Further lockdown restrictions are “imminent” in Lichfield and Burntwood unless the COVID-19 infection rate is brought under control, an MP has warned.

It comes after concern was raised earlier this week that the district and Staffordshire as a whole are seeing a spike in the number of coronavirus cases.

Michael Fabricant
Michael Fabricant

But Conservative MP Michael Fabricant said the infection rate for Lichfield and Burntwood had jumped again, now standing at 146 per 100,000 people – a statistic that he warned would bring focus on the area.

“A rate over 140 is a warning signal to the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.

“Unless we can bring the infection rate down, Lichfield district will be heading imminently to Tier 2 which means high infection rules come into play.

“That means that while pubs and restaurants will remain open, only individual households are allowed to sit together. No mixing will be allowed indoors from different households.  However, groups of six will still be able to meet outdoors.

“And if that doesn’t work, then we will enter Tier 3 which means very high infection rates leading to the tight restrictions we’ve seen in Liverpool and elsewhere.

“It’s up to us – either we respect the rules, which doctors say will help protect the lives of the vulnerable, or we will all suffer the consequences.”

Michael Fabricant MP

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.

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Kitty
3 years ago

It would be useful to know where transmission is primarily taking place so we can adjust our behaviour accordingly.
None of the measures in place have curtailed the virus and nor will they and I have been certain we’ll move up tiers for some time.
But tory supporters seem hell bent on blaming sections of society without taking any blame themselves.
Track and trace is a national disgrace and without it, the virus will spread through social contact regardless of what time a pub closes, for example.
But this morning I’m asking you directly Mr Fabricant, why did you vote to stop free school meals for hungry children yet support Sunak’s eat out to help out which benefits those more affluent families? What’s the justification for that?

AgitatorofPeople
3 years ago

Well at least our kids won’t go hungry in a Tier 3 lockdown, oh no hang on, Michael Fabricant and your Tamworth buddy Christopher Pincher voted against giving kids free school meals.
Your Conservative government spaffs multi millions up the wall on contracts for ineffective crap, but cant feed the nations kids, yet the Welsh have managed to do it.
The pair of you are deeply sad and twisted individuals.

The Scribbler
3 years ago

It is becoming increasingly tempting to create a Change.org petition requiring Mr Fabricant to change his biography on Twitter.

The “socially liberal” description of himself has been laughable for far too long. However, it is clear he does not use his Twitter account as a constituency MP and rarely engages on local matters. The only time he does so is to lecture and parrot the party line or as a somewhat pointless and superficial piece of puff PR. He seems more intent on promoting the work of his close chums the Mayor of Birmingham and US Amabassador to the UK than his own constituency.
If you do try to engage him on local matters, particularly those that might include some element of criticism, then he will simply say Twitter is not for constituency business and he only respond via the “proper channels” (the fact he rarely responds in a worthwhile way to those proper channels is a whole other issue!).

So, perhaps, his Twitter bio should now read:

“Conservative MP. Views expressed are entirely my own and are unrelated to my constituency or role. Fan of Wales as a second home destination, the USA, walking and entertaining anecdotes. For political questions contact my website…”

As well as helping to clarify his confusing stance as regards social media and helping us as his constituents understand that it is largely pointless to follow him, I also believe it will help Mr Fabricant enormously and protect him from all those beastly trolls (sic) who make his life on Twitter so tiresome at times.

Lichfield Lefty
3 years ago

Ah thanks for that Mr Fabricant. I just knew there was a point to you somewhere. Please, tell us what we already know, why don’t you. Are you hoping it’ll detract the people of Lichfield from your abhorrent decision on Wednesday? I am ashamed that you are my MP (but I’ve never voted for you) Children in food poverty is real. Maybe not in your privileged world where multiple houses and expensive meals are the norm. Tonight, in your constituency, a child will go to bed hungry and you and your self-serving cronies are letting it happen.

