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Original poster

Reasons why I think even a useless twat like Corbyn would have managed covid better than Johnson

31 replies

Kendodd · 05/01/2021 17:57

Well for a start it would take real talent to be worse.

I think Corbyn is as bad a ditherer as Johnson, but I think he would have -

Attended COBRA meetings and not gone on holiday for two weeks in Feb.
Had a four nation approach and got the other leaders more involved.
Been more worried about health than business and locked down sooner (which would have been cheaper anyway).
Postponed end of Brexit transition and put the 30,000 (or however many) civil servants on covid instead.
We wouldn't have had the corruption and billions flying out the door to ministers mates to (not) deliver contracts
He would have used existing council and health networks such as environmental health for track and trace.

Unfortunately I don't think he would have been able to set up as extensive a furlough system. Can you imagine the right wing press and public baying for his blood if a Labour government had put that in place? Likewise with lockdowns, the Mail would be comparing him to the Nazi's, I think he would have got away with lockdowns though and managed to do them. I don't think he could get away with such a generous furlough and grant scheme though.

On vaccines, I think this government have done well, I don't think he'd have done better.

OP posts:
Aspiringmatriarch · 05/01/2021 17:59

I actually agree with most of that.

Original poster
Kendodd · 05/01/2021 18:00

Oh, and for what it's worth, I can't stand Corbyn and didn't vote for him.

OP posts:
gannett · 05/01/2021 18:41

I'd also note that his free broadband policy that was so roundly mocked in the election campaign would've come in really fucking handy this year - not least for online learning.

TheGreatWave · 05/01/2021 18:41

I do have a wry smile every time I think of Corbyn and his broadband proposal. Fair enough it wouldn't have been in place but it doesn't seem such a crazy idea now.

TheGreatWave · 05/01/2021 18:42

X-posted

TeenyTinyDustinHoffman · 05/01/2021 18:48

I do like Corbyn. I don't think he was an excellent leader but I do think he was a good man.
That said, having voted for him, I'm rather glad he didn't get in to have to deal with Covid. I do think he would have done a better job than Johnson- though this would have been an utterly shit situation no matter who was in power- but the vitriol from the press would be so, so much worse than it is now and wouldn't have abated if Corbyn had developed the vaccine himself.

Original poster
Kendodd · 05/01/2021 19:22

but the vitriol from the press would be so, so much worse than it is now and wouldn't have abated if Corbyn had developed the vaccine himself

Completely agree. Meanwhile we have people burying their relatives while saying what a great job BJ is doing. It just astonishes me every day what the press and public let the Tories get away with.

OP posts:
LoungeLizardLhama · 05/01/2021 20:00

I think Corbyn would have done a bloody great job actually. He’s been demonised in the press but he achieved a huge amount in his time as Labour leader. Theresa May had to do as many u turns as Boris because of Corbyn, he stopped her getting away with all sorts and protected us from several shitty brexit deals. He and John McDonald both had plenty of suggestions at the start of the pandemic that Johnson ignored until it was too late but then implemented. If Labour had been in charge we’d have had people coming into airports from February quarantining, they’d have stopped Cheltenham races, we’d have better free broadband, we’d have had better protection for the self employed and renters. We’d have had a stricter lockdown sooner, we’d have a better staffed NHS, we’d have cracked down on tax evasion and avoidance so would be in a better position to fund it all. We’d not have spaffed 22 billion pounds on a barely functional track and trace, not paid £15 to his mate for unusable PPE, and however many more millions to his neighbours, ex colleagues, sisters husbands dogs owner.... You think he’s an idiot because that’s what the press told you, those 5 media barons that run the newspapers in this country and Rupert fucking Murdock are laughing all the way to the bank now. Fuckers.

Livelovebehappy · 05/01/2021 20:14

It’s all ifs, buts and maybes though isn’t it? Personally I think Corbyn would have been crap. He couldn’t be arsed to campaign much in the run up to the election, so I reckon we wouldn’t be seeing him do much of anything. Not that Boris has been great, but I’m sure his worst would be better than Corbyn’s best.

