Breathless Boris Johnson had his oratory dial set to ‘rousing’: HENRY DEEDES on the PM’s emergency coronavirus address to the nation
Film buffs will know there comes a point in every science fiction disaster movie when the US President decides to address a worried nation.
His manner is steely, his tone defiant. Yes, he implores, the world might be overrun by monsters, aliens or flesh-eating zombies, but we have it within us all to fight back.
As the Prez delivers his rallying cri de coeur, moist-eyed citizens hunched around fuzzy television sets slowly begin to whoop their approval. There are hugs, cheers, giddy high-fives all round. And so begins the third act.
The PM’s oratory dial was set to ‘rouse’. The country, he said, was facing a ‘national challenge’
There were certainly elements of this yesterday when the Prime Minister summoned us for the second time in less than a week to No 10 for an update on coronavirus. The PM’s oratory dial was set to ‘rouse’. The country, he said, was facing a ‘national challenge’.
But with a ‘national effort’ we can defeat it if we all ‘pull together’ and ‘continue to look out for each other’. Yes, the situation was bad but, he added, ‘no doubt we can and we will rise to this challenge’.
Crises such as these tend to make or break leaders. And so far Boris seems to be getting it just about right.
Yesterday he seemed determined to show he would not be bounced into unnecessary panicked measures, despite the meltdown occurring throughout the day in the financial markets. ‘Follow the science,’ he kept saying.
The PM had arrived hurriedly, once again accompanied by Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and the Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance. Boris was out of breath by the time he reached the lectern. It’s possible he had just legged it up the Downing Street stairs.
Crises such as these tend to make or break leaders. And so far Boris seems to be getting it just about right
He confirmed that four people had died so far and was under no illusions that the situation was likely to worsen before it gets better. The science experts stood either side of him, stiff and upright as a pair of Praetorian guards.
Considering the pressure on them right now, both looked remarkably relaxed. Not a bead of sweat between the two of them. Sir Patrick, dressed in a natty Prince of Wales checked suit, looked as though he might have theatre tickets.
Both Whitty and Vallance were resolutely sticking to their guns, reiterating their four-point plan – ‘contain, delay, research, mitigate’ – to combat the virus.
Someone asked why the UK was resisting drastic measures countries such as Italy have adopted. Sir Patrick calmly pointed out that the Italians had not only banned flights from China but had also introduced airport screening, and much good it had done them. Airport screening, incidentally, he denounced as pretty unreliable.
Someone then raised the issue of stockpiling. Boris deftly dodged the thorny issue of lavatory paper shortages but insisted that when it came to getting essential items to elderly people, the Government would soon be announcing measures that ‘may be necessary’ in due course. ‘I stress may be,’ he added quickly, sensing a feverish headline on the horizon.
Should we still shake hands as the PM said we could last week? After all, at the Commonwealth Day service Boris and other dignitaries had declined to do so.
The PM bashfully explained they had been instructed not to under the advice of behavioural psychologists. Apparently not shaking hands provokes a ‘subliminal cue’ to remind people to wash their paws. I detected a mental eye roll as he said this.
There was an alarming suggestion from a reporter that we should be avoiding pubs and other small gatherings. But Sir Patrick replied that closing such venues was something the Government ‘can’t do and shouldn’t do’. Phew!
Keep washing your hands, said Boris as he wrapped things up.
Shortly after we exited, it was announced the virus had claimed a fifth British victim. I fear we may be traipsing back to No 10 for further updates before long.