Burntwood Bloke
3 years ago

Given my level of respect for Mr Fabricant and his disdain for his constituents, hungry children and anyone without money, I will file his comments somewhere suitable

Michel Souris
3 years ago

Mr Fabricant – why did you vote against providing school meals during school holidays for the least well-off families in England? Do you not have a conscience about allowing children being hungry when they go to bed? Do you not agree that a civilised government of a first world country & 6th largest economy in the world would not tolerate such a situation? Do you sleep easy at night?
You and your Tory government have little interest in anything other than lining your own pockets and those of your mates. How do you justify £6k per day for consultants and multi-million pound contracts awarded to friends of Ministers when children go hungry? Shame on you!

John Allen
3 years ago

I don’t think it’s dawned on the politicians that local lockdowns are unlikely to work; people are far too mobile these days. They might have worked in the middle ages when people didn’t travel very far, but the only viable option now is a two/three week national lock down. The problem of course is that there will always be idiots who break it, as it is obviously more important to them to go out drinking, attend raves, travel to beauty spots and so on, rather than help save lives. If a publicity campaign can’t persuade them to change their behaviour, the only other option is to bring in the army to enforce it, but then we would have the civil liberties brigade up in arms. References to WW2 are relevant to illustrate the difference in national spirit and attitude.

Adam
3 years ago

This is our same MP who appeared on video (to ask a question about HS2) from his holiday home in Wales, a high risk area!

John Madden lichfield
3 years ago

A free dinner yes for children
remember me 🎃🙊
Yes I believe children should not have to depend on pot luck charity please and there should be really organised goverment support across the UK to ensure no child experiences the insecurity of hunger as well as the stress of the pandemic and more distress yet to come 😥John

Burntwood Bloke
3 years ago

I believe many are following the COVID rules as best they can. MPs aren’t perhaps the best people to advise us on how to act right now, given the Tory down-voting of free meals for vulnerable children.

Also, let’s not forget that Mr Fabricant claimed nearly £27,000 in expenses last year. More than a lot of people earn. He’s a little removed from the reality of the situation that many struggling families are experiencing …

http://mpsagainstfreeschoolmeals.com/

Mike
3 years ago

I noticed that Fabricant rents his Lichfield home shouldn’t a local MP own a home locally

Eddie v
3 years ago

What an absolute loser he is

Chris
3 years ago

I’m worried about the Conservative rate that has been running rampant through the area for years now. Urgent measures are needed to bring it under control.

Feed The Kids
3 years ago

Mr Fabricant you and your fellow Tory MP’s should be ashamed of yourselves denying children of needy families meals. What year are we living in for this to be voted for.

Revs33
3 years ago

Mr Fabricant stop pontificating on COVID-19 and threatening your constituents. I am sure the Chief Constable and Leader of Staffs CC will be along soon to join the party. Oh by the way even your BFF Andy Street has said that children should be given free school meals.

Michel Souris
3 years ago

Just looked at the parliamentary committee on which our esteemed MP sits. The last set of minutes showed they discussed hand sanitizers in the Houses of Parliament plus other mundane matters. Perhaps illustrates that his government colleagues don’t rate him and have put him in a quiet backwater of a committee with no perceived value.

Michael – can you remind us of your achievements in parliament as our representative? We know how you feel about school dinners during holidays which is not shared by many on here.

Hayley Knowles
3 years ago

In other words if we get put into tier 2 or 3 us minions have only got ourselves to blame. It’s got nothing to do with the unclear and mixed messaging of the rules and the less than adequate SERCO track and trace system. People have done the best they can for a long time now, but I can’t help but think all respect for what this government tells us to do started to unravel the day a certain someone took a day trip to Barnard Castle and got away with it.

Terrence Price
3 years ago

Voted against free school meals for the half term – disgusted followed the party line.£20 million would have been a drop in the ocean as apposed to the billions spent on track and trace which is underperforming!

Burntwood Bloke
3 years ago

One final thought. Mike Fabricant is, like other MPs, enjoying a £3,360 pay rise on his £81,932 salary.

Hardship isn’t something I think many of our MPs are familiar with.

Alex Delarge
3 years ago

Hayley, you have hit the nail firmly on the head there. The genie leapt out of the bottle that day and it ain’t going back in.

Ben Strong
3 years ago

What is that on his head, why is he trying to look 12 yrs old, this man Is very disturbing.

