The UK Government's COVID response: Still predictably sloppy, but trending in the right direction
The South Africa variant is here and it is in the community [UK detects South African coronavirus variant in people with no travel links]. Because of the risk that it will unwind the efficacy of our excellent vaccination program, we did not want it here. The government made moves to stop it from coming into the country by banning travel from South Africa in December [Covid-19: UK bans travel from South Africa over variant]. These moves were predictably ineffective, with SAGE warning the government that this policy would not work [Sage warned No 10 over South African Covid variant weeks ago].
Making moves that are predictably ineffective has been the sad foundations of the UK Government’s coronavirus response, for they have also been the foundations of the government’s response to all things. Think back over the last decade, nearly every interview with a minister, every PMQs, every urgent response in the commons, or any form of interactive communication with the government follows the same pattern: the questioner brings up a real problem that is unsolved and causing pain; the minister tells you that the problem has already been addressed, funding (often reallocated or re-announced) was given, all is ok. Moves were made to deal with the problem. Predictably ineffective moves.
And being ineffective while sounding like you’ve been effective works when the problem is just people’s suffering. The UK public will not take to the streets in sufficient numbers. They will suffer in silence and become accustom to a sub-par standard of care (which we have). The BBC et al. will be forced to repeat the minister’s claims, and all those who read the news and are not part of the group suffering will be sufficiently unsure of where reality stands that support for the government will remain high.
There is no issue I can think of where this pattern has not been on display: health care spending; people stuck in flammable flats; welfare; racism; Brexit’s “teething problems”; social care; the environment; and, of course, COVID.
But COVID is not like people in pain. You can’t get away with being ineffective when it comes to COVID. The government has been used to patching up gaping holes in the country’s bow with a patchwork of wooden slats and getting away with it. Fine if you’re stopping something big and lumpy from getting in, but not so great if what you’re trying to stop is so small it can’t be seen and so nimble that it floats in the air. The rule is: you can’t beat COVID unless you really solve problems.
But the government is beginning to. The vaccine roll out has been an unquestionable success. Boris’ first. And no doubt the contrast to Europe’s fumbled approach and his accompanying bump in the polls add sweetness to this injected pie. We really did something and it feels good.
I believe this has given Boris a taste for actually solving problems. It is no wonder that this lockdown had a different feel to it. Long and slow to unwind, instead of a short blip of pain and back to the party. We will see the same shift with border controls too. We have failed to block the South Africa variant, and we may fail to block the Brazilian variant, but this Conservative government will learn from these mistakes in a way that previous ones have not. In six months’ to a year’s time international travel will look entirely different. We will have an air tight border. Another problem will be solved.
The government’s response has been predictably Conservative in its ineffectiveness, but times they are a-changin’.
About The Annoying Centrist: I listen to/read/follow the hard-left, the far-right and everything in between. I absorb as much as I can and try to create a balanced position in the middle with compromises both sides can live with, explained in terms that make sense to everyone. Articles are written once every week or two and can be sent to your inbox if you subscribe via the form below: