Boris Broadcast Beggars Belief

He had several days to prepare his message. There was a teleprompter to help him deliver it. The broadcast was pre-recorded. He was given the benefit of prime time access to major terrestrial TV channels. He had access to a whole battery of messaging and PR specialists. And he still fouled it up totally and royally.

Alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson didn’t consult his own cabinet. He failed to consult any of the UK’s devolved Governments. He failed to use the opportunity last Thursday to head off the disastrous briefing to the press from the previous day, and to use the renewal of emergency powers to give advance notice to employers, workers, and anyone else likely to be affected by any easing of the lockdown.

The content of his broadcast was shambolic. Workers should work from home, or if they could not, should return to work. But when? Today, perhaps? Did he tell transport providers? Ah, but workers should avoid public transport. So how do millions in London and the south-east, and in other large cities, get to work? Now we are told this will be “from Wednesday”. But social distancing must be maintained. Did he consult with employers?

Bozo The Clown paid tribute to NHS and care workers, but then put his foot in it as he claimed that the country had “avoided a catastrophe”. With somewhere between 31,000 and 55,000 dead already, that did not go down well: “In what way is 32,000 people dead (at least) ‘avoiding a catastrophe'?” and “Never mind 30k, it could have been 250k. That's ok then. Give me strength” were typical responses. And it got worse.

David Allen Green noted “Going out for unlimited exercise, which was perfectly legal already in England under the letter of the coronavirus regulations, will continue to be legal”. Shaun Lawson added “Social distancing will be enforced on the tube. That means it'll be at ONE TENTH of usual capacity … Meanwhile, furloughing is cut and employers start laying off anyone who can't make the impossible work”. And worse.

What did this mean for families with school age children? Jane Martinson wasn’t sure. “The fears that ‘stay alert’ was a bit vague not eased by that message. Kids asking when they’ll go back to school/ be able to see mates - the answer? maybe July?” Carole Cadwalladr looked at Bozo’s graphics and concluded “There was something about sports teams? Driving? What's the cyclist representing here? Another huge communications success from the govt. Congratulations. This is all totally clear”. Because it wasn’t.

Dave Hill from OnLondon had seen it all before. "Reluctant to say it, but that was pretty classic ‘Boris’: lots of noise and performance, very little that was convincing or substantial”. Had Robert Peston figured it out? “So it turns out a maximum of one person per household can meet OUTSIDE and at a 2m distance from a maximum of one person from a different household. So you can see your mum, without your dad, and only if she isn’t elderly or frail and needing to be shielded. Clear?” It wasn’t clear at all. And employers weren’t happy.

Alan Jones of the PA had word from the London Chamber of Commerce. “Strong and unequivocal advice to London businesses is not to change your plans for tomorrow. You have not been given sufficient information on how to get your employees safely to work, nor how to keep them safe while they are there”. And it got even worse.

What was that about national unity, of bringing other parties with you? Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham tried to show restraint. “Will say more tomorrow. Trying to keep a sense of national unity. But not sure the PM has helped us there”. And Labour leader Keir Starmer, while also trying to show restraint, was equally unhappy.

“What the nation was looking for this evening was clarity and consensus. The truth is, the Prime Minister’s statement raises more questions than it answers. Those questions need answering if the public is going to have confidence in what happens next”. Not even Bozo’s cheerleaders in the right-wing press are having much success spinning this one.

Would the normally voluble Owen Jones like to sum it all up? “Bizarre” was all he could muster. It was a total car crash. But stage managed and thoroughly researched. Johnson is too lazy to apply himself to the crisis. And the likes of chief polecat Dominic Cummings know only about putting one over on the opposition so they keep “winning”. We have a top team that doesn’t have a clue. Now the whole world knows it.

We’re in the mire and our leaders are useless. Be afraid, citizens. Be very afraid.

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