The Leicester Mercury has challenged Health Secretary Matt Hancock to answer a raft of questions it has asked on behalf of readers as the city enters its 12th week under localised restrictions.

Despite repeated attempts by the paper to speak to Mr Hancock, he has yet to respond, the Leicester Mercury states.

The Mercury led on the story today (Tuesday, September 15) with the headline ‘Still in the dark.’

In a hard-hitting article, the paper says: “We have asked repeatedly for the opportunity to put to the Secretary of State a very specific set of questions that exist in the only city that has never fully been out of lockdown.

“The Government has, in fairness, once offered up a junior health minister, Nadine Dorries, for interview but our repeated requests on your behalf (readers) to speak to the politician with ultimate responsibility have so far fallen on deaf ears.

“Now there is a strong feeling in Leicester, once on the frontline of the fight against the virus, is now a Government afterthought that could be potentially stuck in a rolling lockdown.

“Mr Hancock knows the people of Leicester have questions for him, they remind him every day on social media, so we’ll keep trying to get them answered.”

Sir Peter Soulsby, Mayor of Leicester, told the paper: “With the rule of six being introduced elsewhere in England …. the Government should have brought Leicester into line with other areas.

“There is no reason for Leicester to be treated any differently to anywhere else,” he said.

“There are other areas with higher rates and no restrictions, we could easily be brought in line with other areas without local lockdowns and observe the rule of six.”

The paper listed a number of questions to the Health Secretary on behalf of its readers which can be read here.