Sheila Belcher
3 years ago

@Kitty, as a local parent I can tell you now that schools are driving infection. SAGE, the ONS, Independent SAGE and more all agree on this. Not because of anything the schools have done wrong, but because the government continues to peddle the lie that they’re safe. Bubbles of hundreds of kids, the same class sizes as usual and absolutely no help or support from government, let alone masks. They don’t even have to report every case any more, because they’ve had so many that they “know what to do”.

And Mr Fabricant, well, how can we expect someone who uses his public Twitter account to call a teenager a “twat” to vote in support of feeding children? He, and his other self-serving chums in the party, would happily let the virus kill off the poor, the ethnic and the inconvenient. They tend not to vote Conservative anyway.

Kitty
3 years ago

Thank you @Sheila Belcher for that info. I’m dreading the build up to Christmas when children will be seeing more of their grandparents and elderly relatives.
What I can’t understand is, how children are asked to wear masks in ‘communal’ areas, like corridors, but not classrooms. I mean, what’s a classroom if not a communal area?
This is a good example of why I believe we are doomed to a higher tier and no amount of careful pub visits or moving in a line through supermarket aisles will make much difference to the outcome…the infection is largely spread through the home from school children into the community.
I would have liked the MP to respond really, but…you know…
Too busy tweeting about his jackets on tv, or something. Or moaning about Marcus Rashford MBE.

Mike
3 years ago

If you look at the NHS app you will see you have to enter your covid test results if you want to and you can switch off the scanning part off the app. Most people only use it as a quick way of getting into pubs etc

John Griffin
3 years ago

Schools are 30% of the problem, workplaces about the same followed by mass events. Only the first of these 3 is relatively untouched by restriction. No doubt some comment will be made about kids mental health from someone who voted for the party at national and local level that slashed CAMHS, Sure Start, school budgets, youth services etc and created perpetual assessment in place of proper education. You have done the damage over the last 10 years.

Clare Sholl
3 years ago

People may be interested to know that there is a petition on the Petition Parliament site which you can sign to show your support for providing free meals to school children during the holidays. It is titled “End Child Food Poverty – no child should be going hungry”. And well done to all those local councillors who are acting to provide free meals. Just shows that any politician of any party can do the right thing if they’ve got a bit of backbone.

Jimbo jockey
3 years ago

I own the horse and jockey in the town centre.
We have been full of our regulars all Day, but have spent all afternoon turning away groups of people of varying ages from Birmingham,Newcastle, Liverpool and other areas that are in tier 2 & 3
Surely the transport system should come into some sort of tier to keep these people in their own areas to protect ours. Also taxi companies from four oaks and other areas should refuse to bring people over here.

Michel Souris
3 years ago

Michael Fabricant – presumably you have seen the reaction of people on here to your vote against providing school meals in the holidays and the comments of the wider population to the governments position on such meals. Some of your Tory MP colleagues are showing a slight change of heart on the subject. It is reported that Labour will re-introduce a Parliamentary motion on the topic when you return from the break. Taking all this into account, how will you be voting next time? Will you vote according to your conscience or Tory instructions? Have you changed your view on the topic?
I hope that you give an answer now and share it with your constituents as we are interesting.

Alex Delarge
3 years ago

The bulk of train travel is shifting to leisure as commuting for work has rapidly decreased, hence some good deals and a lot of folk who can no longer attend weekend sporting activities taking advantage.

Out of curiosity I’ve just tried booking travel through a popular on-line site next Saturday from Tier 3 Liverpool to Lichfield Trent Valley, return.

No problem, no questions, no website warning. For info – £24.20 any off-peak train. You couldn’t get a taxi from Birmingham for that.

Same thing happened in The Pig on the 17/10, not sure about yesterday but wouldn’t be surprised if they too had a few extra visitors.

I assume that the NHS app (if used of course) or name and address checking weeded them out?

As ever, this will ruin it for everyone as yourselves and others will either be forced or choose to close.

Steve
3 years ago

@Michel Souris – it looks as if the Conservatives are to change their minds on this.

No doubt Michael and Andy Street fought for this and Fab was forced to vote against giving children free meals.

