Many of Britain’s prime ministers over the centuries have had to deal with crises - wars, financial disasters - but few have faced a harder task than Boris Johnson.
The vicissitudes are enough to trouble a Titan and inevitably he has struggled as would most leaders in this complicated era and world.
How will his historic role be judged once the coronavirus storm has passed?
And what of the other leaders, the three first ministers; how are they shaping up? How do the people rate their performance?
For them, too, it is the most difficult task they could ever have imagined.
Take Wales. I have been interested in devolution for fifty years. In 1979 I was county public relations officer for South Glamorgan when the first referendum was held. It was essentially political but the council decided to spend public money to publish its view and recommendation. Clearing it legally, they went ahead. I wrote a pamphlet urging the public to turn down devolution, giving a list of reasons.
Before the council’s final vote on their action, I had also written a version supporting it.
By chance, Wales's second First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, was the former county Industrial and Business Development Officer who worked with me promoting the council.
Rhodri was a brilliant, if unusual character. Son of a Welsh professor, he was eloquent in Welsh and English, prone to imaginative turns of phrase and with a seeming haphazard lifestyle. He preferred a mobile home to a car and was notoriously unpunctual. Reminded by phone of meetings at county headquarters he would dash from his garden in his creosote spotted clothes. It masked the sharpest of minds and he attracted national and international companies to the county.
I have not met Mark Drakeford, the present First Minister, a totally different character, and I wondered how effective he would be. I am impressed. He is low key, serious and, I think, good for Wales. He has met the unprecedented challenge calmly and sensibly.
My knowledge of first ministers Sturgeon and Foster, is slight but they have shown commendable assurance and dependability in the crisis although Ms Sturgeon is in political hot water over her long running feud with its former First Minister Salmond. She could do without that. .
Leading your country at this unique time is the chance and opportunity of a lifetime. Our leaders are making a brave attempt.
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