It was a day of mourning yesterday. In memory of the 100,000 who have died during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Johnson told the nation he accepted full responsibility for everything. ‘We did all we could’, he said.
That was nor the view expressed, not only by the political opposition - Labour accused the government of ‘monumental mistakes’ - but by a whole bevy of science and health experts, including some of his advisers.
The main criticism was of poor decisions made before and during the pandemic including easing restrictions too soon and failing to provide a workable track and trace system
Defending the government, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said they had taken the best possible expert advice.
The sadness, almost despair, arising from the death toll was reflected by the media.The BBCs main news bulletins were totally devoted to coronavirus.
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| BBC: candles for the coronavirus victims |
They dramatised the tragedy using 100,000 candles - probably conjured up by technical wizardry - symbolically lighting the first one to mark the deadly progress. And there was the obligatory hospital visit showing hard stretched doctors and nurses.
Mr Johnson’s distress wave is understandable, but he might have lifted our spirits by assuring us that we will win through.
He might have taken on Churchill’s stance of defiance and assurance in the dark days of 1941 with his ‘Give us the tools and we will finish the job‘ rhetoric. Convince us that we have the tools - the vaccines - to win the battle.
No-one will forget these horrendous days and the deep sadness caused by the 100,000 deaths, but we must learn from mistakes and make the world safe again.
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