In combatting the coronavirus crisis, Boris Johnson must seek to strike a balance between public health and the economy. He cannot afford to come down heavily in favour of one over the other.
You can no more “save the economy” by allowing a deadly virus to spread through the country, writes the New Statesman’s political editor Stephen Bush, than you can “save lives” by shutting people indoors and paralysing business operations.
An effective strategy for the UK beating Covid-19 is one that facilitates a “transition” period that ends the lockdown in phases – not overnight. Even if it leaves him unpopular in the short-term, the Prime Minister would do well to be pragmatic as he considers his next steps.
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