Boris must explain delay on face masks

PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has little to brag about when it comes to face mask use or face coverings as he insists on calling them. Yes, he did make them compulsory on public transport last month and shortly in shops – but why not a lot sooner? It is not an unreasonable question – but one that the PM and his loyal band of followers in the Cabinet have always sidestepped, as indeed they have done over any mask-related questions.

In what appeared to be a newfound wisdom the PM recently said: “I think that face coverings are a kind of extra insurance we can all use to stop it (the virus) coming back and stop it getting out of control again” (“PM: Masks should be worn in shops”, Post, July 14).

It is a pity that he did not make a similar statement of the obvious at the start of the pandemic – and give us all the extra insurance then. At around the time Vietnam made face masks compulsory in all public spaces on March 16 would have been useful. Failing that, when a number of European countries later started doing so in shops. The title of the excellent letter by Ivan Gould (“Fatal hesitation over face masks cost lives”, Opinion, July 15) sums it up.

Boris Johnson should now explain why he did not act a lot sooner on face-masks and other necessary measures. The evidence of common sense has always been there. “Cabinet collective responsibility” should be no defence during such a deadly situation. They could have resigned which would have brought their reasons to the media’s attention. Those in the Cabinet that have overtly backed Boris Johnson and peddled his spin and covered up for his incompetence should be ashamed of themselves.

Mark Iles Newark