Actasoneinthe public interest

Our plea to feuding C ovid leaders

HOW IRONIC that Matt Hancock, the Health and Social Care Secretary, chose to use phrases like “acting together” – and “unless we act together” – during his latest statement on Covid- 19 restrictions.

This is precisely what is not happening as the London Government’s relations between the United Kingdom’s ‘ four nations’, and also regions of the North, fragment.

And it was self- evident when Mr Hancock lavished praise on his supporters and scorn on his opposite number when Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Health Secretary, suggested a bi- partisan approach.

After all, the very reason that Tories and Labour now have rival lockdown strategies is because the Government has not been more inclusive from the outset of this crisis.

Communication between Boris Johnson and the devolved nations is virtually non- existent; the London Government still treats the North with contempt, briefing favoured friends in the capital’s media over its intentions before metro mayors and, repeatedly, Ministers like Mr Hancock have viewed scrutiny as a personal affront rather than a constuctive attempt to help to suppress the virus.

And when the Government defies the advice of its own scientists, as it has now done, over the merit of a nationwide ‘ circuit break’, it should be expected to provide adequate answers rather than perpetuating a standoff with certain areas.

Much of this, however, could be avoided if there was a Covid cabinet involving key ministers, scientists, regional leaders and first ministers from the devolved nations.

After all, no one can afford to ignore the scientific evidence or the need to get testing systems in place across the UK to beat the virus. And that means “acting together” in the national interest, just as this country did during the Second World War, with an unity of purpose replacing the prevailing disunity.