Our Ref: AE34258

18 December 2021

Dear Mr Cardin,

Thank you for sending over your petition on Parliament’s vote on measures to deal with the omicron variant of COVID19 which were debated and passed on 14th December.

As I am sure you are aware, the Government’s so called ‘Plan B’ involves measures to respond to the increased threat posed by this variant, which is spreading at phenomenal speed with record numbers of infections being recorded daily. Hospitalisations and deaths are unfortunately expected to increase dramatically in the weeks ahead too. Because of this grim prospect, the UK’s four chief medical officers raised the COVID alert to 4 – its second highest level which means the pandemic is out of control and spreading rapidly. NHS England has also returned to its highest level of emergency preparedness.

I fully appreciate the frustration felt both locally and across the country that we are here again, being forced to change our way of life to fight this virus for the second Christmas in a row. However, it is absolutely vital for public health reasons that we do so.

There are very strongly held views on many of the measures, most significantly the introduction of a system of COVID status certification. Please note that these are not so-called vaccine passports, as they allow for the unvaccinated to present a valid COVID pass if they have a negative lateral flow test result. I have consistently argued against any wide-ranging rollout of certification based on vaccination status alone, so was pleased that these plans include Labour’s proposal to give people the option of presenting a negative test as an alternative to certification, and that certification will not be required for access to essential services, for example in emergency health settings.

Knowing that venues require a COVID pass actually gives confidence to those who wish to access hospitality or leisure venues that the venue is safe. I strongly believe that the best defence both for individuals and for society is for people to get vaccinated against this awful virus and also to take their booster jabs when they become eligible.

As you will be aware, alongside the majority of my Labour colleagues I voted for these measures in order to protect public health and safeguard our NHS in the best way possible. This was not a decision made lightly, as restrictions impact on people’s lives, livelihoods and liberties, and is certainly not an endorsement of the Government’s handling of the pandemic.

We would not have lost nearly 150,000 of our fellow citizens to this disease if our NHS had not faced over a decade of cuts at the hands of consecutive Conservative Governments which weakened the resilience of our health and social care system long before the pandemic struck. Moreover the Government’s reluctance to act in a timely fashion and it’s prevarication in the face of scientific advice has combined with its lack of basic competence to exacerbate the problem and worsen the outcome.

I recognise that mandatory vaccination for NHS staff is a difficult issue. The vast majority of NHS staff have already been vaccinated but I believe that the threat of Omicron makes it even more important for all staff to be vaccinated to protect themselves and their patients from this highly infectious and deadly disease. Ahead of the introduction of this requirement to be vaccinated it is incumbent on the  Government to do all it can to persuade those who are hesitant and reassure those who may have believed some of the false propaganda about the effect of the vaccines. They are safe and effective. The Government should have done much more to counter the spread of fake anti-vaccine propaganda which has fuelled vaccine hesitancy and cost some people their lives. The Government must as a minimum meet with the Royal Colleges, NHS Providers and Unions to agree a framework for implementing this change and offer the maximum possible reassurance to staff about safety.

Our success in tackling this virus ultimately rests on people’s willingness to comply with the rules, which in turn relies on confidence in those making the rules. People are frustrated and concerned at footage of the Prime Minister’s staff laughing and joking about breaking restrictions on Parties last Christmas, and emerging photos of Tory Party staff doing the same. I share these concerns and believe the actions of the Prime Minister and those around him have undermined public trust and distracted from key public health messaging at a critical time.

However, we must not let the selfish behaviour of the Tories stop us from behaving in way that protects those around us. As it as been found that a third booster jab can prevent symptomatic infection from Omicron, I am relieved the Government has finally answered calls to ramp up the roll-out of the booster programme. I urge anyone who has not yet had the jab to do so, and for all eligible people to come forward to get the booster.

There is much more that needs to be done by the Government. Access to testing kits is critical is if these new measures are to be effective, and it is clear the vaccine roll-out for 12 to 15-year-olds must be sped up, as well as improvements made to access to sick pay and investing in effective ventilation in public buildings not least in our schools.

I hope this provides some clarity regarding the votes in Parliament on ‘Plan B’ earlier this week. Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your concerns.

With kind regards,

Angela

Dame Angela Eagle MP | Member of Parliament for Wallasey
Sherlock House, 6 Manor Road, Wallasey, CH45 4JB
Tel: 0151 637 1979 | Email: angela.eagle.mp@parliament.uk

Our response

Dear Angela,

I’d say thank you for your email, however, yours and your colleagues’ position on these issues is a very simplistic, and poorly researched one.

Until you all wake yourselves up and realise that you’re being played by very wealthy and highly influential, global criminal concerns, there is no hope for you.

We in the anti-plandemic world have awoken to this ongoing threat and will be collecting our resources, educating others and doing what we can to address it, oppose it, defeat it and protect ourselves and our children in the process. As you are refusing to act, then it will be necessary for us to do this for ourselves.
Victory will be achieved without you because it looks like you’ve roundly failed and there seems to be no way of getting any effective representation via your offices.

Do not expect our support or our votes in the future, and that goes for Mick Whitley, Margaret Greenwood and the South Wirral woman who spends so much time in London that her name escapes me.

Your position is an anti-human one and frankly, it makes me shudder,

Goodbye,
Paul Cardin