Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

Here we are again.

Locked down tight. Shielding from the any one of the three Covid-19 variants currently spreading across the land at exponentially increasing rates. Working from home if at all possible and avoiding all but necessary travel. Obsessively checking and rechecking our place in the vaccination queue and hoping against hope that the ability of the NHS to get vaccines into the arms of the population matches the prodigious available supply of those vaccines.

I fully support Boris Johnson’s decision to return to a national lockdown. With record numbers of positive Covid-19 tests being reported each and every day and as high dependency and critical care beds in our hospitals approach full capacity, he and the leaders of the Kingdom’s devolved parliaments had little choice but to turn the door key once more. Sir Keir Starmer, who is quickly establishing a reputation for himself as both Cassandra and Statesman, gave the Prime Minister his fulsome support. Clearly he has been spooked by the confidential briefings on the spread of Covid-19 he receives as Leader of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. Regardless, we should laud him for his principled stance.

One person to whom the nom de guerre Statesman could never be attached is Gavin Williamson. Surely Mr Williamson can now confidently be ranked as the worst Education Secretary to have ever graced the government benches. Schools’ leaders and staff are in open revolt, stoked up as ever by their unions, angered by Mr Williamson’s combination of myopia, lettuce-like communication skills (green, wet and limp) and post-hoc policy announcements.

Parents must again help school their children at home and confront a patchwork quilt of online educational provision, which follows, broadly speaking, the established pattern that those who would benefit most from excellent services are those least likely to have the opportunity to do so. And those parents least able to afford the required time away from work to help their children learn are faced with the worst of Hobson’s choices: work to earn now and limit their children’s educational opportunities or prioritise educating the kids and struggle to earn the money needed to put food on the table.

Mr Williamson is self-regarding and childish (the man keeps a Tarantula on his House of Commons office desk for ‘House of Cards’ effect, for goodness’ sake), he is dishonourable (Theresa May sacked him as Secretary of State for Defence because she had “compelling evidence” he had leaked confidential and sensitive National Security Council – he denied it but everyone in Westminster didn’t believe him for a minute, such is his reputation for cheap and transparent politicking), he is, well, a bit thick (which we ought to forgive him for) and, given that, inexplicably arrogant (which we shouldn’t).

In the end, though, I believe that we get the politicians we deserve. If I’m right, the current crop of British politicians serve only to confront us with the inconvenient truth of our just desserts. The view in the mirror of our public life is unedifying. To change it we have to care more, watch more, say more and do more. We must. If we don’t, there is every danger that we will follow in the misguided footsteps of the United States and undermine the fabric of our polity so as to expose its limited foundations and character.

It’s remarkable that a third national lockdown in the United Kingdom is only the second story this week, and second by a long chalk. The events in Washington DC on January 6 and 7 were truly extraordinary. A sitting President walked into the garden of the White House and incited the supporters he has anyway spent four years inflaming to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue, lay siege to and storm the Capitol building that is home to both houses of Congress. This on the day of a joint sitting to ratify the US Electoral College votes and elevate the Biden/Harris ticket to power.

The MAGA (Make America Great Again) gang overran the Capitol Hill police and security staff and tried to establish mob rule. Windows were smashed, crash barriers were upended, walls were scaled, offices were occupied, weapons were brandished, a woman died of gunshot wounds and three others lost their lives. Donald Trump almost got his Presidential death wish, to bring down American democracy because it didn’t give him the electoral result he wanted.

Trump, his family and assorted sycophants have brought low the United States’ reputation as the cradle of democracy. Using his bully pulpit, the social media wild west, friendly and partisan television networks, toadying public officials, a successful populism that enflames and exploits the prejudices of the ignorant, 60 fallacious lawsuits and pure brass neck, this man tried everything to cling on to the power he lost in November’s elections. Thank goodness that America’s system of government and judiciary held in the face of such a brazen assault. The alternative is unthinkable.

Unless the powder keg explodes between now and January 20, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th US President that day. Frighteningly, a YouGov poll of Republican voters conducted this week reports that fully 45% of them believe that Biden’s Democrats stole the election.  Biden will consequently step into a smouldering crucible, packed with the combustible tinder of opposing views. For all our sakes, we have to hope his unique political emollience can walk the US back from the brink.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

The prospect of a lengthy third lockdown with no firm end date in sight is causing serious concern among Knaresborough retailers.

Knaresborough has seen a boom in new businesses lately but the current uncertainty is putting new and old shops in jeopardy.

The town’s streets have been eerily quiet this week after non-essential shops were forced to close again. Many are moving online to try to reduce financial losses.

