WHAT are you waiting to hear about the coronavirus crisis?
Do you long to hear news that there have been no Covid-19 deaths today? That you will be able to hold your loved ones again? That a vaccine has been found and will be produced on a massive scale, allowing us to get back to normal?
These are some of the most common hopes for the pandemic, we would observe.
But after days of misjudging the public mood over the Dominic Cummings scandal, it seems the UK Government has no desire to win anyone back.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak wrote a tweet this afternoon saying: “The good news we’ve all been waiting for.”
The good news we've all been waiting for. https://t.co/qi15T4uWeh
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) May 27, 2020
Was the news article attached about a medical miracle? A groundbreaking study, perhaps? Cummings’s resignation?
No, it was that the revelation that chicken restaurant Nando’s is to reopen another 54 outlets for delivery and collection.
On Twitter there was outrage and thousands responded to Sunak. One user replied: “WTF? We've the second highest death toll in the midst of a global pandemic, the government's in utter chaos over an unelected advisor, we've a major Brexit deadline upcoming & the Chancellor (who is meant to be one of the sensible ones) is just looking forward to a cheeky Nando’s.”
WTF? We've the second highest death toll in the midst of a global pandemic, the government's in utter chaos over an unelected advisor, we've a major Brexit deadline upcoming & the Chancellor (who is meant to be one of the sensible ones) is just looking forward to a cheeky Nandos pic.twitter.com/mUEBEQoOv8
— Slough for Europe 🇪🇺🎪 (@SloughForEU) May 27, 2020
Writer Adil Ray commented: “Nearly 40,000 dead, no treatment, no trust, no credibility, no money but the Chancellor of the Exchequer tweets about Nando’s to look popular and get some retweets. Realise the seriousness of the past week and please do your job.”
Nearly 40,000 dead, no treatment, no trust, no credibility, no money but the Chancellor of the Exchequer tweets about Nando’s to look popular and get some retweets. Realise the seriousness of the past week and please do your job. @RishiSunak
— Adil Ray OBE (@adilray) May 27, 2020
Another asked: “60,000+ excess deaths in the pandemic, and you consider this good news? Have you completely lost your bearings?”
And Matt Haig told the Chancellor: “Stop patronising us.”
Completely infuriating.
Perhaps we’ll get some actual answers when the Prime Minister attends the Liaisons Committee this afternoon … but perhaps not.
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