PM is half- baked

A new ‘ Eton Mess’ in Commons

IN THE week that the launch of the latest series of Great British Bake Off coincided with the Prime Minister’s address to the nation, Boris Johnson risks trying to have his proverbial cake and eat it.

This follows Mr Johnson rebuking Labour for criticising Baroness Dido Harding, who heads the NHS Track and Trace programme, while allowing those close to him to belittle senior civil servants and prompt many to resign.

Perhaps it is because Baroness Harding, the official who failed to foresee that the reopening of schools would necessitate more tests, is a Tory peer, and now tipped to be the next head of NHS England, while the Civil Service is non- political and renowned for its impartiality.

But it is Mr Johnson’s refusal to accept criticism from opponents which is, in fact, undermining the political, economic and health response to Covid- 19. As Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said so pointedly at PMQs: “Pretending there isn’t a problem is part of the problem, Prime Minister.”

And he’s right. For, while Ministers like Rishi Sunak treat opponents with respect, and take on board valid suggestions, there’s a distinct lack of even- handedness from the PM who appears to expect Opposition parties in the Commons to replicate the bon homie and sycophancy shown to him by careerhungry Tory backbenchers.

This is unhelpful.

The Prime Minister is answerable to the whole country – not just the Conservative Party – and it would be a small crumb of comfort if he just tried to be more reasonable with his opponents who simply want to avoid another ‘ Eton Mess’ over Covid- 19.