So here we are in the midst of a global pandemic. One of those ‘black swan’ events that are near impossible to predict yet change everything. For Boris and his crew of happy liars, being very rich meant they were to be insulated from the damage that Brexit would cause. They were going to Brexit and be busy patting themselves on the back for a job well done raking in the hedge fund cash, immune from the consequences of their actions. Then the coronavirus hit and it all changed.

Suddenly now they had to actually govern and Johnson’s crack band of grifters chosen not for skill or knowledge but ideology and loyalty to Brexit suddenly had to deal with a complex situation that their friends in the right-wing press can’t wish away (though they tried). Now they’ve got to actually do a fucking job because the virus cares not for Brexit, party or social status.

How are they doing? A bit shit so far.

First off and via anonymous briefings they suggested the plan was this ‘herd immunity’ thing. One thing was clear is that this was very much a debate by the scientists as if it would work. Then the government started to argue about how they were communicating this and the strategy.

Then one Telegraph writer suggested the culling of the virus might be a good thing. Yes, for real. They said that.

‘Not to put too fine a point on it, from an entirely disinterested economic perspective, the COVID-19 might even prove mildly beneficial in the long term by disproportionately culling elderly dependents.’

So here we are now were we’re asked to trust the leadership of Johnson, Gove and the test; who’ve said they’ve had enough of experts, who rubbished any data that does not fit their narrow ideology, who hollowed out the NHS, who attacked government workers who don’t fall into line, who lied to the fucking Queen.

Yet we are to trust them? This is not good.

Trust is earned and not given. They need to start with the World Health Organisation’s mantra: Test, Test, test.

Plus we need to look to each over for support. Mutual aid is ours to create, deploy and enable.

“We have a simple message for all countries: Test, test, test. Test every suspected case. You cannot fight a fire blindfolded, and we cannot stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected”, @WHO Director-General sayspic.twitter.com/K5VvEOqcIv — Alfons López Tena (@alfonslopeztena) March 16, 2020

At least the EU gets that we need international solidarity.