WORCESTER’S MP voted in favour of a second national lockdown during a parliamentary vote yesterday.

Ahead of the vote yesterday Robin Walker said: "It is not something anyone is enthusiastic to vote for, but it is the right thing to do at this moment. It is right also to make sure there is support for businesses and people affected."

Asked if there should have been a two week lockdown to include half term, the MP said: "I don't understand the logic of saying that you could have made sufficient impact on the rate of the disease nationally in two weeks, when the evidence from those in tier three is that it has taken a longer time to reduce it.

"Therefore the argument we made for a tiered approach, a localised approach, was the right one with the rate of the virus we saw at the time.

"If we had taken these measures earlier, we would still have had to take them for a period of three to four weeks."

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Asked if Worcestershire should be going into lockdown, when it had been in the lowest tier, the MP said: "I have been making the case for us to stay in the lowest and was keen to see that as long as it was sustainable.

"I think my key concern is the figures do show our rate of infection has increased quite substantially and the number of people going into hospital has risen in Worcestershire.

"I think it is really important the NHS can do its job over the winter, whether that's Covid patients, cancer patients or other people who need treatment."

Harriett Baldwin, MP for West Worcestershire, added: “The Prime Minister has taken the decision to introduce wider restrictions, but I am eager to make sure that this will only last until December 2 and that the schools and universities will be able to stay open.

“Given that the restrictions are time-limited and there is financial support for my constituents, I am able to support the government measures.”