When you’re in a hole, best to stop digging, GP.
You made reference to this being the same as a War when you were frustrated by my criticism of some Government actions/inactions.
It isn’t the same, for the reasons that both Swale and I have pointed out, although I suspect both ‘flat feet’ Trump and wannabe Winston Johnson share that fantasy.
Tricky’s comment (#154) was about as funny as a dry cough on a crowded Tube.
1. Who has ‘demonised’ any individual according to their politics? That’s your assumption. For my own part I’ve criticised Johnson/the Government for their reaction to this crisis only. Beyond that my only ‘political’ comment has been that the NHS and police shortages happen to have developed since 2010.
2. How else do we ‘know/understand’ things other than by hearing and seeing things? Yes, of course you have to be selective in who you take notice of...but your ‘don’t criticise the individuals’ line is just bizarre. The same is probably true of all governments throughout history but whether it be Chamberlain or Churchill, Thatcher, Blair, Brown or Johnson it is unavoidable that the identified leaders will take responsibility for the achievements and catastrophes of their time in office.
3. Yes it is important to manage panic and the Government completely failed to both understand and manage the panic induced buying in the first week or so of this crisis.
Actually if you look at the steps that have been taken since the recognition of how serious this crisis actually is began to dawn, it is authorities other than the government who have, imo, acted most effectively.
Football has been stopped by the football authorities, Rugby by the ruling body of that sport, shops and shopping has been managed by shop workers and managers across the country, health centres have put their own protective measures in place and schools - which will continue to open for some throughout the holidays - have continued despite rather than because of Gavin Williamson.
We should be indebted to all those people but, imo, the government has been inept.
4. Again a comment just unworthy of someone who usually speaks sense. So, according to you, society is now dominated by the bollux that appears on social media so therefore it’s okay for the PM to ‘mangle the truth’ too. Really?
5. You’re an economist and I fully accept your concern, but in the here and now it’s testing and survival that are the ‘keys’.
6. Couldn’t agree more. What happens in places like India and various parts of the ‘Third World’ will be the key to what happens long after the virus is hopefully conquered/suppressed in the West. Another example of why we have to have a ‘One World’ response to this pandemic where the rich - not even for particularly altruistic reasons - have to consider those who are usually forgotten.