Businesses have rolled over and absorbed far too much of a basting from this Government over Covid and it’s time to stand up and tell it to get stuffed.
And this suggestion that we should have a Christmas ‘free for all’ and a harsh lockdown in January so people can have their families over for a bit of turkey is both idiotic and childish and needs to be stamped out fast.
Apart from the fact you might as well ask if your gran wants extra Covid with her spuds, more than £300bn has been spent fighting the virus so far, while tens of thousands of lives have been lost and businesses are going to the wall every day.
The idea we should flush all that suffering away for turkey and tinsel suggests we are in the grip of a new Christmas delirium virus and it’s getting out of control.
There are already thousands of businesses on the brink of collapse and another lockdown in January would be likely to tip 50% of them over the edge.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a family Christmas as much as the next person, but this year people have to grow up and accept that for one year we can’t celebrate it normally, even if that makes Boris appear Scrooge-like.
The Government must return us to a system of tiers if needs be, but also remove the shackles and encourage businesses to adopt proper measures to stop the spread of the virus and to work around it.
Hospitality has borne the brunt of recent restrictions even though it is known that Covid is spread most by people visiting each other’s homes.
This cannot even be supported on a health basis surely? You might as well be handing out gift-wrapped Covid parcels to your nearest and dearest.
What kind of Tory Government says screw business and sacrifices people’s livelihoods and health at the alter of Christmas? It’s as if they don’t mind ruining the economy as long as it doesn’t affect Christmas.
Pimlico has taken the decision to stand and fight this virus, rather than run and hide. We have adopted numerous measures to stop the spread of the virus, including heat scanners, and incentivised staff with bonuses and free lunches to get on and work.
This has driven our own fantastic recovery. I believe that if more companies followed our lead they would be in a better place.
It’s time for businesses to stand up and tell Boris and his crackpot Government they have had enough and if necessary to march on Parliament and tell him “never mind the baubles, you must let us get back to work.”
Charlie Mullins