Covid: Many Edinburgh businesses are being hung out to dry amid the pandemic – Ian Murray MP

The misery continues for Edinburgh’s vital hospitality, culture and tourism sectors.

Scotland needs a functioning Test and Protect system to counter the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, says Ian Murray (Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

When the new tiers of coronavirus restrictions were introduced, the data showed the city merited being in the second one. Cases were lower and forecasts were less severe than many other parts of the country, yet Edinburgh was still placed in level three regardless.

There has been continued improvement since then, and yet here we are stuck in the same tier and have been, effectively, for over a month now.

It’s little wonder businesses and residents are getting in touch to ask me why. But, like councillors, elected politicians in the Capital are being kept in the dark.

SNP allergic to openness

The SNP government keeps moving the goalposts.

After the initial data made it clear Edinburgh should be in level two, the government switched from using numbers to using words instead. Now we have a ‘moderate’ number of cases and ‘very low’ projected levels.

There is an ongoing urgent need to protect the population from the Covid-19 pandemic, and it’s clear tougher restrictions are necessary in some areas of the country.

But in Edinburgh, there is widespread confusion about what we have to achieve to lessen restrictions.

My colleague Daniel Johnson MSP rightly called on the First Minister to provide full minutes of the decision taken by ministers so we can ensure greater transparency.

Of course, ever since the pandemic began, the SNP has been allergic to transparency with the public, and there have been fresh revelations.

Despite the encouraging news this week about a potential vaccine, until that becomes a reality then the only way through this crisis is with a functioning Test-and-Protect system.

Now it has emerged that around half of recent positive cases weren’t contacted within 24 hours of being told of their swab results.

That means the system is performing up to five times worse than previously claimed, with the data having to be corrected.

Inadequate support for business and jobs

People will rightly feel bitterly disappointed about these failings, especially those living in areas forced into higher tiers such as Edinburgh.

It’s particularly worrying for health workers, amid ongoing problems with accessing tests.

Routine Covid-19 testing for health and care professionals is an absolute priority and still not being done routinely.

And getting the contact-tracing system working is vital so that we can reduce the spread of the virus.

People have a right to answers from the government on the flawed handling of Test and Protect, and the public must have confidence that ministers are taking all appropriate action.

Getting this right matters for everyone, and in particular for hospitality and tourism jobs.

While the recent extension of furlough provides breathing space, we must not lose sight of the fact that direct support for businesses and workers is still woefully inadequate.

Unless this is substantially increased, there is still the threat of business closures leading to the loss of thousands of jobs.

The Scottish government should provide additional support to the sectors by reviewing the eligibility for grants.

I have been contacted by many local businesses and individuals who have been hung out to dry by the current set-up.

Everyone knows and accepts there are still difficult days ahead.

But they deserve a government that is transparent and top of this crisis.

Ian Murray is the Labour MP for Edinburgh South

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