An MP has said he was 'resistant to restrictions' imposed as part of the second national lockdown

In his latest letter to the district, Maldon MP John Whittingdale said the new measures "it was the right act' but he was 'hugely resistant' to the new lockdown measures.

He said: "I was very sad that the Government reluctantly decided that it was necessary to impose a second lockdown across England throughout the month of November.

"I am personally hugely resistant to restrictions on individual liberties and regret very much that these have had to be imposed.

"I am also very conscious of the distress caused to families and friends who cannot meet, as well as to those businesses that have been forced to close again just as they were starting to recover.

"However, when it became clear that the number of cases was rising again, I am convinced that it was right to act swiftly in order to curb the increase and to protect the NHS.

"At the beginning of the pandemic, the Prime Minister was clear that we had to keep a lid on the number of infections at any one time to ensure that we retained capacity in the health service to treat patients.

"He warned that this could mean a series of lockdowns even though obviously we all hoped to avoid them. Sadly, every country in Europe has now seen a second wave of infections and almost all are having to reimpose restrictions.

"As an Essex MP, I am given regular briefings by the County Council and the Director of Public Health.

"Although the figures in Essex were below those in other parts of the UK, by mid-October they were rising rapidly in every district including in Maldon.

"As a result, I supported the decision to impose Tier 2 restrictions across the county in order to avoid tougher measures having to be imposed later for longer.

"Since then, every region of the country has shown a rapid rise leading to the nationwide lockdown for four weeks.

"In Essex, there are now encouraging signs that the rise in cases is beginning to flatten, suggesting that the early action is working. However, the number of Covid patients in our local hospitals is over 200 and tragically 59 people died in Essex died in the second half of October.

"The message from NHS Providers, representing all the Hospital Trusts, to MPs was clear: “a national lockdown is the only realistic option now available if the NHS is to look after patients in the way it needs to."

"There is good reason to be optimistic that we will be able to lift the restrictions by 2nd December but this does depend on everybody complying with the rules in order to stop the spread.

"I know that the need for these measures is hugely disappointing for businesses who have once again had to close their doors.

"All of us hope that we can soon beat the virus and that life can return to normal. To achieve that requires hard decisions but the Government is doing it all it can to support people through the crisis. I am confident that we can and will emerge from it better and stronger."