THE coronavirus crisis has truly shone a light on who the real heroes in our society are.

From the NHS and social care staff who have put their lives on the line to the posties, bus drivers, shop workers and delivery drivers who have kept us all safe, fed and connected – thank you. Your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

These key workers have rightly been praised as heroes this year. But the truth is that they have always been heroes and the real backbone of our country and of our communities.

When the country went into lockdown in March, the British people did everything that was asked of them to help control the spread of the virus.

My constituents in Ashton, Droylsden and Failsworth pulled together to look after one another and it made me so proud.

Neighbours made sure no one on their street felt isolated and alone. Grandchildren stayed patient as they taught grandma and grandad how to use the technology that would help them keep in touch when they couldn’t physically be together.

I spent time volunteering with some wonderful community groups and their dedication to the task at hand was so inspiring. Margaret Thatcher was wrong when she said "there’s no such thing as society". There certainly is in Oldham and Tameside – we look after each other in good times and bad.

Sadly, the government didn’t stick to their side of the bargain.

They said we would emerge from lockdown to a "world beating" test and trace system so that we could keep the virus under control as schools, shops, pubs and restaurants re-opened and the country started to find their feet and get to grips with our new normal.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that when things start to reopen, the demand for tests will rise. It’s just basic common sense, but yet again, the Government were woefully unprepared – just like they were when it came to GCSE and A Level results - and their incompetence left so many of my constituents unable to get a test. Those that were offered a test were expected to drive hundreds of miles. It’s an absolute shambles.

Losing control of testing is a major reason why the government is losing control of the virus. If you can’t test, you can’t trace. If you can’t trace, you can’t isolate. If you don’t isolate, you lose control of the virus.

Cases are rising at a rapid rate and if we have to go into a second national lockdown it will be because of the government’s failure to control the virus. It certainly won’t be the fault of the public who were trying to do the right thing by getting tested.

If we have to lockdown again, the government’s incompetence will have a devastating impact on so many businesses. The furlough scheme will end soon and the government’s plans for how those that have been relying on it to survive will be expected to cope don’t go far enough and leave some sectors facing absolute devastation.

The British people have done everything asked of them but have been let down by a failing Prime Minister. The government needs to get a grip.

We can’t let ordinary working people pay the price for this crisis.