The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP Prime Minister 10 Downing Street London SW1A 2AA 24 March 2020 Cc: The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP (Chancellor of the Exchequer), The Rt Hon Grant Shapps (Secretary of State for Transport), Rt Hon Matt Hancock (Secretary of State for Health and Social Care), Rt Hon Andrew Stephenson (Minister of State in the Department for Transport), Rt Hon Robert Jenrick (Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government), Rt Hon George Eustice MP (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Dear Prime Minister, As coronavirus takes hold of our day to day lives, people everywhere are calling out for clarity. You’ve made some extremely difficult decisions so far, which we commend you for. But we need you to go further to keep this country safe. Extinction Rebellion usually makes demands of the Government. But, as our lives are changing dramatically we are adapting how we work too. With this in mind, we are pleading with you to put an immediate stop to HS2. The construction industry needs greater clarity. You’ve put the nation in lockdown, but the construction industry has not been given clear guidance. At HS2, images are circulating of workers gathering in large groups on site, not practising social distancing, which is putting their lives and that of others at risk. [1] This is particularly concerning as HS2 is largely being prepared for in rural areas with high numbers of elderly residents are self isolating - with many of those being threatened with eviction from their homes. These construction staff, who are working in close proximity, have been brought in from all over the country risking the spread of coronavirus as they travel, on site and when they return home. We have no doubt that these workers want to be with their family and friends. Those that are calling for the stopping of HS2 do too. Please do not push ahead, every moment of delay means lives are at risk from coronavirus and trees along the route are being chainsawed as we write. Together our actions now need to address the combined crises we face - coronavirus, health, financial, climate and ecological - in a way that benefits the world so that life can thrive. Rather than putting more money into HS2, let’s protect our communities, public health and nature. Choose the NHS, not HS2. Please. Yours sincerely, Gail Bradbrook On behalf of Extinction Rebellion UK [1] Friday 20 March - HS2 construction workers not adhering to social distancing: https://www.facebook.com/401847960644025/videos/620248698707548/ Monday 23 March - Crackley Wood video of large groups of construction workers: https://www.facebook.com/XRebellionUK/videos/417450809110052/ Monday 23 March - No social distancing at all by HS2 workers: https://www.facebook.com/163618540321965/posts/3352054791478308/?sfnsn=scwspmo&exti d=cYIhlQ7M8Ys8Id5J&d=n&vh=e
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