
Originally Posted by
pingu_pie
That's an excellent article, and demonstrates very well why an issue like this isn't / shouldn't be / can't be divorced from politics.
I have zero idea of how someone could have watched this play out so far and thought there is good leadership involved; apart, of course, from those who view the entire world through "Get Brexit done" and think the answer to everything is Diane Abbott is rubbish. Having just moved over here, Varadkar was much quicker in making decisions to limit social interaction, and that's without there even being a government. Even then, it could be said they perhaps ought to have shut more things down more quickly.
A couple of friends at my old workplace have kept me up to date with the instructions they were being given from the executives, and it was laughable how long it waffled to what is still not a stop - for several days it included the lovely instruction that "if you share a house with someone who is having to isolate, you must still come to work". All these decisions were based on... The UK government advice.
One thing of particular interest is the mentions of the nudge unit. Not the first time I've read about them, and if it turns out that "following scientific advice" meant they were listening to behavioural insight on people getting frustrated by staying home for a while then... Well, do I need to spell out the failure in strength of leadership in that case???