Johnson’s folly
While no fan of Boris Johnson, it was good that he recovered from Covid-19 thanks to our NHS. The Prime Minister’s handling of the Dominic Cummings saga, however, has now infected the political climate with another virus strain.
Political advisers seem more important than elected politicians. Even if Cummings didn’t break any lockdown requirements, he broke the spirit of restraint and patience expected of the general public in these exceptional times.
A junior minister has resigned over the affair, for some politicians identify more with their constituents’ concerns. The political wriggling by other ministers for the moment hides deeper rumblings below the PR radar.
Even if there is no appetite as yet for another Conservative leadership election, Johnson could be a short-serving Prime Minister if he fails to judge the public mood with these planned phone calls over Covid-19 testing. With his duty to the public, he might yet be making a call himself before looking around for his next political adviser!
JIM CRAIGEN Downie Grove, Edinburgh
This whole Cummings affair makes me sad. Just a few days ago I could see lockdown was working, I was willing to forgive the lack of preparedness and the consequences, and I had a kind of happy feeling
in my head that, yes, actually the British people believed in what they were doing and we could pull together to get the country and jobs back up and running. I was even hoping that perhaps some of the worst causes of it all might finally be properly addressed. There was talk of a Covid levy, a National Care Service, creation of a pandemic “defence” industry and even a war on obesity suggested by a Prime Minister who acknowledged his BMI of 36 was a major reason his Covid almost killed him. A prime minister who, from being at best a figure of fun eight months ago was beginning to look like the guy to pull Britain’s socks up. And now all this happens. Dominic Cummings should have had the humility to at least admit he had made a grave mistake, even though it may have been with the best of intentions, and apologise to the country for misleading and misreading. It’s too late now, and too late for Boris to scrape any credit if he belatedly fires him.
He too could be gone soon. Britain has been humiliated and our worst internal and external opponents have won a huge victory without lifting a gun, trade war, a finger even. ALLAN SUTHERLAND Willow Row, Stonehaven