Rebecca Long-Bailey has called for a ‘National Food Service’ to help those who have self-isolated on account of the coronavirus pandemic.
This comes after the Communications Workers’ Union voted for postal workers to offer their labour as a ‘fourth emergency service’ during the pandemic.
Rebecca declared, “We’ve all seen the empty supermarket shelves and worried whether our friends and loved ones will have everything they need during the outbreak...Supermarkets have worked incredibly hard to stay stocked and implement their own forms of rationing on essential items but it’s not working. The supermarkets can’t be expected to deliver on their own.
“We need a comprehensive and coordinated response from the government that I call the National Food Service. This service would coordinate the supermarkets and their supply chains and work with Royal Mail so that everyone receives the essentials who needs them. We really can make sure that no one is left behind in this crisis.”
This would mean that households in need would receive weekly packages of free essentials, delivered by the Royal Mail, whether needed because of isolation, lack of mobility or financial difficulties
The packages would include food and basic hygiene and pharmaceutical products, like toilet rolls and paracetamol.
This would slow the spread of the virus by allowing people to stay at home. Empty leisure spaces like cinemas could be used as temporary storage and packing facilities.
