Rob Butler, MP

We are at a critical moment in the fight against coronavirus locally.

In a matter of weeks, we went from the restrictions of Tier 2 to a new national lockdown, as infections escalated and our local hospital came under intense pressure. 2021 has begun with our favourite local bars and restaurants shut again, and Wendover’s high street a shadow of its normal self.

Conversely, we now have several vaccines approved. Inoculation sites have finally opened in our area, and thousands of local people are receiving their jabs. This has come later than we all wanted, and I have argued in the House of Commons and in meetings with ministers for the rollout to speed up in Buckinghamshire. All the decisions are being taken by the NHS but I am pleased that we are now well on the way to reaching the government target of all those in the four most vulnerable groups being vaccinated by mid-February.

I would like to thank all the local GPs, nurses and other healthcare staff, as well as volunteers, who are working so hard on the vaccination programme. Surgeries do not have detailed knowledge far in advance of when they will be allocated supplies of the vaccines, so please do not call them – you will be contacted directly about your appointment, and their availability will escalate in the weeks to come as vaccine supplies increase.

Naturally coronavirus is dominating my work as your MP, but please rest assured that I continue to raise the topics which impact our constituency the most, including on HS2 where my office has been working closely with the Wendover HS2 group on its proposed mitigation package for a retained cutting which has garnered much support from across the community.

As ever, if you need help from me, please email rob.butler.mp@parliament.uk.