Mike
3 years ago

Nothing in law stopping travel between tiers.as for the app it does not have access to your address and anyway you can switch off the track and trace bit of it

Kitty
3 years ago

This issue of FSM outside term-time has really cut through to the decent majority of the electorate and no amount of u-turning will redeem this govt in my opinion. Damage-limitation is all they can hope for.
Great to hear so many local businesses are gearing up to support Marcus Rashford’s campaign, including some Conservative Cllrs.
Please, Conservative Cllrs, let this toady and useless MP know the amount of feeling here for this cause and that you, as Cons Cllrs, don’t agree with the decision.
Finally, Marcus Rashford is a truly remarkable, inspirational young man. Best of us.

Lichvegas
3 years ago

Just because something is legally allowed doesn’t make it a good idea, or common sense. In the summer one of my colleagues felt it necessary to come over from Sutton Coldfield on the train to play football in Beacon Park, presumably because there are no parks where you can play football in Sutton Coldfield. He’s an idiot, and so are all the day-trippers from areas in higher tiers. Lichfield will inevitably join them, so at least there will be no point in them continuing to come here when that happens.

The government is ultimately to blame, with their world-beatingly stupid test-and-trace fiasco, confusing messaging and open contempt for the public shown in outright condoning of rule-breaking (hi Mr Fabricant, thank you for writing to your constituents to tell us that the putrid Dominic Cummings’ actions were ok, it’s good to know where you stand!) Nonetheless, if people cannot show restraint and consideration for others, it’s just making all our lives more difficult. I’m glad to hear that the landlord at the Horse and Jockey has been acting responsibly, hope others are doing the same.

Alex Delarge
3 years ago

Quite correct on the app, but if you turn off contact tracing what is the point of it?

On tiers, yep no law just advice not to travel unless you have to. My understanding is your tier goes with you, you don’t magically drop a notch or two because you leave your area.

There are those who simply won’t heed advice hence one of the reasons we are where we are. It is all about common sense and acting responsibly. Great fun isn’t it.

The people Jimbo jockey refers to weren’t here to see the cathedral, more likely their mission was to get lashed in a place where groups of 6 can still do so.

Leanne Wright
3 years ago

@Kitty Even in ‘communal areas’ like corridors a lot of kids aren’t wearing masks now either – apparently they don’t ‘need’ to because they’re supposed to be in their bubbles. Many of the so-called bubbles are pretty much non-existent by the time break and lunch time come around, and certainly when they go home and are sharing taxis, buses and going to friends houses.

The government’s approach is allowing many people to get away with ‘not believing’ in COVID or claiming that wearing a piece of fabric in front of your face for a few hours is going to give you health problems. Try having COVID for health problems!

Andrew
3 years ago

Has our MP even given a reason as to why he chose to vote against the school meals bill?? He’s very quick to respond to other, less challenging things but, he goes very quiet on issues that people actually care about. I suggest people reading this, who are genuinely disgusted by the Governments’ refusal to make sure children aren’t going hungry over the holidays, contact their PR loving, reality TV star of an MP to demand an explanation as to why he endorses it.

It’s a fair question, is it not?

Sheila Belcher
3 years ago

Good grief. It’s incredibly refreshing to read this outpouring of frustration and decency of thought from the comments. With so many outrageous idiots vocally advocating infecting others and risking the lives of their friends, neighbours, colleagues and children, it’s good for the soul to read that not everyone in the world is as self-serving as those weak-minded people who put their own entertainment over the care of others, as well as the morally flaccid government and their toadying disgrace of a Lichfield MP.
We need to support Marcus Rashford, condemn the swell of bigotry that criticises kindness and keep on doing the right thing.

Thank you, everyone here, for making me feel better about people. Wear a mask, open your windows when you’re around others (ventilation reduces the aerosolised particles the virus is in) and keep on protecting those around us, whether they like it or not.

And remember this when it’s time to vote.

