Michael Gove with Lincoln MP hopeful Karl McCartney. Photo: Daniel Jaines
Government minister Michael Gove has said Lincolnshire has “so much to offer” in trade terms post-Brexit.
Mr Gove, who was visiting Lincoln today (Monday) in support of Conservative candidate Karl McCartney, said the county could also be a centre of innovation in the future.
“Lincolnshire has so much to offer in trade terms,” he said.
“It is the single most fertile agricultural county in the whole of England and the food that we produce here, particularly but not exclusively, the vegetables that Lincolnshire’s growers are responsible for, have a worldwide reputation.
“It is the case that access not just to European markets, but other markets beckons.”
Mr Gove said the city, could use its status as a “cultural, educational and tourist centre” to “leverage” further to attract people and that it held potential to “have a high-tech future”.
However, he said his party would have to “fight for every vote” across the country, conceding it would be a “really close election”.
“It’s a close fight here in Lincoln, but I think a combination, both of Karl’s record and his energy and commitment, but also the fact that Lincoln both as a city and a constituency voted to leave, if any other party if the Labour Party win here, then we won’t get Brexit done,” he said.
The Lincolnite and BBC Radio Lincolnshire will host a live debate will all the candidates tonight )Monday, December 9) at 7pm. More info here.
He threatened the potential of two referendums next year on Brexit and Scottish Independence if any party other than the Conservatives won and blamed the former Labour MP Karen Lee had “tried to stop” Brexit.
“Karl voted to leave, he argued that we should leave, with a re-election into the House of Commons he will make that happen as part of a Conservative majority,” said Mr Gove.
“Boris has a deal. It’s done. It’s ready. We can bring it back before Christmas. And we can get it concluded by the end of January, a vote for anyone other than the Conservatives risks, the current paralysis in Parliament remaining.”
Asked about NHS waiting times and other issues such as staffing, Mr Gove praised the new medical school and reiterated the Conservatives’ controversial promise of 50,000 “more nurses overall” – being careful to split that into the 30,000 new nurses and 20,000 retained positions.
He added that the party was looking to achieve more GP appointments and shorter waiting times.
He believed NHS staff could still be attracted to England, despite fears that EU staff may be put off coming, and said the new Australian-style points-tased immigration system will continue the “pipeline of talent” from abroad.
“The NHS is a fantastic place to work. There are more people who will be training as doctors and nurses in the UK, but it’s also the case that talented people from Europe and from beyond will have the chance to work in the NHS,” he said, adding the policies will “work in the interests of our public services and our economy”.
Voters will head to the polls on December 12 to cast their ballot in the third General Election in four years.
You can find all seven candidates bidding to become the city\s MP below:
Rob Bradley, Independent
Sally Horscroft, Green Party
Caroline Kenyon, Liberal Democrat
Karl McCartney, Conservative Party
Karen Lee, Labour Party
Charles Shaw, Liberal
Reece Wilkes, Brexit Party
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Lincolnshire Police have dropped the £10,000 fine that was issued to a student for organising a party attended by up to 100 people.
Police were called to Viking House on Newland, which is managed by the University of Lincoln, on December 4 last year. When officers arrived they found a party “in full swing” with “at least 70 people, possibly up to 100”.
The fine will now no longer need to be paid. Andy Morrice, Chief Inspector at Lincolnshire Police, said: “The evidence was reviewed, and we decided to withdraw the ticket. We continue to work with the university who are very proactive and supportive in ensuring students act responsibly in our community.”
When the fine was first issued the University of Lincoln said it was taking the matter “extremely seriously” and had launched an internal investigation.
Chief Superintendent Jon McAdam of Lincolnshire Police previously said: “It seems the organiser had decided to ignore the rules and regulations set out by the COVID-19 legislation, which says that gatherings of more than 30 people are not allowed, and which are of course there to help stop the spread of the virus.
“As a result, we identified the organiser and issued the full £10,000 fine on-the-spot. This is of course means tested and only issued for the most serious of breaches, which this was.”
The Lincolnite contacted the University of Lincoln for a response to the news that the fine has been dropped.
