Let’s prosecute lockdown lawbreakers – Yorkshire Post Letters

OUR government continues to be unprepared to tell it how it is and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure all of citizens understand and accept their responsibilities.

The Prime Minister can lockdown until hell freezes over, but it will not stop spread of the disease unless there is a serious change of behaviour by the 20 per cent of those who continue to ignore the advice and flout the rules.

The facts are indisputable. The virus loves to spread: following the three key actions of face, space and hand washing will stop it. If everyone followed the key actions we would not need the lockdowns, which are so damaging, and we would not need to protect the NHS.

The TV media takes great delight in getting people to state they cannot understand the rules. In every vox pop, I am yet to hear one interviewer ask if the interviewee has read up on the rules or has contacted their GP or council for clarification.

My local authority (Durham County) has an excellent website explaining everything in simple terms – the problem is that many people are simply too lazy to read it; after all it is easier to blame someone else.

I am also in despair about the way the matter is being policed. ‘Softly, softly’ just does not work in this type of situation. My wonderful 25-year-old great nephew, normally intelligent and bright, simply does not get it. He honestly thinks it is something that affects others and he can ignore regulations with impunity. He is not alone. Your excellent newspaper reported on an illegal rave near Wigan. Recently we had 150 guests dispersed from a wedding. We have seen city centre crowds drunkenly singing and ignoring pleas to disperse. It appears that not one of these people were fined and yet they all knew what they were doing. They all realised they could get away with it without sanction.

It is time to remove the shackles from our police and let them nip the problem in the bud, with the help of the Army if necessary. After all, we are in an economic and health war which we must win.

Every person caught ignoring the regulations should be fined at least £100. That will focus minds and I suggest after the first few well-publicised cases the incidence of anti-social behaviour will decline dramatically. No longer will forgetfulness be an excuse, nor ignorance of the regulations.

Yes, this will be temporarily detrimental to some freedoms, but with freedom comes responsibility. Those of us following the rules have accepted some loss of freedom caused by wishing to avoid the C-bug.

If hitting the wallets of the irresponsible minority is necessary to persuade them to modify their actions, I am all for it. The sooner we take action, the faster will we solve the problem and our freedoms can be restored for everyone.

From: Roger Crossley, Fall View, Silkstone, Barnsley.

ALTHOUGH I agree that some of the celebrations by ‘elite’ sportspeople are ridiculously over the top (The Yorkshire Post, November 2), I’m surprised that James and Helen Irvine have picked up on this, not taking into account it seems, that all competitors in the sporting arena have been tested and passed as Covid free.

Surely their considerable angst would have been better directed at the hoards of yelling, mostly young people, congregating on the eve of further lockdowns, the difference being that there is no controlling factor for their condition.

From: Andrée Eaves, Doncaster.

THANK goodness for a voice of reason amidst all the braying criticism (AW Clarke, The Yorkshire Post, November 2). None of the decisions the Government is making will have been taken lightly. The sooner we accept that the better.

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