Atrixie · 05/01/2021 20:16

He would have been appalling, no question.

DianaT1969 · 05/01/2021 20:18

No. Just no.

yellowhighheels · 06/01/2021 00:25

However well he did, the amount of abuse and dissention he would have got from the media and Johnson's ilk would have made his life a misery and probably affected compliance with lockdowns etc a great deal.

tillytown · 06/01/2021 00:37

Corbyn would have been great. It's weird how much some Labour supporters hated him because he didn't shit on the poor like his predecessors.

Elephant4 · 06/01/2021 00:44

Anyone could do a better job than Johnson.

I could and I'm not a natural leader. But I have a conscience.

Is that what Johnson is lacking? What is the vital ingredient that makes him so shit at this?

Even my kids (9 and 11) said this evening that all of this would be easier if we felt safe in the hands of whoever was in charge.

Ilovegreentomatoes · 06/01/2021 00:56

I think an elephant would of done a better job than Johnson right now.

Em777 · 06/01/2021 01:01

I’m not sure about Corbyn, but I think Theresa May would have done significantly better. I wasn’t a fan of hers, but I think she would have shut the border early on, and generally been more decisive. Boris is beholden to Tory business interests in a way that May was not, so he dithers back and forth between trying to save the economy and lives, which leads to the worst of both worlds.

Chambored · 06/01/2021 01:14

@Elephant4

Anyone could do a better job than Johnson.

I could and I'm not a natural leader. But I have a conscience.

Is that what Johnson is lacking? What is the vital ingredient that makes him so shit at this?

Even my kids (9 and 11) said this evening that all of this would be easier if we felt safe in the hands of whoever was in charge.

I think the problem is his ego. He wanted to be PM so much. And unfortunately Covid has fucked the dream up. But his ego is such that he can’t let the dream go. So his incompetence and ineffectual leadership is ongoing and causing us all to suffer, and will cause hardship for decades.
Chocolatedeficitdisorder · 06/01/2021 01:16

He would have been better than Johnson, no question. He would have listened to experts and taken the tough decisions, quietly and without fanfare, but he would have taken them.

I'm not a Labour voter as I'm in Scotland, but I never fail to be amazed that those in England picked a known liar and charlatan instead of a gentle man who has campaigned for peace for all of his working years.

Elephant4 · 06/01/2021 01:22

So many people don’t see Johnson as a liar and charlatan though.

Still. Now.

I’m lead to believe, when reading Mumsnet, anyway.

Truelymadlydeeplysomeonesmum · 06/01/2021 01:35

Heard it all now.

Jez is a nasty evil little man.

Life long labour supporters that new him many years ago stopped voting labour because of him.

My father a union leader and labour supporter didn't vote at all the year before he dead and it broke his heart to do that. However jez couldn't be trusted with the party. Let alone the country.

What the media say about jez is nothing compared with the things I have been told.

Anyway look ar his behaviour during this pandemic. Hardly bothers wearing a mask. Breaks the rules constantly about social distancing or meeting in groups. Yes you are right what a brilliant leader he would be Hmm

sortmylifeoutplease · 06/01/2021 01:54

I think if a different leader was in place at the election, labour would have won.

Chocolatedeficitdisorder · 06/01/2021 02:02

So many people don’t see Johnson as a liar and charlatan though.

There's even solid and repeated evidence of it! Why don't they believe it?

Mental.

happystone · 06/01/2021 02:16

I think he would have given free broadband to low income families. He would have invested in schools he would have made sure children had gam in holidays and he would have spurted out the laptops all you have said opp I agree with I did vote for him but I didn’t like him or borris. I wanted to vote for ns but I’m in England. I just watch all the politicians doing their debate and thought ns sounded more like a prime minster. Borris scared me seamed like a jocker

happystone · 06/01/2021 02:17

Sorry about spelling don’t know what happened

BlairCorneliaWaldorf · 06/01/2021 02:26

I do like Corbyn. I don't think he was an excellent leader but I do think he was a good man.

Really? You think his handling of the anti-Semitic behaviour during his time as leader, and reaction to the investigation makes him a “good man”?