Andy Richardson: Compassion and good humour the only response to lockdown
Compassion seems the only response to a prolonged UK lockdown. Oh, and good humour.
The continued lockdown is for a further three weeks, though it’s difficult to imagine William Hill offering odds against 12; after all, that’s the figure BoJo used before his hospitalisation. The cat is out of the metaphorical bag and it’s hard to imagine a Downing Street press conference in which the Health Secretary recommends otherwise. Hancock’s Half Hour is unlikely to be that dramatic.
The worst excesses of authoritarianism have been dashed after police were issued with new guidance on lockdown. We are allowed to buy snacks and luxuries during trips to the supermarket – a decision that may vex the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire who’d said officers might start searching shopping trolleys. Perhaps they’d have allowed Spam but barred Taste The Difference Ham.
Shops are also allowed to sell what they want; a decision that will displease those who tried to ban Easter Eggs. Presumably, surplus stock can now be sold from the discount shelf without shopkeepers fearing fines.
We are also allowed to take a short drive to walk in parks if we live in congested areas. Forces who deployed drones to spy on car parks may need to rethink their strategy, though clearly a red light remains in place for day trips to Snowdon. Staying home saves lives.
DIY enthusiasts, however, will find themselves on the wrong side of the law if they pop out for a tin of magnolia. Paint is not considered essential; though given the likelihood of a months-long lockdown and the benefits that productive work can have, perhaps the Government should look at physically-distanced openings of garden centres and DIY stores.
While Donald ‘Got The Hump’ Trump says no-one could have predicted Covid-19, it turns out Barack Obama did precisely that during his presidency. Billionaire philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates were also warning of such five years ago.
There is food for thought from world leaders. Germany and South Korea set the gold standard, to which the UK must aspire. And the brilliant New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern authorised a 20 per cent pay cut among leaders and civil servants. In the UK, MPs took an above-inflation pay rise on April 1. They must think we’re April Fools.
