The prostration of the freedom-loving Johnson: England locked again

The pressure on the British Prime Minister had increased by the day in recent weeks. His scientific advisers have long called for a lockdown, as have the Labor opposition, some media outlets and his Health Minister Matt Hancock. The lights were already going out in neighboring nations and countries: from Wales to France, from Ireland to Germany.

A difference with the first lockdown is that educational institutions now remain open, although scientists and unions are urging the students to be sent home. Professional football also continues, but children and amateurs are no longer allowed to kick a ball in an organized manner. Conservative faction member Lucy Allen wondered what happened to Johnson’s fight against obesity.

Johnson, who has profiled himself as a freedom-loving politician for years, held back a lockdown for a long time, supported by his Treasury Secretary Rishi Sunak. He gave up on Friday night when he was presented with a model stating that in December 4,000 people could die a day and ice rinks should serve as morgues.

On Saturday morning, all English newspapers knew, probably thanks to a leak from Hancock, that another lockdown was coming. It turned out to be a surprise for some of the ministers. Johnson quickly arranged a press conference, which had to be postponed three times – which led to that Strictly Come Dancing started later. The anger is great among the Tories. How big, that will become clear on Wednesday in the vote in the House of Commons.

Influential group leader Sir Graham Brady even compared the lockdown proposed by Johnson on Sunday evening to measures taken by leaders of totalitarian states. Later that evening, Nigel Farage announced that he was going to rename his Brexit Party Reform UK, with resistance to lockdown as the main issue. This is a nightmare for the Conservative Party.

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Questions have been raised about the lockdown advice to the Johnson administration. As with the first lockdown, the cabinet is relying on the controversial models of Imperial College, but the numbers that King’s College has are a lot less alarming. Critics of the lockdown point out that there is hardly any excess mortality and that hospitals are not much busier than usual at this time of year.

The media is no longer unanimous. Conservative newspapers such as The Sunday Telegraph, The Mail on Sunday in The Sun on Sunday berate the decision. “The virus is dangerous,” the latter newspaper wrote in a commentary, “but another lockdown is catastrophic.” The Roman Catholic Church criticized the decision not to allow more Masses.

To put a positive spin on his measure, Johnson said the purpose of the lockdown is to save Christmas, but a day later Secretary Michael Gove said there is a chance that, depending on the results, the lockdown will be much longer than a will last month. The new lockdown will be the final blow for many catering establishments, predicts the trade association.

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