Johnson is Johnson's performance at today's PMQs was particularly poor: he looked rattled by Starmer
Johnson's performance at today's PMQs was particularly poor, especially his desperate boast that he was "very proud" of our coronavirus response. He looked rattled by Starmer's calm, precise questions, and didn't answer them but blustered unconvincingly. This exchange was the key, I felt:
Starmer ended by asking why lockdown restrictions were eased on Monday when the government’s coronavirus warning level remained on four, something Johnson had previously said would not happen.
Johnson replied: “He knows perfectly well that the alert level does allow it.”
But if we look at what the levels do allow, it's clear that Johnson was wrong:
In case it's not clear, Level 4 - means that social-distancing regulations in force since March will remain unchanged as long as this is considered to be the case; on the other hand, at Level 3, official guidelines suggest the government will begin the "gradual relaxing of restrictions and social-distancing measures".
These levels are determined by the scientific/public health advisers, and they (notably Sir Patrick Whitty) vetoed a move from Level 4 to Level 3. So it's clear that he's not following "the science" but winging it in an attempt to court popularity, and that at a potentially very dangerous stage of the pandemic for the country.
Richard Carter ● 2134d9 Comments