FRUSTRATED MP Philip Davies has hit out at the Government's "power mad" health ministers and officials after his Shipley constituency was put back into lockdown after tougher new COVID-19 restrictions were announced by the Government today.

“The country and the public need to get a grip of themselves," said Mr Davies.

"The official figures show that far more people in all parts of the country are dying of flu and pneumonia than COVID - despite there being a flu vaccine - and yet we continue to accept ridiculous and pointless restrictions to our freedoms and the inevitable collapse of our economy because the authorities are scaring us witless into accepting their power grab.

“What we are seeing across the country is more akin to what I would expect to see from a Socialist government rather than a Conservative one. Health Ministers and Public Health Officials have gone power mad and history will not be kind to them."

Bradford, Kirklees and Calderdale are amongst the areas now banned from socialising with other people outside their own households or support bubble in private homes and gardens from Tuesday.

Wards previously exempt from lockdown, including all six wards in Mr Davies' Shipley constituency – Baildon, Bingley, Bingley Rural, Shipley, Wharfedale and Windhill and Wrose - are now subject to the ban.

Mr Davies said: “I am extremely disappointed and frustrated that the government have caved into pressure from Bradford Council and announced that my constituency has been put back into the Bradford local lockdown from Tuesday.

“It is blindingly obvious to anyone with any sense at all that the local lockdown is not working. Despite being in it for weeks the number of cases in Bradford have been going up not down. As they say “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.

“The only effect is to destroy people’s jobs, businesses and way of life.

“I will continue to argue for common sense to prevail but the public need to be far less accepting of this damaging, unnecessary and counter productive trampling of our freedoms.

"Freedoms are hard won but easily sacrificed and it is time the country woke up to the damage that is being done before it is too late.”