Sam Coates of Sky reports on today’s unscheduled meeting of the cabinet, after which Boris Johnson did a ‘pooled’ interview with ITV. The big Covid news is as follows:
- There was a “long” discussion in cabinet
- The current situation is “difficult” and things are finely balanced
- We’re keeping things under “constant review”
- “We can rule nothing out”
- Booster
- Booster
- Booster
- Er…
- That’s it
And there was me expecting, well, just this really. We don’t really know if SAGE is calling for a harsh lockdown today, tomorrow or preferably yesterday. Maybe things are “balanced’ on the grounds that experts want to bring in restrictions and politicians don’t? I don’t think this is good enough.
I want clear and consistent messaging from our so-called leaders. Like:
- If there was a “long” discussion in cabinet, what did they talk about?
- Was there a vote?
- Did Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance have a view and if so what was it and if the government rejected it, why?
- If you are keeping things under “constant review”, when will the cabinet next be meeting to discuss that review?
- What would have to change for you to bring in restrictions?
But they don’t give even vague and inconsistent messaging: they don’t say anything at all, beyond bollocks like we’re keeping things under “constant review”. Then Johnson says this:
“There are some things that we need to be clearer about before we decide to go further.” Well, what? Whether Omicron is more mild? Whether the government will put together a support package for workers and businesses? Whether there will be lots more parties at Number 10? He wants to be clearer about stuff but doesn’t appear to be capable of giving clearer messaging to us.
In the absence of any further information, it’s hard to have a view on the way forward. Essentially, we’re just mushrooms, being fed shit and kept in the dark.
