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Original poster

What leader of state could have dealt with covid better?

32 replies

rhubarbfizzy · 27/05/2020 12:44

I've been reading about the state leaders and their cabinets who dealt excellently with covid:

  • Tsai Ing-wen
  • Jacinda Ardern
  • Angela Merkel
  • Carrie Lam
  • Sanna Marin
  • Mette Frederiksen

Any mums have ideas for leaders in the UK who would be good candidates for this now and going forward ? I can't think of any but I am not very good at the names of MPs. Would love to hear any other ideas from mums.

OP posts:
Barnabeeboyo · 27/05/2020 12:52

This is just an excuse for a pile on regarding the Tories. Pathetic.

howdidwegetheremary · 27/05/2020 12:54

Here we go again... this isn’t the politics category.

Maybe you would have done a better job OP.

Original poster
rhubarbfizzy · 27/05/2020 12:55

This just fits the pattern of adding something aggressive and contrary at the start of every new mumsnet thread these days. Believe it or not, I am just a mum who wants a covid-related chat on an anon forum. It could be about the kids, it could be about something like this that impacts us as a family. Why participate in this thread if you don't want a mum chat on the topic? there are millions of places elsewhere you could go.

OP posts:
howdidwegetheremary · 27/05/2020 13:01

Your question is political. There’s a category for that plus dozens of other politically motivated ‘COVID’ threads. Why start yet another?

MN is the only place this happens IRL people you don’t care.

AtrociousCircumstance · 27/05/2020 13:05

The Tories? There should be a pile on.

Perfectly reasonable post OP.

The current shambles, complete with flagrant corruption, is shameful.

howdidwegetheremary · 27/05/2020 13:06
Grin
Sparklingbrook · 27/05/2020 13:07

My cat could have done better TBF.

eleventy3isthemagicnumber · 27/05/2020 13:16

Nicole Sturgeon has been doing a good job of speaking to the public in a very human, direct and transparent way that makes you feel she can be trusted and actually has our best interests at heart, something I don't feel when Bojo or his cronies open their mouths.

Not in Scotland but I'd vote for her if I could!

bumblingbovine49 · 27/05/2020 13:23

The op has asked who would be a better leader. That could be a Tory. It emphatically isn't about politics but about how good an individual is at leadership.

I think a good leader should have clear vision, courage, integrity, honesty, humility and clear focus. I am not sure Boris fits the bill on any of those at all. I think Rory Stewart would have done a better job as leader based on this (he is a tory). I think Keir Starmmer would have also done a better job (he is labour). Make of that what you will

CovidicusRex · 27/05/2020 13:26

Well it’s pretty obvious that Rishi Sunak is suddenly very well liked these days. Probably because he keeps giving people money. Not saying that the British public can be bought off or anything ...

onlyreadingneverposting8 · 27/05/2020 13:35

@Sparklingbrook agreed...my cat also!

Deelish75 · 27/05/2020 13:39

Agree with PP that Rory Stuart probably would have been good.
Also wonder about Tobias Ellwood, the MP who tried to resuscitate PC Keith Palmer during the Westminster terror attack. I wonder about him as he stayed so calm and collected during that incident.

The Austrianpresendent breaches his own lockdwn rules but at least he owns it.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-austrian-president-sorry-for-breaching-his-governments-lockdown-rules-11994501

Pertella · 27/05/2020 13:40

I honestly think Theresa May would have dealt with it better.

JassyRadlett · 27/05/2020 13:44

Yvette Cooper is incisive and forensic as a select committee chair and had some tough ministerial posts; I’d consider her a good option.

Amber Rudd had a chequered history (and was arguably a fall guy for Theresa May and for the Home Office) but at DWP showed the ability to get a grip of a complex system and didn’t let ideology and preconceptions blind her to what the evidence showed needed to be done. Which would be useful right now.

FaceOfASpink · 27/05/2020 13:44

Do you only want to hear 'any other ideas from mums' or can women who don't have children and men contribute? That's a strange first post. I don't really know where to start with it tbh.

JassyRadlett · 27/05/2020 13:46

Oh yes Ellwood is quite a good shout. Quite telling that they’ve kept him (and Tom Tugendhat) out of today’s Liaison Committee hearing with the PM.

Inoneminute · 27/05/2020 13:47

Teresa May? Would have just dealt with what needed doing without distractions

MintyCedric · 27/05/2020 13:50

Tbf I think a trained chimp could've done a better job than BoJo et al

LightenUpSummer · 27/05/2020 13:55

I agree with the previous "mum" who said Yvette Cooper would have dealt with it very well.

LemonTT · 27/05/2020 13:58

The UK devolved governments and the Westminster government have had the same poor performance in relation to testing, PPE and care homes. Doesn’t matter now matter of fact NS is, she still didn’t prevent care home infections.

Looking at comparable sized and located countries with a similar culture in relation to privacy, we need Merkel.

NZ is a daft comparison. Their strategy was hardly unique and a lot of countries did a very early and hard lockdown. These were mostly countries with poor health systems and no public health infrastructure.

BigChocFrenzy · 27/05/2020 14:03

Looking just at better Tories:

Tom Tugendhat (Tory MP) is competent & hardworking; he would be a safe pair of hands as PM
Jeremy Hunt has a good grip on how to fight a pandemic

MrsT would have been well suited to this crisis and didn't suffer fools for long.
Theresa May would have been hardworking too
as would John Major

BJ is fine on HIGNFY, but as a PM in a crisis he doesn't have the capabilities or the work ethic
The Tories were really scraping the barrel with him, but they had better candidates.

BigChocFrenzy · 27/05/2020 14:05

I live in Germany
Merkel has done a very good job to protect the 83 million population and her support has rocketed in the polls

However, this success was only possible because of decades of German governments being elected on a platform of well-funded and well organised public health and local government

ChipotleBlessing · 27/05/2020 14:13

Gordon Brown would have been much better. Current MPs, Rosena Alin Khan I think would have been an asset on COBRA at least. Keir Starmer would be good. I agree with previous posters that Yvette Cooper’s good at the detail and would have made good decisions. She’s never been a great leader though, so probably not ideal. Corbyn would have locked down earlier, but he’s no more keen than Boris on the level of hard work this actually needs.

Conservatives, John Major, Ken Clarke potentially good. Theresa May would have been better than Boris.

effingterrified · 27/05/2020 14:22

OP - Keir Starmer, obviously.

Or at the very least, a government of national unity, bringing in the best of talents from across the House.

Obviously, the best Tories resigned pre-Brexit, but of the few decent ones left, Ellwood is one or Timpson, who is from what I have heard a genuinely nice guy. Or someone like Stella Creasy, who seems a force to be reckoned with, or Yvette Cooper.

I'd also be happy to see Nicola Sturgeon in charge as she seems miles better than Johnson, as is reflected in lower death rates in Scotland.

Nut basically I'd like to import Jacinda Ardern from New Zealand, who seems fabulous. Lucky New Zealand. No wonder she is breaking popularity records there.

HannahStern · 27/05/2020 14:26

Theresa May would have done a much better job than Johnson. She certainly would not have been offering up grandparents to the virus.