Additional financial support has been offered by the government but shops say this isn’t enough to cover the money they would have made by staying open.

Country 2 Western, on Castlegate, sells a wide range of American-themed items from cowboy boots to belt buckles. One of its owners, Christine McLeod, said it relies on venues and music festivals to sell its niche products.

She added:

“We’ve been struggling since the first lockdown in March. We had to change what we were selling, we are keeping the American feel but a little different to normal.

“This lockdown is worrying for the future of our business. If music events are still cancelled this year we’d seriously have to re-think what we sell, it’s having a massive effect.”

Ms McLeod said she will focus her efforts on online sales but added it was vital music events were able to continue in summer.

Read more:

• Knaresborough’s Two Brothers restaurant has sights set on new venue on the high street.
• Knaresborough dog groomers finds new home on the high street.

On the high street, The Clothing Store of Knaresborough only opened a few months before lockdown hit.

Its owner, Rebecca Lombardi, was left “devastated” by the announcement and is worried that the short amount of time she has had to establish the business will impact online sales.

She said:

“There is so much to think about so quickly. It’s scary and there are so many mixed emotions. In the other lockdown we didn’t make much from online sales so this time may not be successful but I’m going to try to build our online presence.

“I’m remaining hopeful for when we do eventually reopen.”

Bill Taylor, treasurer of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, said:

“Many businesses in Knaresborough adapted to survive where they could during the previous lockdowns and it is great to see a similar desire this time round. The town really came together to ensure everyone kept safe.

“Knaresborough chamber will continue to support all of the local businesses however it can, and continue engagement with local authorities to ensure businesses are aware of all of the support that is available.”

The Harrogate district appeared to be much quieter today as people seemed to embrace the national lockdown rules.

With schools, shops and hospitality businesses closed, residents have been instructed only to leave home for a few essential reasons, including shopping for food and medicine, and to exercise outside.

The measures are designed to reduce the coronavirus case rates, which have spiked in North Yorkshire as well as elsewhere in the country, by significantly reducing contact between people.

It is unclear when the lockdown will end, but it will be reviewed again in mid-February.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the new restrictions yesterday evening in response to an “alarming” rise in coronavirus cases.

Yesterday morning Ripon Market Square was busy, but as dawn broke on a city entering Covid lockdown today the area fell silent – except for the sound of the on-going sewer repair work.

In Market Place East, the Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop – an earlier retail casualty of the spring and summer lockdowns – had already had its final day of trading after years of featuring on the Ripon high street.

Hairdressing salons, gyms, barbers and a bookmakers, along with all other businesses classed as ‘non-essential’ shut their doors last night and headed for weeks of uncertainty.

In Fishergate, the message from cafe owner Lou Grant was that Oliver’s army fights on. She told the Stray Ferret:

“We have decided to give it a go and see if a takeaway-only service can sustain us and carry us to safe shores when this virus is under control.”

Lou Grant, co-owner of Oliver’s Pantry

Mrs Grant, who is co-owner of Oliver’s Pantry with her husband, Tim, added:

“We are entering our ninth year and have taken every measure possible to keep our staff and customers safe, with screens, sanitisers and signs calling for people to maintain social distancing.

“Having come this far, we were not going to give up – as we feel we are in touching distance of  the end to all of this hardship that we are other small businesses have had to face.”

Business owners from the Harrogate district have given their reaction to last night’s announcement of a new national lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced at 8pm last night that a new lockdown would begin from today, with a stay at home order in place.

Other than for essential trips such as food shopping, medical needs, exercise, work where it cannot be done from home and to escape an unsafe home situation, people are instructed not to leave home.

Sandra Doherty, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said the measures would be difficult but were necessary to reduce transmission until the vaccination took effect. She said:

“It’s going to be incredibly tough for all businesses over the coming months, and sadly not all will survive into the spring.

“Until we can resume life as we knew it in pre-Covid days, the Government is going to have to continue its support to businesses, and extend it to those self-employed people who have so far not received any financial help at all.”

The Harrogate district will see its schools and non-essential shops closed with immediate effect as a new national lockdown begins.

In response to an “alarming” rise in coronavirus cases, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the new restrictions this evening.

Mr Johnson announced that people across England will be asked to stay at home from tonight, only leaving for essential shopping, medical needs, work where it cannot be done from home, and to escape domestic violence.

The late announcement of school closures, though not unexpected, is likely to cause concern for parents who once again find themselves supporting home schooling and juggling work with childcare.

Mr Johnson said:

“We have been doing everything in our power to keep the schools open because we know how important each day in education is to children’s life chances…

“I want to stress that the problem isn’t that schools are unsafe for children. The problem is that schools may nonetheless act as vectors for transmission, causing the virus to spread between households.”

