“What is the point of them going to all these posh schools if they don’t think?”

This was Daughter’s comment this (Saturday) morning at the latest suggestion that pubs and restaurants can operate outdoors. In January. In temperatures often at or below freezing in large parts of the country. In the rain, wind (remember Storm Arwen), snow or ice. When you can often not even see outside your own home.

The photo for this header is the view from my living-room window. Taken at 9:30 am. Normally you can see across the Duddon estuary to Barrow, in the other direction to Coniston. On a very clear day from the hill behind you can see as far as Blackpool Tower and if you climb Black Combe it is easy to see the Isle of Man and Scotland. In these conditions, driving anywhere – let alone across the fells or to the next village in the dark – is a hazardous undertaking taken only if really necessary. The idea that people are going to do this then sit outside in the dark in this sort of weather having their pints, pies and chips is laughable. The idea that pubs can ask staff to work in icy conditions is both laughable and dangerous. The idea that restaurants can operate in these sorts of conditions is for the birds. Where does the Chancellor think he is? California? Oh yes, that’s where he was – failing even to attend a remote call with hospitality leaders pleading for help. At best such an idea might help some venues with covered areas outside in the middle of a city surrounded by buildings and with lots and lots of patio heaters. As a response to an informal – but brutally financially damaging lockdown – it is nonsense. Other more robustly Anglo-Saxon descriptions are available.

There has been much written about what should be done next, whether MPs will vote for a lockdown, the PM’s authority, VoNC, who is best placed to be the next leader and all the rest of it. Forget this. This is Westminster talking to and about itself. There is an effective lockdown now for all those sectors dependant on socialising as people try and protect themselves. They are behaving rationally. But the consequences are huge and unfairly borne. The price is being paid by those sectors. The government won’t impose lockdown by law and try to alleviate the unfairness because it is too scared of its MPs and the Chancellor won’t pay. It is not just the PM’s authority and judgment which should be questioned. It is also the Chancellor’s. Just as at the start of the pandemic his instincts are wrong. Then he thought loans were the answer and had to change course pretty quickly. Now he thinks that the support is enough. What support? He should provide the sort of package Ireland and Norway have set up – and quickly. Will he? Who knows? What is certain is that with every day that passes more and more business is lost. Every day that passes is another day of confused health messages which damage the already financially weakened and do little to stop the virus’s spread.

Time to stop peddling the same old 2-week circuit breaker ideas. 2 weeks? If they go down that route, 2 months, 3 even is more realistic. Time to stop pretending that tinkering with business rates helps those facing drops in revenue of 60% or more. Time for someone in government to do some, well, actual thinking. They could start by looking at the weather forecasts for the next few weeks.

Cyclefree