Dear Constituent,

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, has opened nominations for Citizen’s Awards to recognise the efforts of local heroes who have gone above and beyond for the people in their communities.

Coronavirus has brought with it unprecedented anguish. People from across the country have found themselves in dire situations unimaginable just a few, short months ago. In Denton and Reddish, there have been many heart-warming stories of constituents lending a hand (from a safe distance, of course) to those in need.

There have always been local heroes in Denton and Reddish, working quietly and often unnoticed on behalf of others. Coronavirus has simply raised the profile of their amazing work, the demand for which is higher than ever before.

Gwynne would like to recognise local heroes with a Denton & Reddish Citizen’s Award. Constituents are being encouraged to nominate people in their local community who they believe have gone above and beyond to support those in need, both before and during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Nominations will be assessed by a judging panel, with winners announced on a monthly basis.

Andrew Gwynne MP said: 

“I am delighted to open nominations for the Denton & Reddish Citizen’s Award to recognise the efforts of our local heroes. 

 

“I have been overwhelmed with stories about the amazing, supportive work of so many in Denton and Reddish during the Coronavirus pandemic.

 

“Regardless of whether the work of your local hero is Coronavirus related or not, I would encourage you to nominate them for a Denton & Reddish Citizen’s Award, so that their efforts can be recognised and we can all express our thanks.”

You can nominate your local hero here on Andrew Gwynne’s website.

All nominees need to either live or have carried out commendable work in the Denton and Reddish parliamentary constituency. If you are unsure, you can enter postcodes here to find out if they are within constituency boundaries.

 

In his address to the nation on Sunday 10 May, the Prime Minister began to set out the next steps in our fight against Coronavirus. A new COVID Alert Level system is going to be put in place.

 

Over the course of the lockdown, we have been in Level Four. As we begin to move towards Level Three, it is crucial that we get the balance right between restarting the economy and protecting the population.

 

From Wednesday 13 May onwards, people in England who are unable to work from home will be actively encouraged to go back to work.

 

There are three main problems I foresee as we begin to restart the economy.

 

Firstly, public transport access is going to be limited. Social distancing measures mean that our buses, trains and trams are no longer going to be able to run at full capacity. In an ideal world, those required to work would instead travel by car, by bike or on foot. Unfortunately, this is not an ideal world and public transport will still be needed by so many.

 

People need to be reassured that travelling to work will not compromise their health. Wearing masks will help with this, but more reassurances from the Government will be needed.

 

Secondly, people should only be required to go back to work if their workplace is safe. Safety at this time will come from adequate social distancing measures. Employers should be making reasonable adjustments for their staff before they are expected to return to work.

 

Thirdly, restarting the economy has not coincided with reopening schools. Schools should not be reopening if the science is currently suggesting that doing so would be unsafe. However, people cannot be expected to go back to work without any childcare provisions. Many working adults in this country rely upon their parents for childcare. Shielding measures mean that older people are not currently allowed to see their grandchildren, let alone care for them.

 

In his address, the Prime Minister also announced a number of confusing new rules that I believe will be near-impossible for the police to enforce. We were told that we could meet one person outside our household in a park, but not in our gardens. The reasoning behind this is unclear.

 

The address seems to have raised more questions than it has answered. Whilst I agree that we do need to begin restarting our economy, protecting the population must come first. How we protect the population must be made clear.

 

Andrew Gwynne, MP for Denton and Reddish, is demanding that the Chancellor Rishi Sunak includes new starters in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

New starters are people in the United Kingdom who changed their jobs after 28 February 2020. As a result of lockdown, they have been left with no work and no income, ineligible to apply for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

This week, the Chancellor announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will be extended until October. This is greater news for the workers it is currently supporting, but frightening for those it is not.

New starters now know that they are facing up to eight months with no income through no fault of their own.

The Chancellor has said that there are other options available to new starters, but New Starter Justice have not found this to be the case. 96 percent of ex-employers are refusing to reemploy and furlough new starters. 83 percent of new starters are entitled to £0.00 on Universal Credit.

New Starter Justice have sent an open letter signed by 8,500 people to the Chancellor, demanding Government support.

Andrew Gwynne MP said:

“The Chancellor said that nobody would be left behind, so how can it be right that new starters are facing up to eight months with no work, no income and no support from the Government?

 

“I am supporting New Starter Justice as they demand that they are included in the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

 

“No loophole that has the potential to force hundreds of thousands of families into extreme financial hardship is defensible.”