No tests and yet rules that tax our patience

IT COULD have been worse. A lot worse. While not pretending the restrictions announced by the Prime Minister last week were anywhere near perfect (they weren’t!) the pressure Boris Johnson was under was acute. Admittedly, it seems to be courtesy of the so-called “science” that, in truth, boils down to little more than the teaching of basic arithmetic to a bunch of primary school children.

Despite that, the announcements meant Christmas could be cancelled, last orders have been called on drinks in the pub after 10 at night, more of us have to wear masks in more places or face fines now lifted to £200 and the Army could soon be called up to help the police.

But, crucially, the Prime Minister has actually tried to hold out a lifeline to UK plc – and now much of what happens is up to us.

If you’ve been reading this column over the past few weeks you’ll know the case for preserving the economy – while allowing for the vulnerable and others to be shielded – has been an unerring theme for some months and so it was heartening to hear that the three-word slogan “Shelter The Economy” has now been added to the mantra of catchphrases put out by the PM.

Clearly, like you, he’s been keeping across what we’ve been saying.

However, amid reports of Cabinet splits and Conservative in-fighting over these tighter rules and penalties, it’s worth trying to work out what has led our liberally-minded, small statesupporting, one-nation Conservative Prime Minister to choose this action.

In brief, he’s been scared witless by the briefings from his medical and scientific advisers, but a closer look at the figures they put forward begs the burning question: why?

Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, who could double as either Glum and Glummer or the Two Horsemen of the Apocalypse, put their names to a story not seen since the idea that a millennium bug would wipe out our bank accounts, close down the country and make planes fall from the skies.

Staring grimly into the cameras they showed an “illustration” of how we could be looking at 50,000 new cases of Covid-19 by mid-october if we fail to heed their warnings. Intriguingly, they broke with tradition and opted not to take any questions from the media.

Hmm, wonder why. Might it be that this “illustration” was supported neither on medical nor scientific grounds, rather it was based on a simple mathematical calculation of doubling each number? One thou

THE BRILLIANT Matt Lucas lifted the spirits of many with his merciless send up of the Prime Minister at the start of the 11th series of The Great British Bake Off. Coming as it did straight after Boris Johnson’s address to the nation about those increased Covid restrictions, it hit home with even more force. “If you must bake in a tent, bake in a tent. But please don’t bake in a tent,” said Lucas, wearing a wig that deserved its own place i n the show’s end credits.

If you haven’t seen his equally brilliant send up of Boris from some months ago telling us “so we are saying go to work... don’t go to work” then you’re in for a treat. It would be even funnier if it wasn’t so damned accurate!

sand cases become two thousand which becomes four which becomes eight... and on it goes. But it clearly got to the PM.

In fairness it shouldn’t just be Boris in the firing line, even Sir Keir Starmer as he addressed the nation had clearly signed up to the Grimm Tales as he quoted them. Does no one want to question this?

The truth is this. We have endured six months of sacrifice, we’re being asked to go through another possible six months and yet what have we to show for it?

Too many are missing out on visits to family and loved ones and the idea that we have to limit to six the number of our family at Christmas lunch is an insult.

What the nation is crying out for is an efficient test and trace system. Never

mind the “world-beating” one we’ve been promised, could we just get one that works? The new app was launched on Thursday – let’s wait and see and hope, in whichever order you prefer.

Meanwhile, two million cancer screening and treatment appointments have been missed and reports suggest the emotional health of many children is close to crisis point.

Patients with heart disease or recovering from a stroke cannot get appointments for crucial care.

Polls show most of the country is still backing these restrictions, but as autumn gives way to winter and the financial bail-outs rightly dry up, the public mood could change like the seasons.

THREE million people are trapped in 1.5 million homes that are unsafe and “unmortgageable” because owners cannot prove they are free of Grenfell-style cladding.

There are also

700,000 people in flats with combustible cladding – and after the Government tightened safety measures, banks are routinely refusing to lend on these properties.

Confusion also reigns over whether special External Wall Survey forms are required. The Grenfell tragedy was more than three years ago and the fact this shambles has been allowed to drag on for so long is shameful.

DID you see the new safety advice from the Government concerning motorists? They’ve been warned not to stop at motorway service stations or petrol stations unless “you really need to”.

Seriously? When was the last time you said: “Hey kids, fancy a day out at Leicester Forest East services or the Shell mini-mart?”