One of the big concerns of a number of MP’s in the legislation that has been passed to facilitate necessary actions on Coronavirus is the impact on civil liberties. There are a number of aspects around public freedom that we have voted through that under normal circumstances would be seen as an attack on our personal freedoms. These range from surveillance permissions to legal obligations re safeguarding. It is well seen throughout history that when Governments are able to grab powers like we have given them they tend to try to keep them. We are assured that this will not be the case here and I can cascade that assurance to you in that I will be monitoring this and looking for powers to be relinquished as soon as practicable.

Paul Howell MP

Member of Parliament for Sedgefield