

Merlin Way

Covingham

A pantomime created by the Government

So the Prime Minister's "Oven Ready Deal"‎ of last December has turned into a last minute dot com "turkey", that may or may not be ready for Christmas, let alone the, all important, December 31st Brexit deadline.

With a fortnight to go before Britain goes out the EU exit door, local businesses and residents are left with no idea of what we will all face in the New Year.

2020 has been a desperate year for so many. Yet at a time of national crisis, we have had a Government of utter incompetence.

They have made over 14 policy U turns including being embarrassed by footballer Marcus Rashford into providing food for hungry children and made vacuous boasts of a world class Covid track and trace system.

The vaccine is of course hugely welcome, so long as it can be delivered post Brexit, presumably past lines of stationary lorries.

Meanwhile our vital, Wiltshire hospitality and tourism businesses have lurched from one set of Covid restrictions and related expenses to another, almost on a monthly basis.

I know we are in the pantomime season, but with so many Christmas shows cancelled, I had no idea that the Tories were going to create one with us all in it.

You simply just could not make it up, but tragically for the rest of us, this Government continues to do so.

Happy Christmas everyone

Dr Brian Mathew

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for North Wiltshire

& Wiltshire Councillor