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire Police issued 367 COVID-19 enforcement fines, including those under local lockdowns, between March and December last year, according to the latest data published from the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC).
City of Lincoln Council has approved a 1.9% tax hike despite a series of cuts for 2021-22 due to the financial uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 1.9% rise will take city council’s share of council tax for a Band D property in Lincoln to £285.39 – an increase of £5.31.
The executive committee agreed on increasing allotment charges, council house and garage rents.
Council bosses predict a budget gap of £1.75 million and said it must close the hole for financial stability.
Allotment charges will also see most tenants pay between £58.70-£78.30 per year from 2022, an increase of between 38p and 51 pence per week.
Council housing rent will increase by an average of 1.5%, while council garage rents will increase by 3%.
Attendees at City of Lincoln Council’s executive on Monday.
The authority said it faces a number of ongoing challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic and requires a substantial reduction in all of its budgets.
Cllr Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council said: “It’sareasonablymodestincreaseformostpeople,andwewill support lowincomegroups stillwiththeconcessions.”
The council has saved more than £9 million annually over the past decade, however will have to increase savings by £850,000 next year, rising to £1.75 million by 2023/24.
Due to the pandemic’s impact on government funded reliefs, empty properties and business closures, the authority estimates it will only retain £5.1 million of the £42 million of business rates generated in the city.
The draft budget will go to consultation and return before the council later this year for a final decision.
There have been 372 new coronavirus cases and nine COVID-related deaths in Greater Lincolnshire on Monday.
The government’s COVID-19 dashboard recorded 325 new cases in Lincolnshire, 30 in North Lincolnshire and 17 in North East Lincolnshire.
Some nine deaths were registered in Lincolnshire and none in North and North East Lincolnshire. These figures include deaths both in and out of hospitals, as well as residents in hospitals outside the county.
NHS England reported nine new local hospital deaths at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust and one at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust on Monday. Hospital deaths have now surpassed 1,000 since the pandemic started in Greater Lincolnshire.
National cases increased by 37,535 to 3,433,494, while deaths rose by 599 to 89,860.
Leader of South Holland District Council, Cllr Lord Gary Porter, put the spike down to outbreaks in two care facilities, one being a children’s care home.
A group of urban explorers who travelled from three different counties to look around derelict buildings were caught and fined in Grantham for breaching lockdown rules. Two groups of revellers in the woods near Woodhall Spa have also been fined.
In national news, Public Health England have confirmed 4,062,501 people have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Those in England aged 70 and over, as well as the clinically extremely vulnerable, will begin receiving offers of a coronavirus vaccine this week.
Ten hospital trusts across England consistently reported having no spare adult critical care beds in the most recent figures available.
It comes as hospital waiting times, coronavirus admissions and patients requiring intensive care are rising.
All UK travel corridors, which allow arrivals from some countries to avoid having to quarantine, have now closed until at least February 15.
Travellers arriving in the UK, whether by boat, train or plane, also have to show proof of a negative coronavirus test to be allowed entry.
Supermarkets face increased inspections from local councils to ensure they are COVID-secure amid a push from the government to clamp down further on coronavirus transmission.
Local governments have been asked by ministers to target the largest supermarkets for inspection to ensure companies are enforcing mask wearing, social distancing and limits on shopper numbers.
Here’s Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rate up to January 17 according to the government dashboard:
Greater Lincolnshire’s infection rates from Jan 11 to Jan 17. | Data: Gov UK / Table: James Mayer for The Lincolnite
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Monday, January 18
Greater Lincolnshire includes Lincolnshire and the unitary authorities of North and North East (Northern) Lincolnshire.
44,374 cases (up 372)
30,784 in Lincolnshire (up 325)
6,927 in North Lincolnshire (up 30)
6,663 in North East Lincolnshire (up 17)
1,686 deaths (up nine)
1,196 from Lincolnshire (up nine)
268 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
222 from North East Lincolnshire (no change)
of which 1,006 hospital deaths (up 10)
612 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (up nine)
30 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
363 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (up one)
3,433,494 UK cases, 89,860 deaths
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF the latest update. postcode data includes deaths not in healthcare facilities or in hospitals outside authority boundaries.
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