MPs will be recalled to Parliament on Wednesday to vote on the measures. The Prime Minister said they would come into force from the early hours of the morning, leaving MPs to vote retrospectively. He added:

“Now, more than ever, we must pull together. You must follow the new rules.”

Mr Johnson concluded his announcement with the same message as he gave when last March’s first lockdown was announced: “Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.”

Read more:

• Harrogate woman: my nine-month long covid battle
• Health chiefs call for patience on Harrogate district vaccines

It comes as cases across the country have soared along with hospital admissions in parts of the south.

Last week, daily cases in the Harrogate district hit a record high as more than 100 infections were confirmed. That high was beaten by today’s announcement of 141 new cases.

Meanwhile, residents are raising concerns about whether the vaccine is being delivered in the district, after the vaccination centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground remained closed for much of the Christmas and new year break.

Are you ready for the new lockdown? What will the impact be on your family, work or business? Send your views to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The challenges of 2020 were faced by young people, too, including year 13 student Matt Roberts. Harrogate Grammar School’s head student, studying photography, economics and English language, reflects on his experiences in the last year.

I think it is safe to say this year has been a strange one. If you had told me at the start of year 12 that I would spend half of it at home, being required to not go out, I am not quite sure how I would have responded.

But here I am. Thinking back, just like you might be. Wondering what a crazy year 2020 has been, whilst also thinking about how far we have come. For me, one of the biggest challenges was adapting to remote learning. We were not allowed in school, and as a result we had to learn from home.

It started off incredibly challenging but as time progressed, we adapted. We learned how to do online lessons on Microsoft Teams through our school iPads, and as students, we quickly became proactive, wanting to stay on top of the work to put ourselves in the best position we could for our exams this coming summer. We are in a fortunate position that our full timetable of lessons can be held remotely, setting us up for our final year of school.

Read more:

• Year 12 students keen to get back to education
• COLUMN: The head of Harrogate Grammar reflects on how ‘the world has changed’

However, things do remain challenging with some students across the country having to face repeated isolations. I myself had finished my third lockdown, and was hoping to come to school the next day. But unfortunately, due to rising cases in my year, on the eve I was set to return, we were all sent home until after Christmas.

Despite all of this, there have been lots of positives we can take from this year.

At school we have shown that we are able to adapt to change, and that we can pull together when we need to, and across the country this has been illustrated perfectly by the NHS. We were also fortunate enough to have Captain Sir Tom Moore to help us through those initial months, showing that there can always be something to smile about, while raising £32 million!

Although the light at the end of the tunnel may be distant, it is there, and getting nearer.

On behalf of the Harrogate Grammar School community, I want to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year. Stay safe, and keep smiling!

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party. 

The Covid-19 limitations we have all had to live with these past 10 months are really starting to grind.  As the country emerges from its second national lockdown we have to contend again with the inconsistencies, anomalies and inequities of a tiered system of restrictions that have been placed on our liberties.  Unsurprisingly, compliance fatigue is setting in.

Pubs and restaurants are open again, albeit if only for patrons of the same family or support bubble.  As local establishments returned to business this week they and their diners had to contend with the presence of Big Brother, in the form of North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council staff, checking that those present were practising safe social distancing and that table guests were support bubble appropriate.  Three of Harrogate’s best restaurants, William and Victoria’s, The Fat Badger and The Tannin Level had the pleasure of entertaining the state’s loyal foot soldiers, tiptoeing table to table, encroaching on the privacy and relaxation of their guests.  Enforcement activities smack of a lack of trust, both in the individual and the establishment. As far as we know Winston Smith wasn’t among those present.

Being of solid Yorkshire stock, most of the diners would no doubt pass Environment Secretary George Eustace’s “Scotch Egg test,” namely consuming a ‘substantial’ meal to accompany their libations.  I don’t know about you but I think a scotch egg is a snack, consumed guiltily, either at a motorway service station, or (secretly, so your partner doesn’t notice) on the way home from doing the weekly shop.  And am I alone in feeling a little irked about the selection of a Scotch Egg as the people’s meal?  Surely a vol-au-vent would be more suitable for genteel Harrogate.

As with all government public pronouncements of late, this was quickly contradicted by Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, who, between the Brexit negotiation skirmishes he is coordinating to no great effect, seems to be acting as if he, rather than Bojo, is the one in charge.  Wherever one looks at the top of government for leadership and consistency, despair sets in.

