J'Accuse Boris Johnson.

I have to say that I’m troubled by the British government’s approach to the coronavirus crisis. It isn’t the policy of lockdown I’m objecting to; time will tell whether Sweden’s laissez faire approach will prove to be better or worse than our hardline one. What bothers me is the attitude of the government, and that of Boris Johnson in particular.

It’s all stick and no carrot. It’s based on frowns, fierceness and invective: ‘You will do as I say or be punished.’ ‘Things are going to get worse so expect even more draconian measures.’ It engenders a sense of oppression, fear and panic in people. Wouldn’t it be better if Johnson smiled and said: ‘Well done. We’re getting there, so let’s carry on working together to beat this problem.’

It seems to me that such an approach would engender a sense of togetherness in a time of shared adversity, instead of oppression, fear and panic. That was Churchill’s approach during WWII. People could still observe the procedures, but feel less stressed about it all. Because let’s not forget that it is now a well attested fact that stress makes people more susceptible to illness. Isn’t that ironic?

But of course, Johnson is an Old Etonian, an ex public schoolboy steeped in a long tradition which gave the gentry exclusive rights to form the officer class whose role was to keep the masses in their place. I’ve said this before about Johnson. It’s why I was always concerned that one day he might become Prime Minister.

And I think it pertinent to suggest that a true leader is not someone who simply gives orders and expects to be obeyed, but someone who has the innate capacity to inspire people to achieve a worthy goal and maybe go beyond. I'll leave the rest unsaid.