Local MP Maria Miller said, “It is sad that, at a time when we should be working together to support our community through this pandemic and support the roll-out of the vaccine to save lives, the Leadership of the Labour Party is holding a debate in Parliament which could leave many of the most vulnerable people thinking the support they are receiving because of the pandemic is being taken away. This debate is not Government policy and doesn’t affect the important support in place right now to help people through this national crisis.
“More than £280bn extra money has been used by the Government to support people up and down the country who have been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. Many thousands of people here in Basingstoke have been supported through the Government financed furlough scheme, the Hardship Fund to buy food for people shielding and those who have lost their jobs, an extra £7bn into extra welfare benefits and changes in the law to protect people from eviction. This extra support has helped families have some certainty in these difficult times and given resources to local organisations to provide essential support where it is needed.”