Photo: Getty


UPDATE, MAY 16:

I updated our video commentary, “Messaging is Not Governing”, for the University of Birmingham to take account of developments after the UK Government’s “Stay Alert” campaign.


In our UK Week in Review, I chatted with talkRADIO’s Darryl Morris about the Government’s latest fumbling over Coronavirus, explaining the folly of the “Stay Alert” slogan in the absence of a plan for handling the virus and lifting stay-at-home measures.

Listen from 24:56 in 0400-0430 Segment

VideoCast: UK and Coronavirus — Messaging is Not Governing

We contrast the Government’s approach with clearer messages and plans of others, not only countries such as New Zealand and Germany and with parts of the UK such as Scotland and Wales.

If you expect trust from people, then you need to earn that trust if you’re a Government. And right now, with a slogan this is not a plan, they are not earning that trust.

We consider the success of Labour leader Keir Starmer in scrutinizing the Government, and a Ministerial exception to the rule: Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s effective handling of the economic safety net amid the Coronavirus damage.