Coronavirus: Backlash at government’s response could further divide nation, Jess Phillips warns

Labour MP fears ‘very, very, very hard and divisive times’

(PA)

The community spirit alive in the early days of the lockdown risks being destroyed by a backlash over the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, Jess Phillips has warned.

The Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley said she fears “very, very, very hard and divisive times” amid the introduction of further localised restrictions as cases of Covid-19 rise, growing fears over the future of the economy and declining trust in politicians.

“What worries me is that we’re about to see a downturn in the economy that is largely, partially unprecedented, but partially poor management and years of poor management that has meant that we haven’t... we didn’t mind the gap,” she said at an event at the Cheltenham Literature Festival about transforming society in a post-Covid-19 world.

“And there is a growing gap that some people are going to fall into.

“Instead of taking that on the chin and facing it down, like with the EU, like with the people in the boats, the government will allow it to become somebody else’s fault.”

Ms Phillips highlighted instances in which the Asian community in towns including Blackburn and Oldham faced discrimination in the early days of the pandemic, and said she worried a similar sentiment would soon be felt by those in other parts of the country too.

“Before too long, when we go into further lockdowns in places like London and Chelmsford, they’re going to think Asian people in Oldham are the reason that their businesses are going under and the government will allow them to think it,” she added.

“We should all watch out for it now.

“This is the backlash that is coming.

“Spot it when it arrives and ignore it because it is not true.”

Additional reporting by Press Association