#BoristheButcher — Why Johnson’s speech and government inaction on COVID-19 will live in infamy

“I must level with the British public. Many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.”

This story was edited 16 March 2020 to reflect the government U-turn announced in Johnson’s first daily address.

With these words, the British Prime Minister, as practically no world leader has ever done, began his address on his government’s decision to do practically nothing in the face of the global pandemic — proposing a fundamentally flawed principle of herd immunity based on the pseudo-science of ‘push’ behavioural psychology. The UK, whilst talking up international cooperation, stood alone in the face of WHO advice and united the worldwide scientific community in condemnation. It is likely that this, combined with public outcry, forced the government to completely reverse its course just four days later.

Even after the reversal to stop large gatherings and ‘encourage’ social distancing by advising against all ‘non-essential contact’, the government still failed to take any responsibility, not confirming any support for the businesses that will literally collapse as a result. This should come as no surprise as this approach serves many purposes for the Johnson regime, both personally and ideologically: