By Carole Dennett
Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (pictured above) confirmed yesterday that Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has ‘suggested that we may trial contact tracing on the Isle of Wight before it is rolled out nationwide, and if we do that, that we might be able to use the Isle of Wight as an opportunity to see how we can relax those measures’.
Mr Gove was giving evidence to MPs on the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee by video link. He said that he was in favour of the whole of the UK leaving Coronavirus lockdown measures at the same time, however he added that there was ‘specific scientific justification’ for islands being used to trial the lifting of lockdown measures for pilot schemes.
The Leader of the IW Council Dave Stewart has previously confirmed to the IW Observer that he is against such an ititiative. Although he welcomed increased testing he said: “Can I be clear I do not see the Island being used as any form of ‘guinea pig’ for anything.”
You can watch the video of the session here. The comments about the Isle of Wight are around 15 minutes into the session.
Isle of Wight Observer