You can’t excuse Boris Johnson’s handling of this dreadful pandemic
Having read Marilyn Woolven’s letter of the day on June 3, I suggest she takes a hard look at Boris Johnson – a long and unpolitical stare at the character of the man. A personality that impacts on his performance as a politician.
Exalting Johnson in a Covid-19 context she half quotes William Blake‘s words: ‘Hindsight is a wonderful thing … she forgets the second half of the quote: but foresight is better, especially when it comes to saving life.’ Foresight is a quality of leadership.
Did Johnson show leadership and foresight to save the lives of so many, or did he delegate his responsibilities without making it clear what the Covid-19 targets should be?
Has Hancock been left ‘high and dry’ by a part-time prime minister? From December 31, Johnson spent two weeks in Mustique when China informed the WHO of an unidentified epidemic. In January he spent two weeks holidaying in the ‘grace and favour’ home of Chevening. Advisors became concerned that he didn’t work weekends.
At a time that the virus was creeping up, Johnson absented himself from five consecutive emergency Cobra meetings, delegating in his place his Health Secretary Matt Hancock to deal with a national crisis; the very person who Marilyn Woolven sees as ‘lacking’.
These questions are not blame, that will possibly come later in future inquiries, but are simple measures of the mettle of the man: Johnson, the man we elected to lead this country not just for Brexit but all eventualities. Richard Lacey Southsea