DRIVING to the Commons on Tuesday morning was surreal.
The sun shone, the birds sang, but the streets and roads were virtually empty.
Spring may be upon us, but it doesn’t feel like it.
In the Chamber, some genuine concerns were being raised and ministers did their best to answer them.
Sitting through two Urgent Questions and one Statement, I, along with colleagues, probed the Government on help for the self-employed, repatriating British citizens stranded abroad and pressing the Health Secretary on the distribution of much-needed personal protection equipment.
The latter is critical if our over-stretched doctors and nurses, who are doing an heroic job, are to be properly protected against coronavirus.
As I write, it’s reported the Chancellor is to make an announcement imminently on a solution for the self-employed, who are especially vulnerable during this lockdown phase.
However, unlike employees, this has been a far harder nut to crack.
Understandably, constituents are deeply concerned about relatives stranded abroad, especially those in poor health.
The Foreign Secretary assured us that commercial airlines were organising rescue flights, but the problem is being exacerbated by countries who are literally closing down overnight.
With all that is going on, it was heartening to see that nearly 500,000 volunteers have responded to a call to help organisations like the NHS.
What a contrast to the selfish minority.
Finally, we now have draconian new laws to live under and, for the moment, the public are on side.
Widespread testing is essential if we are to understand how far the virus has already spread.
Lockdown cannot continue forever as we’d face economic Armageddon.
These are unsettling times, but the community spirit I am witnessing in the constituency and across the country is truly humbling.