Prime minister Boris Johnson should resign over his ‘lack of leadership’ in handling the partygate scandal still hanging over Downing Street.

That’s the view of Ripon councillor Stuart Martin, chair of the Conservative-controlled North Yorkshire County Council, who will not be standing for re-election after 23 years in local politics.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“In my time as a firefighter and crew manager, I knew that I was duty bound to set an example and I don’t think the prime minister has done this in his handling of the partygate issue.

“He should step down because of the lack of leadership that he showed.”

Cllr Martin, pointed out:

“I must stress that I am not speaking on behalf of the council, but from a personal perspective.”

In March 2020, when the country was in its first covid-lockdown and he and his wife April were serving as the Mayor and Mayoress of the Harrogate District, she contracted coronavirus and went into two weeks of self-isolation.

The Mayoress’s condition deteriorated rapidly and she was rushed into Harrogate District Hospital where her life was saved in the intensive care unit.

At the time, Cllr Martin, said:

“I had to say goodbye to her in the ambulance and I didn’t know whether or not I would ever see her again.”

A second chance

Former nurse April, who is still suffering from long covid, said:

“Because of the skill of everybody at the hospital, we were given a second chance and that was in our thinking, when we looked to the future and Stuart decided it was time to step down.”

The couple, who will celebrate their 41st wedding anniversary in June, have two grown-up daughters and plan to spend more time with them and their six grandchildren, aged from five to 16.

The frightening experience of two years ago remains fresh in their minds and with daughter Gemma working as a paramedic, they have an everyday reminder of the vital role that front-life staff continue to play in tackling the pandemic and keeping people safe.

This was highlighted at Christmas, when the lack of rapid flow test kits put additional strain on the emergency services.

Cllr Martin, said:

“It was a chaotic and ridiculous situation, with paramedics urgently requiring testing kits to ensure that they were clear of the virus and able to care for others.”

Continuing work in the community

The Queen and Prince Philip, pictured in 2004 with the then Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon Councillor Stuart Martin and his wife April

As the government eases the restrictions on daily life, the Martins will continue to remain vigilant as they carry out their community work in Ripon and further afield.

Cllr Martin, one of the founders of TASC Madagascar which is helping disadvantaged people in the island country, will continue as a trustee for the charity.

He will also maintain his role as chair of trustees at Community House in Ripon, whose services are supporting hundreds of families and individuals trapped in food poverty.

Awarded an MBE IN 2010 for his charity work in Ripon and Madagascar, Cllr Martin will be playing active roles with the Ripon Community Poppy Project and as chair of the Friends of Hell Wath.

April, a former district commissioner for the Girl Guides, will continue to run a local Brownie group.

Looking back over the past 20 years, in which they have been Mayor and Mayoress of Ripon as well as the Harrogate district, a special memory came in 2004 when the Queen and Prince Philip visited the city to mark the 400th anniversary of the Royal Charter awarded by James I.

Cllr Martin, said:

“We were extremely privileged to meet them on that day and proud to have represented the people of Ripon.”

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A Harrogate woman whose sense of taste and smell has not recovered since she caught covid in March has said the creation of a long covid clinic in Harrogate offers “light at the end of the tunnel”.

Daniela Stockmann believes she caught covid the week before lockdown in March. Ms Stockmann is a young and active woman but says covid left her breathless.

At first, it felt like flu but then she lost her sense of taste and smell and began to struggle breathing.

In March she experienced severe pain, which she says “felt like my senses burnt away”.

Almost nine months on, Miss Stockmann still hasn’t fully regained her senses or energy. She can’t smell candles and a variety of foods are either tasteless or have a “rotten and chemical” taste. She added:

“It can be really frustrating. I start to smell and taste some things again then I discover I can’t with some things anymore.

“This week, for example, I had a hot chocolate with a piece of dark chocolate on top and it tasted vile. Anything burnt, even slightly, as well is really difficult for me to eat.”

Simple ingredients, such as garlic, onions and peppers have been removed from Ms Stockmann’s diet as she tries to learn more about her long-lasting symptoms.

Miss Stockmann also suffers from irritable bowel syndrome and says coronavirus has added to the list of foods she cannot eat, which has caused her to lose weight.

She said:

“I have tried to speak to my doctor but they couldn’t do anything. They didn’t know how to help because no one has been through it properly. It left me quite isolated.”

Read more:

• Today, the Harrogate district has recorded its highest number of covid cases since the start of the pandemic.
• Another Harrogate woman said her covid symptoms lasted months.

Ms Stockmann says she can still be left out of breath after a dog walk and can’t do as much at the gym anymore.

The news of a long covid clinic coming to Harrogate came as a relief to Ms Stockmann, who is hopeful it will help her understand why she has yet to fully regain her senses.

“I’m hesitant to keep ringing my doctors because I feel like I am wasting their time. I just suffer in silence.”

She is a member of several online forums and has discovered other long covid sufferers with similar symptoms. She hopes her story will encourage others to speak out and understand how serious coronavirus can be for all ages.

Ms Stockmann doesn’t know how long her symptoms will last but hopes if she is referred to the clinic by her GP she will find answers.

Harrogate will be one of almost 70 locations in the UK to operate a clinic for people suffering with long-term effects from coronavirus, the NHS announced today.

The long covid clinics will take referrals from GPs for people suffering from a wide range of symptoms, including breathlessness, fatigue, anxiety and depression, after they have recovered from the virus itself.

Hosted by Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, the centre will offer specialist treatment from doctors and nurses as well as physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Physical and psychological assessments will be carried out before patients are directed to appropriate treatment and rehabilitation.

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said:

“The NHS is taking practical action to help patients suffering ongoing health issues as a result of coronavirus. Bringing expert clinicians together in these clinics will deliver an integrated approach to support patients access vital rehabilitation, as well as helping develop a greater understanding of long covid and its debilitating symptoms.”

Read more:

• North Yorkshire GPs begin delivering covid vaccine
• Harrogate hospital set for £800,000 maintenance upgrades

Research by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed one in five people with coronavirus went on to develop long-term symptoms. Around 186,000 people were affected for up to 12 weeks, according to the research.

The Harrogate District Hospital clinic is one of 18 similar operations which have been launched across the North East and Yorkshire. NHS England has provided £10 million of funding for the 69 sites across the country.

A new national covid taskforce has also been launched by the NHS, bringing patients, charities, researchers and clinicians together to lead the response to long covid, producing information and supporting materials for patients and healthcare professionals, and developing a wider understanding of the condition.

Are you suffering with long-term effects after having covid-19? What do you think of the plans for the new clinic? Get in touch to share your views and experiences: contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.