Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Boris Johnson's libertarian views behind hesitancy to lock down Britain
Coronavirus: Johnson's libertarian views behind hesitancy to lock down BritainThe prime minister sets the bar high for getting the state involved in “people's everyday lives," a former spokesman said.
Read here: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/coronavirus-johnson-s-libertarian-views-behind-hesitancy-lock-down-britain-n1164786
(snip)
LONDON — Coronavirus deaths are beginning to spiral in the United Kingdom. The government's expert advisers warn that the only way to contain the disease is to impose draconian controls on people's social lives for 18 months until a vaccine is found.
But — despite dire warnings that his health service may be overwhelmed — Prime Minister Boris Johnson resisted forcing his population to adopt the types of lockdown measures seen in the United States and across Europe until Friday, when he announced that all pubs, cafes, restaurants, nightclubs and gyms were to close down for the forseeable future.
+++++++
Until Friday, Johnson had asked — not told — people to stop nonessential contact, to avoid bars, restaurants and theaters, and to self-isolate if they or one of their family members has symptoms. Only this week did he close schools for all but the children of essential workers.
This policy can partly be explained by the prime minister's own strong sense that the government should not tell people what to do unless absolutely necessary, according to Guto Harri, who was a spokesman for Johnson when he was mayor of London.
"He's not some anarchist libertarian, but he does approach things on the basis that you really have to set the bar quite high to justify the state getting involved in people's everyday lives," Harri told NBC News by telephone Friday.
"It's not an absolute, but he does have to be persuaded that drastic measures are justified," he added. "He also has a more benign view of human nature than the assumption that everyone needs to be treated like a child and be told by daddy what to do."
But — despite dire warnings that his health service may be overwhelmed — Prime Minister Boris Johnson resisted forcing his population to adopt the types of lockdown measures seen in the United States and across Europe until Friday, when he announced that all pubs, cafes, restaurants, nightclubs and gyms were to close down for the forseeable future.
+++++++
Until Friday, Johnson had asked — not told — people to stop nonessential contact, to avoid bars, restaurants and theaters, and to self-isolate if they or one of their family members has symptoms. Only this week did he close schools for all but the children of essential workers.
This policy can partly be explained by the prime minister's own strong sense that the government should not tell people what to do unless absolutely necessary, according to Guto Harri, who was a spokesman for Johnson when he was mayor of London.
"He's not some anarchist libertarian, but he does approach things on the basis that you really have to set the bar quite high to justify the state getting involved in people's everyday lives," Harri told NBC News by telephone Friday.
"It's not an absolute, but he does have to be persuaded that drastic measures are justified," he added. "He also has a more benign view of human nature than the assumption that everyone needs to be treated like a child and be told by daddy what to do."
Elections have consequences, yaw'll.....
