Calderdale MPs react as Calder Valley is released but Halifax remains under COVID-19 restrictions

The borough has been subject to lockdown restrictions since Thursday, July 30 due to a spike in coronavirus cases.

Wards in the Calder Valley constituency will bow be exempt from the restrictions.

This is what the Calderdale MP's have said on the lifting of restrictions in the Calder Valley and them remaining in Halifax

Halifax Labour MP Holly Lynch

"I want to make it absolutely clear that the agreed preference, was for local restrictions to be lifted for the whole borough, but that we would ask Government for assurances that we would have the resources we would need to focus on areas with higher infection rates.

"We also needed the current problems with test and trace to be addressed urgently, giving us the confidence to transition from the blunt tool that is additional restrictions, to an effective science led system.

"The announcement suggests that Government could offer neither of these assurances. I want to thank the people of Halifax for their patience but plead with Government to stop playing politics with this. Work with ALL of us.

"The boundaries and local restrictions will be reviewed weekly and I will continue to ask for the resources and improvements we need to bring the local restrictions to an end, whilst keeping people as safe as possible."

Calder Valley Conservative MP Craig Whittaker

"I am incredibly pleased that a Targeted Approach to Covid-19 will be adopted in Calderdale.

"Calderdale’s one-size-fits-all approach was unfair. Residents in low transmission areas were unnecessarily subject to restrictions. This was having a preventable impact on both residents and the local economy.

"The Targeted Approach will replace Calderdale’s one-size-fits-all strategy and will impose additional measures in localised areas with high COVID-19 cases, whilst removing them in areas with low transmission.

"This means that the whole of Calder Valley – Brighouse, Rastrick, Elland, Hipperholme & Lightcliffe, Ryburn, Greetland & Stainland, Luddendenfoot, Calder and Todmorden – will all come out of local restrictions on Wednesday 2nd September

"Whilst this is fantastic news for Calder Valley, we must keep up the good work and not become complacent.

"We have all worked very hard to stay alert, control the virus, and save lives. As we rejoin other areas in the country on the journey to recovery, let’s keep complying with social distancing and extra hygiene measures so we can continue to return to normality."