No sooner than a necessary U-turn is announced, suddenly the discourse around current events is realigned to suit the narrative of whichever political party a particular person supports. But I have to be honest, none in the UK have got this right. Which you might think is indicative of how difficult this year has been, except there are plenty of examples of countries that have handled this crisis far, far, better than we have. Time, and time again.
So what is it about Britain, that means our politicians seemingly refuse to treat the populace like the adults that they are (or should be)? And why, even during a crisis, when it is so perverse, are political folk reverting to type and spinning plates as fast as they can? Is it a way of trying to hold onto some twisted version of normality? Have we become that divorced from reality? Or is it simply a comfort blanket at a time when there feels like there is little comfort to be had?
The prevailing narrative, time and again, no matter which government has its back against the wall, is that hindsight was necessary to know how to act to prevent the crisis worsening. But it really wasn't. To pretend as such is to treat the electorate like idiots. Which is a galling thing to do when devolved nations are heading for the polls (supposedly) in five months time.
I'd posit that it's not the politicians who worry about losing the trust of the public, but rather that politicians do not trust the public. You could argue, with Brexit on the horizon, maybe this isn't a bad shout. But a politics that is scared of the reactions of the people to principled leadership is surely leading us down a very dark path.
'Saving Christmas' was always a stupid idea. We're talking about 'saving' a holiday (a very specific one mind, just the old 'traditional' British kind) from a virus that has no concept of or care for what time of the year it is. Except for the fact that it loves the conditions which we find ourselves in usually at Christmas, because that would allow it to thrive. The fact that some blame the changes on a mutation of the virus sticks in the throat of those who know better. Mutation or not, allowing and dare I say it, encouraging people to mix indoors, over several days, in mid winter, was always going to be a reckless course of action.
You could say this is easy for me to say now, but I was saying as much in late September.
"We all need a break from this, but it's clear we won't be getting one anytime soon. A lot of the discourse has now turned to trying to salvage Christmas, as if it isn't a fixed date in the calendar that will happen regardless of Covid-19. Again, those of us with foresight probably realised we wouldn't get the Christmas we wanted months ago. It's just another disappointment on top of all the other let downs Covid-19 has created. Which doesn't mean it's easy to accept but it just makes all the hyperbole around 'saving Christmas' that much more difficult to stomach."
Better to have had this acknowledged in public in the autumn, months before Christmas. Set realistic expectations of what we might be able to do if the R rate was X or if the case numbers were Y. Continually review the situation and act accordingly. Don't announce a four nations strategy that was totally inflexible to what was always going to be a changing situation. Don't rely on a single lockdown to get you through, sending the message that it's all that was needed to keep the road clear. Don't prioritise Christmas shopping culture over the health and wellbeing of people.
I get that lots of people are upset and feel misled. And to be honest, I can't blame them. But rushing to get home before the clock strikes midnight, cramming on trains, rushing to the shops, and going your own way is only going to hurt people. I know no-one wants to hear this but it is the truth. I also understand many have been self isolating in order to see family, who they may now not get to see. But it's important to recognise the ability to have done this is a privilege not afforded to those who cannot work from home. It's an extension of "I'm alright, Jack" attitude, As someone who spent several Christmases working in retail, I can well imagine how much this reaction is stomach churning to those who work in shops, the NHS, social care and other people facing roles, whose feelings about all this are cast aside, since it is predominantly middle class experiences and voices that dominate political discourse.
So what now? My biggest wish for 2021 is that we stop treating this pandemic like a public relations exercise, and start treating it like the public health crisis that it is. And worry about the elections later. Because surely, surely, it is more important to get this right than to win votes? And maybe, just maybe, the public will be on the side of those who do the right thing, without caring about how it affects the polls. I still have faith in people, just about. Our politicians should to. But they must play their part by giving the people clear, consistent, and credible leadership, or else risk losing in more ways than one.
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