Words: Simon Danczuk
Too early to say when the pandemic will end, but not too soon to judge Government’s Ministers performance.
Nadhim Zahawi MP, the ‘Vaccine Minister’ has been doing a solid job. He is one who will, if the current vaccination trajectory continues, come out of this ghastly episode with a stronger, can-do reputation.
However, when asked, on 26th January, why the UK has one of the highest Covid death tolls in the world he said: “an inquiry will answer that question” – adding that he doesn’t want to “pre-empt it”. Difficult to pre-empt an inquiry that hasn’t yet been called.
But he is right to imply that some Ministers will have been found wanting when the inevitable inquiry reports.
Rishi Sunak’s initial economic package was generally celebrated, except by the self-employed who received no help at all. However, the shine has now worn off the ‘Rishi Sunak’ typeface and his ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme, which we always said was gimmicky, is seen to have increased the death toll.
Another political casualty of the pandemic must surely be Matt Hancock. A frontline role, as Health Minister, he’s worn out the public’s patience, not least because of his exuberant style, enjoying giving us bad news, like an over enthusiastic school prefect that nobody likes.
Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State for Education, had little credibility before the pandemic, which has shown him to be hopeless at the level of Government he finds himself. Why the PM thinks it’s a good idea to inflict this level of incompetence upon our children, their education and our country is anyone’s guess.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, is one of the better communicators. Relaxed, human, on top of his brief, he provides a degree of reassurance sadly lacking from some of his colleagues. Therese Coffey, the Work and Pensions Minister, has some of the same traits – a no nonsense attitude which gets government done. She was right to cut her conversation short with Piers Morgan when Good Morning Britain couldn’t keep to time, and it give us another hilarious Daily Star frontpage headline ‘PM for PM?’
Priti Patel has also survived the pandemic, keeping a strong grip on the Home Office, a notoriously difficult department to direct. Extremely competent, a good communicator, who understands the British public, she rightly survived the ridiculous bullying allegations.
Liz Truss, the Secretary of State for International Trade, not that popular with those on the right of her party, but nevertheless, has been getting on with signing trade agreements all over the world. Unlike some of her colleagues, she is one of the younger Ministers who is a good communicator and can do the job.
Then there are those who have stayed quiet – all for different reasons.
Dominic Raab is avoiding being tarnished by the pandemic because he wants a chance in the leadership election, which might be sooner than some think. As Foreign Secretary he will say he delivered Brexit, hoping he can appeal to both the right and left of his party.
Michael Gove, Cabinet Office Minister, still fancies his chances for the top job. But seen as someone with comic value – especially since defending Cummings eye test alibi – he would do better to try cultivating his role as an elder statesman.
There are others like Brandon Lewis, Northern Ireland Secretary – a safe pair of hands. Robert Jenrick, Communities and Local Government Minister – an unsteady pair of hands.
But how will the inquiry, and wider public, judge the Prime Minister? Being generous, he will be seen to have tried to walk a tightrope, to have tried to balance freedoms with lockdown, laisse faire with intervention, action with inaction.
However, Boris will be blamed. His dislike for giving bad news, his inability to take tough decisions, have dragged out the pandemic. He should have heeded what his hero, Winston Churchill, once said: “The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.”
