WINCHESTER’S MP has told the Prime Minister that there is “anger” among his constituents that the county is facing another lockdown.

Speaking to the House of Commons yesterday (Monday), Steve Brine said that there is widespread scepticism" as to whether a second lockdown is "fair" on Hampshire.

He was addressing Boris Johnson ahead of new measures coming into force for England on Thursday and a vote to approve them.

The lockdown will see the country head back into a lockdown for a month until December 2, limiting all but essential contact and travel outside of homes.

Mr Brine said: “The Prime Minister is doing his best, and I for one have great grace for him on the impossible decisions he has to take.

“I have to say to him that the weariness and, it must be said, anger of my constituents in Winchester that we are here again are palpable.

“There is also widespread scepticism about whether a second national lockdown is right or fair on Hampshire, but we have covered that issue many times, I know.”

According to latest figures, Winchester had an infection rate of 132.9, per 100,000 in the seven days to October 29.

Mr Brine asked the PM what Government should have done when infection rates were low after the first lockdown and what lessons could be learnt following the planned end of the second lockdown on December 2.

He continued: "To help us all, can the Prime Minister tell me what we did not do in June and July, when rates were right down after lockdown number one, that we should have done, and what therefore are the lessons for after December 2 as we try to make the most of lockdown 2.0?"

In response, the Prime Minister thanked Winchester residents "for what they're doing" in terms of trying to limit the spread of the virus.

Mr Johnson said: "I know how frustrating it is, and believe me — I hope it is obvious from everything I have said this afternoon — I entirely share people’s frustrations, but NHS Test and Trace has achieved many things with, as I said, the 500,000 capacity now per day.

“Where I think we should have pushed harder was on actually insisting that, when people were contacted, they isolated. It does not look to me as though the numbers or the proportions have been good enough.

“We need to get those up in the next phase—but we can and we will, and we will get it done.”

Speaking earlier this week, when lockdown plans were announced to the public, Mr Brine told the Chronicle: “This is a disaster and it’s a failure but the overrunning of the NHS would be a medical and moral disaster so I can see how the Government have little choice now.

“We had a long lockdown in the spring which led to really low numbers in June-July but we didn’t consolidate that and learn from the seemingly successful East Asian approach. That saw strict border controls, with airport testing, to prevent the re-introduction of infection and a test, track and isolate system that was able to tackle flare ups right away when rates were manageable.

“I am talking intensely to senior ministers, the scientists available to us and hearing from a large number of constituents so have told the whips they cannot rely on my support in the lobbies on Wednesday evening as things stand.”