Danger: Cummings stil at work

Until this weekend the Johnson Government's handling of the coronavirus  pandemic  can best be described as incompetent.  

They failed to recognise its seriousness in the early stages, were complacent in their attitude to it, slow to react, headed off on a wrong tack, failed to learn from the experiences of other countries, missed opportunities for collective purchases  with the EU for vital equipment,  exaggerated the extend to our preparedness  and issued mixed and confusing messages.

Mr Johnson himself set a bad example by not only continuing to shake hands with people who might have been infected, but actually boasting about it, and attending as a spectator a crowded rugby stadium to watch an international match.

As a result Johnson himself caught the virus and, instead of receiving  the criticism he deserved for his arrogance, benefited from the respectful  approach of the Oppostion and his critics who observed the generous civilised custom of not hitting a man when he's down. 

 Some of the sycophantic press even managed to paint him as a hero for successfully "fighting off" the virus.

So far public opinion has given him and his government the benefit of the doubt.  The circumstances are unprecedented (yes indeed, as they remind us to the power of umpteen) and mistakes are bound to be made.

But the failure to sack Dominic Cummings for the flagrent breaches of the rules he helped to make are surely a failure too far.  

The precedents are clear. Professor Neil Ferguson, a leading member of the Scientific Advisory Group  for Emergencies (SAGE) resigned because he broke the rules and received a home visit from a friend.  Dr Catherine Calderwood, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, reigned because she broke the rules by driving to her second home.

I've no idea  whether the above two offered to resign, were asked to resign or were sacked but given a civilised cover-story. The reason for their action, voluntary or not, was clear: there is not one rule for "them" in the in-crowd, and "us," the rest of humanity.  

And that is as it should be.

It beggars belief (how I over-use that phrase, but what else is adequate?) that Mr Cummings is allowed to stay in post as a (the?) senior advisor to the Prime Minister.

And it is also dangerous.

Mr Johnson defended Cummings becasue he "followed his instincts."

That is carte blanche for  the less biddable among us (and there will be many), whatever further advice the government  gives, to say in future: "Well, that doesn't suit me: I'll follow my instincts."

However many will take that view we cannot know, but whether it be single figures of tens of thousands, the risks to the rest of the public will be increased.  More people will catch the illness and some will die.

So long as Cummings remains in post, any future advice we may be given will, in the eyes of some, have lost all credibility.

The government has, possibly on the advice of Cummings, (why else would they have taken an entire weekend to decide what to do?) announced today that it is about to publish new rules.  This is presumably  skilful timing in the hope that the debate will move on and the  Cummings debacle fade  into history.

The Opposition and media should not let this happen.  If common decency, consistency  and common sense mean anything at all, for the sake of all of us he should  be forced to resign.