The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has accused Boris Johnson’s Government of “rushed stop-start restrictions”, “delays and imprecision”, and third rate communication throughout the Covid crisis.
It is now calling on the Government to come up with a concrete plan to bring the 海角视频 economy out of lockdown.
Members are demanding the Government publish its approach to getting the country back on its feet, with at least one week’s notice of its intentions.
The organisation is also asking for scientific evidence to back up future restrictions, as well as an economic impact assessment of the latest lockdown, which is scheduled to end on December 2.
It has submitted a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to determine what evidence was used to inform government guidance on the closure of businesses in England on November 5.
It is also pressing Government to explain clearly why businesses in some sectors have been forced to close despite taking considerable steps at huge expense to comply with Covid-secure guidance.
And above, all the BCC – which represents more than 70,000 firms across Britain – wants the detail of future restrictions to be crystal clear so that businesses can adapt appropriately.
Scott Knowles is chief executive of East Midlands Chamber, which covers Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire, which is backing the national campaign.
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He said: “In the East Midlands, we’ve experienced local lockdowns for longer than any other part of the country.
“Leicester was placed under special restrictions at the end of June and had yet to come out of these before the second national lockdown, while Nottinghamshire was also placed under the most severe Tier 3 restrictions at the end of October.
“We’ve said from the beginning that we need clear communication from Government to allow businesses to prepare properly, but this lesson has yet to be heeded by the Government.
“Communication from Westminster has been nowhere near good enough throughout the pandemic.
“Leicester was effectively forgotten at one point as deadlines were missed in providing updates on the coronavirus restrictions imposed in the city and surrounding area.
“Nottinghamshire, meanwhile, has felt like a national afterthought in the way Tier 3 restrictions were imposed, with Government belatedly adding districts containing hundreds of thousands of people to the initial area and then delaying the start of their introduction – with scant detail on which businesses would be impacted.
“Informing people and businesses the day before restrictions are updated is frankly appalling treatment and doesn’t take into account how firms must organise staff and stock in their preparations to be open for business.
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“Therefore, it’s absolutely imperative that the Government finally wakes up to the impact it is continuing to have on businesses through the communication of the decisions it is taking.”
BCC director-general Adam Marshall said: “Nine months into the pandemic, business communities are still crying out for timely information and a clear strategy from Government so that they can survive and rebuild. “Delays and imprecision mean people lose their livelihoods.
“Firms are taking difficult decisions every day about their futures, and are tired of being left to rely on speculation and rumour.
“The Government must urgently set out the exit plan for the end of national restrictions in England on 2 December – and make it crystal-clear which businesses can operate, and under what conditions.
“Businesses have played their part by working hard and spending hundreds of millions of pounds to become Covid-secure, in line with official guidance.
“We must see the evidence for why many were forced to close again on November 5, and absolute transparency on what may happen from December 2.
“Business communities – whether in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland – cannot take another year of rushed stop-start restrictions from governments while vaccines are rolled out.
“Broad-based workplace testing would help bridge the gap, maintaining employee confidence and helping as many businesses as possible remain open and trading at this crucial time.”