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More details are emerging of the problems with Leicester. In attempts to escape the lockdown, creative pleasure seekers have been caught trying to book coaches to take them to nearby Nottingham to coincide with the re-opening of public houses. The police got wind of this and put a stop to it. They have also been patrolling the railway station to enquire of potential passengers their reasons for travel and turning away most of the potential travellers. However, this determination to enforce the lockdown will prove to be of no avail if the population willfully ignore the recommendations and directives.
It is becoming apparent that there are problems with the apparel industry in Leicester, a traditional home for hosiery and knitted goods. There are allegations that many businesses have been ignoring the previous lockdown requirements with workers operating within touching distance of each other. The revelations continued, alleging that many employers are paying less than the minimum wage. Anonymous employees have disclosed that they are paid as little as 3.50 GBP per hour; the legal minimum wage — National Living Wage (NLW) — for over-25 year olds has just been increased to 8.72 GBP per hour.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary (of Ugandan Asian ancestry), asked the National Crime Agency to investigate, with the emphasis being on working conditions and examining the possibility of modern slavery and human trafficking. Local agencies and trading standards will be examining the pay, working conditions and health and safety at the factories.
It was later disclosed that Conservative politicians had written to the local council voicing their concerns three months ago and had received no response.
An investigative reporter found employees still on tourist visas after 20 years in the UK, employees turning up with symptoms of COVID-19, and no one being supplied with PPE. According to the report an inquiry by Parliament’s Human Rights Commission three years ago found that between a third and three quarters working in these factories were paid below minimum wage and were working in unsafe environments.
Most are from minority ethnic groups, with around 33.6 per cent born outside the UK.
This serves to underline my letter of yesterday where I suggested that the way the Government handles the situation in Leicester is fraught with danger and traps. If they clamp down hard, they will be accused of discrimination by the left and if they do not, the situation will spiral out of control. Some of the workers allegedly live in shared accommodation with no ability to socially distance themselves. The Government could be faced with a welfare issue necessitating providing emergency rehousing of these people.
Whatever the Government does will be wrong, but the last thing needed is for another display of waffle, bumble and prevarication from Boris Johnson. The people are falling out of love with him and there are up to 80 of his MPs threatening dissent on another matter, more of which I will cover tomorrow.
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