Christmas may be at risk, but things could be worse – we could be in the EU

I’m not one of those awful people who love to go around saying: “I told you so.” Admittedly, the main reason for this is that I can’t, because my predictions are so often wrong. As is demonstrated by my pitifully low standing in the Westminster journalists’ fantasy football league table.

This week, however, I find myself in the rare and exciting position of having forecast something correctly. Because on this very page, precisely seven weeks ago, I warned the nation that this year we should celebrate Christmas early: on Oct 25, instead of Dec 25. At the time, the Covid numbers were low. But, as I explained, if we left it too late, something was bound to come along and ruin things.

And now look. That “something”, it seems, may well have arrived, in the form of the omicron variant. But did the Prime Minister listen to me? No. He did not. He recklessly ignored my advice to bring Christmas forward. Shockingly, in fact, he has given no indication that he read my column at all.

Still, perhaps this should come as no surprise. Ever since his dismissal of Dominic Cummings, it has been clear that the Prime Minister possesses neither the courage nor the vision to follow the guidance of intellectual trailblazers who dare to think the unthinkable and urge him to abandon the old and outdated way of doing things. When Mr Johnson finally leaves Downing Street, I suspect that this failure to heed my counsel will be his deepest source of regret.

But never mind. We are where we are. And, although Christmas may be at risk, I think we should look on the bright side.

After all, things could be worse. We could be in the EU.

I say this not to gloat or to mock. Far from it. I say it purely to put our own troubles in perspective. Because the sad truth is, many of our neighbours are having it a whole lot tougher. And that’s even without omicron.

Put it like this. If we think our own Government is authoritarian, just because it’s making us wear a mask in Tesco again, take a look at what the Greek government’s done. It’s threatening to fine all unvaccinated over-60s £85 a month, until they give in and get jabbed. Now, I’m staunchly pro-jab. But what if the unjabbed refuse to pay the fine? What will the Greek police do? Squirt a dose of Pfizer into their prison dinners?

Soon, though, the entire EU could be facing mandatory jabs. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, says the idea must be considered. But such a decision could lead to civil unrest. After all, there have recently been major protests against restrictions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Croatia and Italy.

Again, compare our own situation. Protests in this country have been relatively mild. All right, so Piers Corbyn may be a bit of a pain, especially now that he’s started marching through Tube carriages singing his unseemly song about how wearing a mask is like “trying to keep a fart in your trousers”. It’s quite an achievement, to be simultaneously the worst Corbyn and the worst Piers.

But, however ludicrous he may be, at least he isn’t violent. Unlike the rioters in Brussels last week, who protested against restrictions by throwing missiles at police, attacking cars, smashing windows and setting bins on fire. In desperation, the police resorted to water cannon and tear gas.

While we’re at it, let’s count ourselves lucky that we aren’t in the Czech Republic, where Christmas markets have been banned. Or Slovakia, where the president says the country is “losing the battle against Covid”. Or Austria, which has abandoned its controversial lockdown for the unvaccinated – only to impose a lockdown on the vaccinated, too.

The people in deepest gloom right now, however, must be the Germans. Last week, their health minister grimly declared that by spring, everyone in Germany would be “vaccinated, recovered, or dead”. (I assume this was meant as a warning, although it sounded oddly like a threat.)

Now millions of Germans are facing a miserable winter. Empty football grounds. No “unnecessary contact” with friends. Having to present a vaccine passport just to enter a shop. In fact, the latest rules are so strict that a German euthanasia group has announced that prospective clients can’t enter its clinics unless they’ve been vaccinated. Imagine the bizarre rows that will lead to.

“But I don’t want the vaccine. I’ve read terrible things about it online. I’m scared it could kill me.”

“Sorry, sir, but we cannot offer you an assisted suicide unless you’re fully protected. Please – it’s for your own good.”

So there’s a comforting thought. However dicey things may seem in Britain right now, we aren’t quite at that stage yet.

If we think ours is authoritarian, look at the Greek government