About time... Boris finally takes charge

CRISIS, it is said, tests the true mettle of a man. Boris Johnson will find this out with the biggest challenge of his fledgling Premiership.

Coronavirus, the deadly global contagion, is advancing threateningly across the UK.

Increasing numbers are being struck down – 39 at the last count.

The British people are, true to magnificent form, keeping calm and carrying on. But make no mistake: Alarm is accelerating.

In the worst case scenario, Cabinet ministers have been told, 80 per cent of the population could be laid low by the ungrudging epidemic, crashing the economy and bringing the nation grinding to a halt.

For many, the effects of the devastating virus – which seeped from a live animal market in China – will this week hit home.

Perhaps your child’s school will close. Maybe your parent, a retired doctor or nurse, will be asked to help the NHS. Will your holiday flight be cancelled? Can groceries be delivered to your home?

So it’s extremely welcome that Boris has listened to the Mail’s implorations, finally broken cover and taken personal charge.

About blessed time! After all, it’s nearly a month since the UK’s first confirmed case.

His aides insist he has toiled ceaselessly behind the scenes. And yes, he featured in a film clip – sanctioned by No 10 – slipped on to the Government website late on Friday.

But it’s simply not good enough to disseminate the message with pre-packaged promos. A reminder to Mr Johnson (and belligerent aides): This isn’t North Korea.

He should learn from Theresa May. Her most impressive political achievement was standing up to Russia after the horrifying Salisbury chemical attack. Grasping the nettle, she reassured the public with a steely Commons performance and averted panic.

By chairing his first Cobra emergency meeting since the outbreak began, then taking questions from the BBC, Mr Johnson is dispelling barbs he’s a ‘part-time PM’.

In his interview, he warned of a ‘very significant expansion’ of coronavirus. But defiantly insisting Britain was well-prepared to handle an epidemic, he declared: ‘We will not be defeated.’ This morning, he will unveil a battleplan to tackle the disease.

This is a decent, if belated, start. Now could he also show he’s not frightened of confronting the flood victims?

People demand little beyond reliable information and assurance their government has got a grip. Gauging the country’s mood, a leader must be seen to lead.

Boris, we trust, has taken the first step to achieving that.