Here is Hitchin MP Bim Afolami in his own words on the impending lockdown and why he will support government measures

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There has been a chorus of concern about a further lockdown.

You are not alone.

We are all extremely anxious about the impact on lives and livelihoods that this decision could have, while remaining apprehensive about the obvious public health risk of this pervasive virus.

As I have made clear over the past weeks, I believe that a localised, regional method was the best and fairest approach, with local authorities and MPs working with central government (mostly with consensus) to decide when tiered restrictions were imposed.

This national lockdown is hard to accept in Hitchin

Particularly as we have the lowest infection rates in Hertfordshire and the mortality rates are extremely low.

However, with deep regret, the statistics from SAGE presented to us all showed us a stark and bleak outlook if further measures are not enforced.

I don't believe that any responsible Prime Minister could ignore the statistics he was shown (and was shown to the country on Saturday evening).

There is a real chance that the national NHS system would be soon overwhelmed if we did not act, therefore leading to many more unnecessary lives lost. We need to act now.

I have also been encouraged by conversations with colleagues in the Treasury that, thanks to the return of the furlough scheme, the self-employed income support scheme and other successful financial interventions, businesses, the self-employed and professionals in our constituency will have the support to survive this next phase.

Therefore, taking everything into account, I will support the Government measures in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening.

However, we cannot go on like this. Lockdowns are a blunt and grim instrument.

First, we need to allow more competing scientific advice to reach the Prime Minister

He needs to have access to a wider range of scientific opinion to allow him to make his strategic judgements in future.

Secondly, we need a sustainable plan to keep us functioning while living with this virus

Covid it is not going away for a long time. The emergency measures implemented this year were necessary but are not sustainable.

Thirdly, we need to work on trying to quantify the losses from lockdown

Not just the financial losses and the millions of people who will be out of work or the families struggling to get by, but the legacy issues such as our mental wellbeing, suicides, missed health treatments and other impacts.

The terrible health impacts of Covid are clear, digestible and recorded every day. The consequences of lockdown are not as immediately obvious. We need that balance to be redressed.

Finally, as a vaccine is on the way in the near future, I would like to see the plans for how we are going to roll out delivering the vaccine to all vulnerable people in our constituency.

We cannot afford for this deployment to be delayed once the vaccine is available – lives depend on it.