This seems to be the view of a great many of the Conservative Party’s MPs who this week rebelled en masse when asked to rubber stamp the latest tiered lockdown regulations in parliament.  55 Tories rebelled, another 16 abstained or failed to vote at all.  All the other parties, including Labour largely abstained.  So too the Liberal Democrats, without irony, notwithstanding that ‘liberal’ is actually in their name.  Little wonder then that they remain an irrelevance.  If we can’t rely on Ed Davey’s tribe to stand up and put the case for freedom, dignity and the well-being of individuals, then who will?  Given that is what is written in the Liberal Democrat’s constitution, one could be forgiven puzzled disappointment.

Residents of Pateley Bridge and the Nidd Valley in particular will be wondering who is in their corner?  There hasn’t been a single case of Covid in the locality for ten days and yet they find themselves dealing with the blanket restrictions of Tier 2 lockdown.  Smaller, independent hospitality businesses in the area, operating without the advantages offered by large national ownership, see no way to open profitably.  This can’t be fair.  Small businesses are struggling on, having invested in making their venues Covid-secure, but unless circumstances change soon they will become financially unviable and we will lose them.  Our communities will be all the poorer for it.

One Lib Dem who spoke up this week is Lord Newby of Rothwell, leader of the yellows in the Lords.  He argues that the time has arrived for the NHS to hand back Harrogate’s Convention Centre to the council.  Press ganged into action as a Nightingale Hospital, the building is yet to receive a single Covid-related patient.  While we of course have to be thankful that the hospital lay dormant through two case number peaks, there remains lingering doubt about whether and how the NHS would have been able to adequately staff the hospital had it been necessary.  It’s time for Harrogate Borough Council to take back the centre and get on with building back better .

The news that vaccines are now in the country brings some solace at least and at last.  We know that healthcare workers and care home residents and staff are to be vaccinated first.  This has to be the right thing to do.  Not least because frontline NHS staff have shown their usual dedication to providing care in the face of considerable risk to their health and emotional wellbeing.  The government now needs to break with its recent history of staccato do’s and don’ts and communicate clearly how the rest of vaccination programme will be rolled out across the population as a whole.  By providing clarity about who will be vaccinated when, we can each inform our own behaviour accordingly.  In the end the government is going to have to trust us to decide what is best for ourselves and our families.  It’s called

Freedom.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

Read More:

• No covid cases for 10 days yet Pateley Bridge pubs stays shut
• Time to hand back Harrogate Nightingale back to council

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in Harrogate and Ripon has pulled together a list pubs that are opening this weekend to encourage visitors.

Under the new restrictions only those selling substantial meals can reopen meaning many pubs in the Harrogate district are remaining closed.

CAMRA has put together a list of all of the pubs across the Harrogate district able to open this weekend. The group has also put together other lists including pubs offering an alcohol takeaway service.

The branch has warned that without public support some pubs may not make it through to the new year.

The branch secretary, Steve Fairweather, said:

“Pubs in our area face a very uncertain future following the tier two restrictions and reevaluation of tiers on the 16th December.

“Please show your support for your local pubs over the next few weeks, either by going for a meal or using take away services offered as government support is minimal and we fear that if we don’t support them now, it will be too late for most come January.”

The group is also encouraging people to write to their MP. It says it is important to gain government support for local pubs that are struggling.

Read more:

• Harrogate district pubs voice their concerns after being put into tier two. 
• Despite very few cases pubs have to stay closed in Pateley Bridge.

What classes as a substantial meal caused controversy this week after the government was forced to correct a statement made by George Eustice, the environment minister, who said a scotch egg “probably would count”.

The government has confirmed bar snacks are not substantial meals. Guidelines state it must be a “table meal”, it is expected to stand alone as a person’s main meal day or evening.

Harrogate and Ripon CAMRA has said the smallest meals it has seen being served locally are half a pizza and a ploughman’s meal at £3 each.

People in Harrogate spoke today of their relief about shops reopening after a month-long lockdown.

Today’s easing of covid restrictions allowed businesses to swing open their doors and there were plenty of eager shoppers there to support them.

A strong ‘shop local’ message has been pushed during the pandemic and it seems people in Harrogate today were keen to heed it and keep their high street shops alive.

Beryl Westerman said she was glad to be out again after staying inside for the past month:

“It’s lovely to come out and see people again.”

Beryl was glad to be back out and about again.

Read more:

• Knaresborough shop owners are “positive” as they reopen their doors today. 
• Wrens in Ripon is closing its doors for good. 

The pandemic has had a huge impact on some retailers.

Huge names such as Debenhams have fallen into administration following losses in trade. Some others won’t be opening their doors again.

The run-up to Christmas will be a crucial time for those that have survived the second lockdown.