Coronavirus: Peterborough MP talking to retailers about shopping issues in the city

Speaking, while on his way home to see his family after a very busy week, Paul Bristow MP said: “My mother is 72, and my father Alan, who was elected to Fenland District Council last May, and who sits on Whittlesey Town Council, is 77.

“That puts both my parents in the ‘vulnerable’ category and my father has just been diagnosed with cancer, so we have extra concerns for him during this crisis.

“Like any son with elderly parents, I want to do for them what I can, so today I’ve been out shopping for them which gives me a very real and personal perspective on the problems my constituents are having with supermarkets shelves emptying almost as quickly as they are being filled.

“I am looking into that this weekend and will be talking with the retailers over the coming days about the shopping issues and what can be done to prevent hoarding of supplies.

“On top of that I had to find medication supplies for my parents and my family, my wife and I have a 14-week old baby to care for, which, again, puts them into that ‘vulnerable’ category.”

For the city MP it has been a busy week in an unprecedented situation.

“I’ve been back in Peterborough since Wednesday evening,” he said. “I spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday down in London at The Houses of Parliament working with colleagues to defeat the coronavirus.

“My Parliamentary Office is open and will remain open, though unmanned for safety’s sake my staff are monitoring and answering all calls and messages.

“On Thursday, I spent part of the morning supporting Peterborough City Council’s new ‘Virtual Hub’ initiative which will provide citizens daily with all of the information that they will need throughout the crisis period, however long that may be.

“It is vital that we find out what we can do to look after our communities and in the coming days and weeks, as the virus deepens, more pressure will be put upon those of us with influence to provide comfort and reassurance for the people we represent, especially the elderly, the disabled, the isolated and those among us for whom English may not be their first language.

“I spent some time on Thursday talking to each and every Mosque in the city, pleading with them to close their doors to the community for the safety of their community.

“It was, perhaps, a very controversial thing to have done and I know will not be a popular decision with some members of faith communities; but the Mosques have now agreed to close as of today because it is the only sensible way to look after the community and keep them safe.

“Later, on Thursday, I went to see and give my moral support to the people working tirelessly at Fengate Food Bank sorting through the magnificent donations that have been made.

“There’s no shortages of toilet rolls, pasta, rice, milk and bread over there I can assure you and these parcels will be put together, largely by volunteers, so that the most vulnerable among us need not worry that food will always be made available to them.

“In each of these instances where I have spoken with people on the telephone, I have wanted to assure them that I am as much a part of this as they are and that I’m always available to speak with them.

“Where I have met people, such as the food bank for example – often we’ve had to chat at a distance for my safety and of course for their safety as well.

“But in every case, the feeling among these people has really touched me and once again I marvel at the fortitude of our communities when it’s really needed the most.

“For obvious reasons I won’t be able to run my weekly surgery as I would normally have done, but my message to the people of Peterborough is that I am here for you, I will answer all and any questions that I can and do all that I can to help us through this frightening time.

“I feedback everything you say to me to Westminster on a daily basis – and make no mistake, we will get through this crisis.

“This weekend I will be home with my family looking after them, just as they look after me and, hopefully each and every one of you will be looking after the people who mean so much to you.

“But I will continue to ask people what they want, what they need, and how I can be of some help and assistance to them.

“If we all of us continue to do that, then the coming weeks and months will pass with the assurance that anybody who wants help will get it.”

Paul Bristow is the Conservative MP for Peterborough since 12 December 2019.

Contact the Member at his Westminster address: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Phone: 0207 219 3000

Email: [email protected]