James O'Brien's coruscating monologue on UK's response to coronavirus crisis
7 May 2020, 11:07
James O'Brien's coruscating monologue on UK's response to coronavirus crisis
James O'Brien told the government to stop spinning and start being honest with the public about what has happened during the coronavirus crisis.
On another tricky day for Boris Johnson, the 400,000 protective gowns flown in from Turkey were found to be faulty, while the statistician quoted by the Prime Minister in PMQs told him not to mis-quote his work.
Meanwhile, the front pages of the tabloids were full of joyous stories about how the lockdown rules will be eased on Monday.
James said he just wanted some honesty from the government. He wants the Prime Minister to stand up and apologise over mistakes about PPE, mistakes over care homes and the difficult decisions over the lockdown.
In a very fiery monologue, he continued: "We now look to this man to lead us out of the restrictions and the instructions that the lockdown entails.
"The man who led us into it in such a cack-handed fashion that some people still don't know what they are and are not supposed to be doing.
"The man who led us into something so weaker and looser than Spain and other countries that, despite the fact they were ahead of us and sounding alarm bells, we decided to do it after prevaricating and postponing and talking about taking it on the chin. We decided to do it in a half-hearted fashion that has still not reached parts of the country.
"He's the fella that we're going to trust with the loosening at a time when more people are dying today than there were when we went into it.
"But hey ho, tug that forelock, doff that cap, cheer old Boris Johnson and have a look at the baby pictures."
It's a must-hear monologue today - listen at the top of the page.
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