Unsurprisingly, Covid-19 cases in Britain are once again on the rise. A total of 3.5 million people in private households are estimated to have contracted the virus in the week up to 6 July, the highest level since late April.
The government has consequently stated that it is prepared to reintroduce any restrictive measures deemed ‘necessary’ in the coming weeks, in a statement comparable only to Groundhog Day.
Though we may temporarily be enjoying relative freedom, Health Minister Lord Kamall’s recent statement in the House of Lords encapsulates the Government’s ill-considered and irresponsible attitude towardsreimposing limits to public life. These restrictions are not only detrimental to the health and well-being of the nation but to supply chains and businesses that are already struggling to get back on their feet.
In the last two and a half years, we’ve seen our free, prosperous, and vibrant country plunged into the deepest recession in 300 years. We’ve seen the lives of the public dictated by draconian Government rules that have threatened the fundamentals of freedom of choice in this country, and we have seen quite clearly, that these restrictions have failed to halt the inevitable spread of the virus.
It is inconceivable to understand then, why Scottish MSPs have this month agreed to allow emergency coronavirus powers to become permanent. The Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) Bill, passed by 66 votes to 53, gives the Scottish government permission to impose lockdown restrictions and limit access to schools at any point in the future. Opposition parties have labelled this move as a “power grab”, and it’s no surprise.Here we are, years down the line, and the Scottish public has once again had its liberties stomped on.
That is why I have continued to speak out for business owners that are feeling the pressure now more than ever. I have long argued that the restrictive measures imposed during the pandemic have been a disproportionate risk to the public, in comparison to a butchered economy. Last year, I engaged in a fraught legal battle with the Government, only to be told that Ministers, who acted without prior approval in parliament, were legally justified. Once seen as an outsider, my legal team and I have watched the tide of public opinion turn in our favour.
As it is, our country is currently facing a degree of economic damage genuinely comparable with the costs of a major war, and the impact of the government’s lockdowns are likely to be felt for decades to come.Uncertainty is rife on both macro and micro levels, and people across the UK are now grappling with inflationary pressure at levels not seen in twenty years, as well as higher interest payments, and soaring fuel and energy costs.
Now is the point of no return for many companies, who will not be able to survive unless we permanently restore the fundamental pillars on which the UK is based. Yet as it is, I fear we are going to be trapped in a vicious cycle of restrictions being slightly scaled down only for these to be ramped back up and allowed to decimate businesses once again.