Mike
3 years ago

Sheila unfortunately when it is voting time the people of Lichfield will revert to type and vote Tory. The locals have short memories

Clare Sholl
3 years ago

Sheila Belcher is right when she says we should support Marcus Rashford and be prepared to stand up to “the swell of bigotry that criticises kindness”. It is very clear from the response to Marcus Rashford’s campaign that there are a vocal minority, and most shockingly a large number of Tory MPs, backed by sections of the media, who love to pour scorn on any kindness as if it were a weakness. The same bigotry is currently being shown by the home secretary towards lawyers acting on behalf of refugees, for example.
The word for this behaviour is bullying and the only way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them.

Alison
3 years ago

Still no word from Mr Fabricant?? I know he reads these comments as he’s commented on here several times recently..?

Come on Mr Fabricant – please tell us why you chose not to support the FSM bill…??

WE EXPECT A REPLY…..

Michel Souris
3 years ago

Alison – our esteemed MP will not respond because he does not engage in dialogue. If you disagree with him then he ignores you. I have first hand experience of this when I questioned government policy and his voting on various topics with him – he terminated any further correspondence by saying he wanted to focus on ‘solving constituents problems’ and would not engage with someone on ‘government policy’. Speaking with several constituents recently, I have yet to hear of one being assisted by him when approached by them.
With no constituency office and the only means of contact by email, how does he engage with the electorate? I wonder if there is a means of ousting him prior to the next election? I can dream!

Alison
3 years ago

Thanks Michel,

We deserve answers. Can I ask that everyone reading this, who thinks it’s wrong that Fabricant voted down the Free School Meals bill, to contact him directly and ask why??

It’s disgraceful that he’s able to hide behind emails and tweets. He should be available to see constituents any time he is not in Westminster.

Just because Lichfield has been a safe seat, doesn’t mean he can short change us. We’re not stupid….

John Griffin
3 years ago

There are enough voters in Lichfield who really hate other people, let alone empathise with those in difficulty, to keep a waster like Fabricant with his nose in the Westminster trough. The community spirit is a little better in Burntwood with projects like Burntwood Be A Friend, but even there enough will vote Tory regardless – you’d be amazed how many think those in need should go without, even their kids, and that Boris is doing a good job.

Kitty
3 years ago

John Griffin – what would it take for ordinary decent folk who voted Tory to see through the current govt? Breaking international law, creating a carehome pandemic through incompetence, voting for poorer kids to go hungry and students to have barmy exam results…oh wait…
This is not a Conservative govt, it’s a vote leave pseudo farage party.
Lichfield & Burntwood deserve better than the MP we have, whoever you vote for.
I’m aware of many family and neighbours here who’ve had enough of Johnson and his nasty party. Some small glimmer of hope perhaps.

Claire
3 years ago

@Kitty – of course, you’re right. The only thing worse than an incompetent government, is someone who actually defends and supports it (Mr Fabricant).

As you say, whether you voted Labour, Conservative or anyone else, we do not deserve this. How dare Fabricant vote in favour of not supporting free school meals. This is a man who has accepted multiple voluntary pay rises while all the while voting for and supporting a public sector pay freeze for nurses and teachers, voted in favour of the Iraq war, voted in favour of overturning the hunting ban, calls female voters “twats”, tweets racist material, threatens to punch female journalists in the throat, and now chooses to support the recent Free School Meals vote. Vile, odious little man.

I will not vote for him again. Ever.

Hilary
3 years ago

Has anyone actually emailed Fabricant yet and asked about why he voted against the Free School Meals bill?

Is there any point?? Does he respond to emails from his constituents??

Lisa Shaw
3 years ago

All of this is utterly pointless, it is not the people breaking lockdown rules .Infact there is no lock down with schools opening and 30 households mixing daily, going home to mix with another child from a different school from where it is possible to mix with a year group of 200….so we can’t meet important family members who are alone suffering from terminal illnesses.
The whole idea is reckless and until the schools shut we have no hope. The deaths and infections from the first battle with the virus slowed down and stopped whilst the schools closed. Don’t dare lay any of this at the doors of the people working hard then staying in with nothing to look forward to . I think if we were to vote stay in and add on an extra year of education….or go out and potentially spread the virus that kills our vulnerable….I would stay in until its over and help educate my children 🙏 A very concerned mother .