Covid nearly broke Boris... now it may be making of him
BORIS Johnson’s large army of critics believe he is too much of an incompetent buffoon to lead the nation during a crisis. Yet this supposed clown now presides over one of the world’s most successful vaccination programmes.
What’s more, due to his Government’s unrivalled effectiveness on this front, there is the real prospect of a return to some kind of normality in the next few months.
Already, more than 12 per cent of the British population has been inoculated.
The scale of Britain’s achievement has provoked jealous fury from the EU, whose own programme is characterised by lethargy and delays.
So deep was its indignation that last week Brussels took the extraordinary step, without consulting its member states, of announcing a ban on exporting European-manufactured vaccines to Britain and the creation within Ireland of a hard border, in flagrant defiance of international agreements.
Amid a storm of protests, it scrapped both proposals. Some said the EU had gone “mad” but in truth the row encapsulated all the worst traits of the federal empire: its bureaucratic failings, its vindictiveness towards Britain and its hypocritical contempt for international law when it wants its way.
IN GRAPHIC contrast, our Prime Minister emerged from the dispute as something of a statesman. Last Friday night, he persuaded EU President Ursula von der Leyen to retreat from her dangerously high-handed stance. Moreover, since then, he has struck the right co-operative tone.
Exuding concern rather than triumphalism, he has promised to do all he can to ensure that Britain helps with the supply of vaccines to the EU, particularly because the efficiency of our rollout means we may soon have a surplus of doses.
Generosity is the correct humanitarian and moral approach. No country can be safe if its neighbours are still ravaged by Covid.
Britain’s success is also powerful vindication of Johnson’s brave decision not to join the EU’s vaccination initiative.
Remainers at the time wailed that the move was driven by Brexiteer “ideology” but the policy has been fully justified by Britain’s dynamism, bolstered by vaccine expenditure of £12billion, compared with just £2.4billion by the EU. The PM’s ability to galvanise his government for Britain’s biggest ever medical mission shows he is a much more able operator than bumbling caricatures suggest.
He undoubtedly made serious mistakes at the start of the crisis, epitomised by his complacent over-optimism, his reluctance to move into lockdown and his mismanagement of the testing regime.
But he has matured in his role, partly because his own brush with death gave him a new perspective on the disease.
In recent months, he has been more focused and less inclined to frivolous boosterism. That more serious style was on poignant display last Tuesday, as the nation’s Covid death toll passed 100,000.
Alongside a heartfelt apology “for every life lost”, he took “full responsibility for everything the Government has done”. Instead of feeling anger at him, much of the public was touched by his obviously genuine anguish.
THE PRIME Minister has spent his life confounding his detractors. He may not be a diligent administrator or smooth performer but so often gets the big calls right.
Against all expectations, he signed a Withdrawal Agreement and trade deal with the EU. After the disastrous paralysis of the Theresa May years, he led his party to a 2019 landslide general election victory.
His personal charm means he is a far better diplomat than his enemies allow. He has not only concluded a string of postBrexit trade deals with countries outside the EU but he was the first European leader that US President Biden rang.
As he showed during his stint as London Mayor, he is a good delegator and an impressive judge of talent. His appointment of venture capitalist Kate Bingham as head of the Vaccine Task Force was typically shrewd, as was his promotion of Rishi Sunak to Chancellor and, more recently, the assured Dan Rosenfield as his Chief of Staff.
Few people care about the unorthodox nature of his private life. Nor is the majority impressed by his permanently pained rival, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, whose soundtrack of grievance is starting to grate.
The last two opinion polls gave the Tories a three-point lead, remarkable given the storm that engulfed the Government. Covid could have broken Boris. Instead it may be the making of him.
‘Much of the public was touched by his obviously genuine anguish’