Grim truth is we have been failed

The 40,465 deaths confirmed yesterday are both tragic and heartbreaking. But they are not the only casualties in the war against corona. Another is the truth. It takes some gall for Boris Johnson and his ministers to boast how well they are handling this crisis when the figures and daily revelations of cackhanded planning say otherwise.

The highest official death toll in Europe, and an estimated 20,000 in care homes.

Fewer tests proportionately than Belgium, Russia, Portugal and Spain. More than two million jobs lost with no indication from the PM of how he will stop that doubling.

Locking down too late and easing it too early. No coherent proposal to get schools fully up and running.

Reduced classes mean they are already at 50 per cent capacity.

And without a plan for schools, there can be none for parents to get back to work.

The British people now know that when Mr Johnson blusters that he has a world-beating this or a globe-leading that, nothing could be further from the truth.

LIES

When a carefully considered programme for recovery is most needed, policy is made on the hoof. Health Secretary Matt Hancock failed to tell NHS staff they would need to wear surgical masks before announcing it.

Today we compile the full charge sheet against the Prime Minister.

And to that we should add the one of perjury for all the lies he has told.

No government can be expected to get everything right when faced with an unexpected and unprecedented pandemic.

But the governments of other countries clearly got more right than our own. Their lower death figures prove it.

Boris Johnson failed us when the World Health Organisation said we must test, test, test.

The least we deserved from him was truth, truth, truth.

An admission that he was wrong is what is needed now. A little humility would not go amiss.

Because if we are to defeat this dreadful disease, we must have confidence in our leaders so we can do it together.

The British lion needs its strength more than ever. It should not be led by donkeys.

BRAVE James Barrow cannot hide his delight at getting a new chance of life – thanks to a heart transplant in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s amazing NHS could give James a transplant in spite of pandemic

EXPRESSES GRATITUDE

James in ICU post-op

NEW LIFE James gets set for his surgery DAD GRAHAM BARROW CARE