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Incredibly MP defends second home-owners visiting Cotswolds

A senior Conservative MP seems to have gone against government advice against unnecessary travel.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown

MP for the Cotswolds, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown defended the right to people to visit their second homes in the Cotswolds during the coronavirus lockdown.

He said those with a long-term interest in a property have every right to visit them, even though the government advice is specifically against that – “Essential travel does not include visits to second homes, camp sites, caravan parks or similar, whether for isolation purposes or holidays. People should remain in their primary residence.

“Not taking these steps puts additional pressure on communities and services that are already at risk.”

Speaking BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s breakfast programme, Mr Clifton-Brown said second home owners were not like those just visiting: “If people own or rent a house long-term in the Cotswolds, they’ve got as much right to be here as anybody else.

“So I think we’ve got to distinguish between the two.”

When asked by presenter Mark Cummings about  people coming to the area to self-isolate he said: “It’s very difficult to police. If somebody owns or rents a long-term house in the Cotswolds, unless you’re going to stop people travelling, how are you going to enforce that?”

steve clarke
Author: steve clarke