New Challenges for the Prime Minister

As far as COVID-19 preparations have gone, the Prime Minister has repeatedly been accused of failing to prepare adequately. It was revealed during last week that the U.K. refused to join the EU’s ventilator procurement scheme, a government source was asked why and responded, “because we’re no longer a member of the EU”. Later, the government denied being asked to take part, blaming a ‘communications problem’, this is provably false as Health Secretary Matt Hancock even described the scheme as a possibility on March 19’s episode of BBC Question Time. Germany, seen as the archetype of ‘European bureaucracy’, have their situation comparatively under control (84k confirmed, 1k deaths). Considering how underprepared the U.K. was, you’d think they’d take the help where required. The BBC have caveated announcing the new death toll of nearly 3 thousand with a message: “But is the virus causing the death? It could be the major cause, a contributory factor or simply present when they die of something else.” While this is undoubtedly true, it’s difficult to view 569 deaths in 24 hours as anything other than horrifying.

Rishful Thinking:

The organised ‘Clap for Carers’ – which aimed to show appreciation to those in the frontline fighting Coronavirus - raised the morale in the U.K. So much so, the media have coordinated a ‘Clap for the Chancellor’ event to take place this week. The chancellor’s ‘Crisis Budget’ has had praise from across the political spectrum, from Jeremy Vine describing him as a ‘future Prime Minister’ to a surprising thumbs up from Unite the Union’s Len McCluskey, the crisis chancellor is racking up good publicity.

The NewStatesman, The Spectator and The Guardian, all awash with stories of his kindness to civil servants, humble beginnings and work ethic. The Prime Minister’s response to the crisis is receiving less positivity, with calls across the national dailies for more testing to be done, this includes the Telegraph, where, until very recently, the PM was a columnist. Boris Johnson - now in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 - has faced criticism for suggesting, unprompted, that the crisis would be done in 12 weeks. Perhaps the need to see a hero PM in waiting in Sunak comes from an unconscious appreciation that the Prime Minister’s Vote Leave ‘dream team’ can’t spin their way out of a pandemic. Either way, the PM’s approval is through the roof and any suggestion, by any paper, that he might step-aside is Rishful Thinking.

Cautious Keir and his Cult of Competence:

Labour will swear in their new leader this weekend, expected to be the Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer. A former Director of Public Prosecution, Starmer’s ‘chairman of the board’ persona came under extreme scrutiny from Westminster hacks of all stripes, expecting to find him to be in some way false.

To their dismay, they found a serious, focused, former Human Rights lawyer and Arsenal loving sitcom dad. The investigative journalism wasn’t in vain, we found out that he is a school friend of Norman Cook (also known as Fatboy Slim), the rumour has also done the rounds that he was the inspiration for Mark Darcy (a character in Bridget Jones’ diary) Starmer’s rapid rise through politics has turned heads across the party, he shares Corbyn’s tendency to speak in moral-absolutes and won’t suffer fools, but is less of a showman than his predecessor or the Prime Minister. A moral Remainer (remember Brexit!!!) who has accepted the referendum result, Starmer’s success has defied both the will of the ruling faction of the party and expectations. He's expected to hit the ground running and strengthen his leadership by carrying out the recommendations of the Equality and Human Rights Commission on Anti-Semitism and presents a more immediate challenge to PM than anyone in his ranks. After a calamitous five years, in both Labour and generally, the membership seems too long for someone who looks and sounds like they have a plan. A Cult of Competence.