Nothing to write home about, as usual
For my sins, last night I watched Boris’ Speech to the Nation on BBC One at 7.00pm and the the Huw Edwards-anchored BBC News Special that followed.
Long-suffering Rusters will be aware of my overwhelming cynicism towards politicians, which extends to the view that Boris is not Premier material and that most of his ministers who have become the public faces of government during the Coronavirus Crisis are nailed-on second raters.
That said, we’re where we are and in a well-meaning sense they’re all doing their best.
Last night amply confirmed my suspicions.
Boris was less than impressive.
He might as well not bothered, frankly, because – having allowed great expectations to build up during the past ten days, both his performance and content came across as a dap squib and satisfied none of the specially-interested groups waiting for developments, whether they were coming at things from the “We must kill the virus first” angle or alternatively the “We need to know when we can start beginning to normal before the economy totally tanks” one.
However, just as depressing, was the interview by John Kay during the News Special analysis/review that followed with a lady from Weston-super-Mare whose family run a beach-front hotel and a gentleman who represented some form of local business association.
The lady had been deeply frustrated by Boris’ speech because (she said) the one thing that she had been looking for – certainty and a road map as to how she was going to be able to begin opening her hotel, on whatever basis – had been completely absent.
As this was complete balls, I wondered whether she – or indeed anyone – ever actually listens to what is said during a television address, or whether perhaps, whatever is said, each individual simply accepts it (if they agree with it) and pretend it never occurred (if they do not).
Minutes before Boris – in a rare moment of clarity during his address – had said that … conditional, of course, upon everything else by then being favourable, including progress on containing the virus and all health and safety aspects being adequately covered … the hospitality industry could begin to emerge from lockdown on 1st July.
See here for a link to the BBC iPlayer copy of the programme, during which the interview appears at 22.55 minutes in – BBC iPLAYER
Judging by all the reactions I have come across over overnight, it appears that nobody has a good word to say about Boris or the Government’s plans, whatever they are.
C’est la vie …
(Sometimes I wonder about the future of the human race).
