Is Johnson "Winging" it?

[jasjas1973]

He made great play on the experts and the modeling, his statements on handshaking, the take it on the chin comment and joked that getting more ventilators could be called "Operation Last Gasp" shame it won't be his as PM.

Even now we get comments like it will sweep through the country and we'll emerge on the other side....yeah how many ?

He seems to have been asleep on the job as CV swept from China to Europe, not ordering more equipment, training and testing... until its too late.

Belatedly, he is now realising the urgency of the situation but when the UK needed a leader, we ended up with a clown, with no plan, just reacting to pressure and what others are doing....in other words panic.

However, deep down we all knew this about him, shamefully still voted him in.

He's not asleep on the job.

Anyone would be 'winging it' as thus is unprecedented and changing day to day.

Others might not have ever made ill-judged facetious remarks, but they would be in just as uncharted waters

Everyone is winging it. As much as I dislike Boris he’s got a hard time ahead navigating this situation to everyone’s satisfaction

Of course he is, it’s an unprecedented situation. Everyone is winging it.
I’m certainly no Boris fan, I was very vocal on here pre election about his downfalls. He’s got a tough job ahead.

Of course he's winging it, that's how he does everything. He's an arse. I know everybody is essentially making it up as they go along. But I would be a lot less anxious if the people at the top weren't shitty bastards who were already trying to screw the country before all this happened.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/18/boris-johnson-cast-in-the-wrong-role-as-the-coronavirus-pm. Good piece on Boris in the Grauniad.

OP, he's a buffoon but he's unfortunately our PM. Like others have said, anyone would be winging it. Political point scoring is not needed right now. Ask yourself what you can do for yourself, your loved ones and neighbours. Focussing on being angry will really affect your mental health which will be a delicate thing to maintain for us all over the coming months. Stay positive.

At the GE, we voted as we did because we thought he'd deal with Brexit. In October 2019, no one saw Covid-19 coming.

Boris Johnson is doing the only responsible thing he can - listening to the experts and being guided by them.

If Jeremy Corbyn had been in No. 10 now, the same experts would be giving him exactly the same advice.

Isn't it about time people stopped cheap political point scoring and ad hominem attacks and started pulling together to get through this dangerous crisis?

Of course he is. But he also made a big mistake prioritising the economy over people’s health. He should had bans on flights from affected areas quickly. Loads of people went to Italy skiing well after we knew about the escalating problem there. He waited too long and people are now dead who wouldn’t be.

Before this he always looked like he was trying to suppress a smile, even at the start with the stupid hand washing only policy. Like it’s all some big joke. That smile has definitely gone and he is facing reality, and dealing with the last ten years of NHS neglect by the Tory government.

It's not just him "winging it" is it? It's all the advisers and experts behind him.

He’s going by what his team say CMO etc

So if he is they all are

Yes he is. We all are.

I didn't vote for him and I think he was too slow to act in the early stages of the outbreak.

However, trying to find positives, he comes across as more of a 'survivor' than, say, Corbyn or Theresa May. If you were on a sinking ship, he'd be one of those who found himself a lifeboat. That's a good quality to have in a time of crisis.

Everyone is winging it.

Everyone is out of their depth.

Everyone is underprepared.

I dont like BJ and I didnt vote Tory but I think thats unfair. Anyone would be essentially "winging it" because we have never had a situation like this on this scale, with this much destruction since the war.
This is unprecedented in our lifetime. Do I think it could have been handled better?- of course. But I dont think any politician would have handled this perfectly or not been taken by complete surprise and shock at how this has developed. Even scientists were at one point arguing about how to tackle it and if they disagree why would someone with no medical knowledge know any better?

I dont like Boris but I wonder if this will be the making of him because he doesnt have a choice but to be assertive and handle this. Enough of his bumbling around and finally he is being forced to take action. Its about bloody time.

The only people who had a clue faced the threat before.

Having said that, I think Obama would have handled it almost perfectly actually. He would have been amazing.

YABVU
An unprecedented situation where of course he needs to rely on medical experts. Any other PM would have done the same. Interested to hear how he could have done things better?

Agree largely with PP. While I think responses have been slow, the jump in cases and deaths along with a stepped approach, I dont see what else could have been done. I'm half minded to think the advisors have been watching Euope, and how their lockdowns pan out.

I am not of the lobby that thinks BoJo has planned that people die and the economy comes before people. Theres a lot of 'he is doing it in purpose' comments.

Of course he is,aren’t we all?

You only have to look at whose industry is suffering thread to see that economy before people is a meaningless statement

It was abstract before but it matters

Hold on a minute. You do realise that the PM doesn’t just sit at his desk playing do I don’t I!
That’s what the leader party are for, and the experts. PM is the face of Parliament. The Govt take the advice of experts and decide. Not just Boris.
I think he’s doing a great job under the circumstances. He’s addressing all main issues and responding in the best way he can.
Yes people are struggling, but they are all over the world. Not one country effected by all this is waving Pom poms in delight. This is shit, it feels like shit and if we actually started accepting it for how it is and looking at the bigger picture. This has slapped us all around the face. We all want to protect our families but the poor key workers are being asked to support society before their families. That was not an easy decision to make for any govt, but it’s best for the whole society.
Those key workers are under significant pressure right now. My focus is on supporting our society, not mocking the PM.

Aren't we all winging it?

He's doing the best he can with the advisors he has. I'm not a fan but this is very new territory.

Yes, he has multiple advisors, can't actually make that many decisions by himself, but is thinking let's wing it. Or, he (and those actually making the decisions) are updating, adapting and revising plans as things change, which is good. I would like to see you do a better job OP.

I think he's doing the best he can in an unprecedented situation.
He's taking taking expert advice and labour politicians and other political parties are included in meetings and decision making as he wants to keep everyone on board.
There are daily press conferences to ensure public are kept informed.
What else do you think he should be doing?

Well, I suppose everyone is winging it as it's uncharted waters.

I think the question should be more "is Johnson a good leader for these unprecedented times?".

(No)