I HAVE watched with huge interest Dominic Cummings’ cross-examination relating to his recent pandemic claims. He gave compelling evidence that confirmed what many people already knew.
Firstly, that the whole Westminster parliament system is not fit for use in the modern day. It is a system that throws up the most incompetent people to become leaders.
Mr Cummings explained that there was absolutely no plan in place for the Covid pandemic. He explained how panic prevailed whilst Boris Johnson and his team attempted to cobble some sort of plan together in chaotic manner. He gave evidence of Boris and various senior ministers being out of their depths and often telling untruths.
WATCH: Dominic Cummings has a pop at Nicola Sturgeon over Covid briefings
I draw a direct comparison between the handling of the pandemic and the mess that is Brexit. Exactly the same people who are behind the pandemic handling are behind Brexit, including Mr Cummings himself.
Like the pandemic, there was no plan for Brexit and plans are cobbled together on the hoof. A big difference between the pandemic and Brexit is that there is no vaccine in the wings to save the day with Brexit.
None of these incompetent people have a clue as to the effects of their chaotic decisions and don’t seem to care. Mr Cummings stated that any system that throws him up to be a senior advisor to the Prime Minister is “bonkers”. I totally agree with him.
Harry Key
Largoward, Fife
A WEEK can be a lifetime in politics and after Dominic Cummings evidence to the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, it looks like Hancock’s half hour is almost up. Not nearly as funny as Tony but certainly unintentionally entertaining, Matthew John David Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, is in deep trouble. He will have watched in horror as the revelations unfold. Even uber loyalty to the PM might not be enough to save his bacon.
Given that Johnson is also very much in the Cummings crosshairs, jettisoning Hancock to avert the flak would be the most obvious option. The problem is finding someone as pliant but not as stupid.
READ MORE: Dominic Cummings suggests Boris Johnson did make 'bodies pile high' remark
The picture of government in meltdown at the height of the pandemic painted by Cummings is horrific. While we were all watching people dying on TV in China and Italy the message just didn’t get through how serious this virus was.
Allowing large gatherings of people as in the Cheltenham Festival in March 2020 contributed to the high number of infections that escalated very quickly. The key to unlocking the effects of the disease lay with the Treasury, and Scotland had to wait until the green light was given to release funds to furlough people in a lockdown.
The PPE debacle, the billions paid out to companies connected to government ministers without proper scrutiny, one wonders whether in this day and age whether these revelations will make any difference to governance? When honest people become indifferent, when apathy is a haven for those who no longer care, we are in a very dark place.
Mike Herd
Highland
“IT is not the salary that makes a man rich, but the opportunities of getting money whilst he is in place” was the view in government 300 years ago. Regrettably this attitude seems to have returned.
In the 17th and 18th centuries it was corruption by naval suppliers providing rotten timbers for ships, adulterated food supplies and defective gunpowder which caused sickness and loss of life at sea. Such corruption was eventually rooted out, and systems put in place to ensure the government got good value for money when spending taxpayers’ money. It was a long and difficult lesson to learn – that corruption kills!
READ MORE: Dominic Cummings: Boris Johnson wanted to be injected with Covid on live TV
Unfortunately this present government has repeatedly ignored the fact that rules are put in place for very good reasons. Giving million-pound contracts for PPE to cronies with no experience of medical equipment procurement, and indeed prioritising those with no knowledge or experience over British companies who specialise in this area, resulted in hundreds of NHS staff dying unnecessarily in the pandemic.
No wonder Dominic Cummings wrote of needing to remove vaccination from the “smoking ruin” of the Department of Health. Entrusted to GPs, the vaccination roll-out has gone smoothly. But the dithering and mixed messages still goes on, with failure to secure our borders against incoming passengers from red-list countries. Was the slow action on India for political reasons?
If we do not learn from history then we are likely to repeat the mistakes. Corruption kills.
Pete Milory
Trowbridge
I CANNOT credit that Boris Johnson will be able to withstand the pressure to resign following Dominic Cumming’s revelations. If his £150,000-a-year salary is not enough to support his lifestyle, this would be an ideal opportunity to go and to start earning his crust on the after-dinner speaker circuit, which seems to be much more lucrative. Say goodbye, Boris.
Pete Rowberry
Duns
THERE was an article on page five of yesterday’s National in which it was stated that Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy has made history as the first disabled MSP (Le Monde hails diversity in new Scots Parliament, May 26). I believe the accolade of first disabled MSP should rightly go to Dennis Robertson, who represented West Aberdeenshire from 2011 to 2016.
Neil Caple
via email
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