Always perhaps the cross party talks are happening now, but there was clearly no evidence of that last week when the opposition were laying into Johnson and co.
Its funny cos the opposition have been saying for the last week that the government wasn't going far enough.
The government have been critised and public opinion hasn't supported them, so now this morning there's this emphasis that it's all cross party when the government want to sound like they are doing a bit of a backtrack and doing more (when we've yet to see actual action, just talk of what we'll do in a few days)
The opposition in England have no proper power. In Scotland its limited and Johnson scoffed at the SNPs plans for banning events. In NI its slightly different but even then it ultimately needs government support. Stormont is working with Dublin as they have to cos of the shared border but again unless it has central government support NI can only go so far.
This 'cross party' stuff that's cropped up this morning is a deflection for responsibility taking and blame. It's because it's become glaringly apparent that a lack of trust in Johnson is helping to fuel panic.
Ultimately those it comes back to the difference between what the government are saying and actually doing. The opposition don't even need to turn up in parliament for Johnson to be able to vote through whatever coronavirus legislation he likes as long as his MPs support it.
It's all about PR not power.