Ashfield MP calls on everyone to do their bit and get Covid vaccine when called

Once was when I was elected to be the council in 2015 and the second when I became Ashfield’s MP last year.

So, it was great to be able to celebrate my first year in office last weekend with a walk around the constituency.

However, no-one could have ever envisaged the year ahead and 2020 has not been a kind year.

Not just to our area but the whole planet has suffered so it is great news that the UK is now the first country in the world to have an approved vaccine to protect us from Covid-19.

It is also great news that we are vaccinating our elderly and health workers first.

We should never underestimate what a great country we live in but sometimes we dwell on the negatives when at a time like this we should be looking at the positives.

So, when I saw 90-year-old Margaret Keenan become the first person in the world to have the vaccine, step up and roll her sleeves up I thought straight away that we can finally see light at the end of this tunnel.

I appreciate there are the doubters out there and people who do not believe in the vaccine, but we must remind ourselves that hundreds of millions of lives across the world have been saved over the years from vaccines.

This is a game changer, a clear way out to get back to normal as soon as possible so when the NHS get in touch with you to invite you for a vaccine I would say please step up for your country and fellow man and do your duty to help protect everyone because the virus may not hurt you but you could give it to someone who will not be as fortunate.

Whilst I am on the subject of health, I have been inundated with complaints about the sightings of rats and other suspicious looking rodents in the Central and New Cross Area.

I have witnessed this with my own eyes and have asked Ashfield District Council to get on to this as soon as possible.

Earlier this year I had to raise this issue which led to the council carrying out pest control around the allotments in New Cross.

It would appear that the main source is Sutton Lawn, the top of Garden Lane and Outram Street.

In fact, I wrote to the council chief executive this week to state that the whole area was an absolute disgrace with litter, dog fouling, rats and fly tipping.

I have asked the for the whole area to have a full deep clean and more enforcement action from the council to help catch and prosecute the culprits.

The residents of this area deserve much better and I will be monitoring things over the coming weeks.

If you have a problem with your local area, then please email me [email protected] or call me on 01623 550604.​​​​​​​

Lee Anderson is MP for Ashfield.