Letter: UK Government needs to check its facts
They initially told us that the NHS was capable of dealing with the virus as it was ‘what it was set up to do’.
This, whilst sat on a report which categorically stated the NHS was not capable of dealing with this type of emergency.
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Hide AdThe claim was quickly re-spun into the Government taking action to protect ‘our’ NHS.
This would be the same NHS that successive Governments have routinely underfunded and allowed to be poorly managed!
Secondly they insisted and continued to insist that there was sufficient PPE for frontline medical staff, which may be true, but they failed to mention or indeed actually realise that distribution was a problem. The problem being it wasn’t happening!
Thirdly they over-estimated, exaggerated and misreprented the level and speed with which testing for the virus could be and was being carried out!
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Hide AdTo compound these, let’s be generous, over optimistic statements they then set up a daily ‘virus update and news conference’.
The result being that their ‘optimistic’ hopes and predictions were soon exposed as ‘whistling in the dark’!
I appreciate that the Government has to be positive, show leadership and not unduly alarm the general public.
But don’t keep pushing the same old myths when they are daily and hourly shown to be ‘fake news’!
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Hide AdIn our current parlous situation the last thing we need is a Government making plans and predictions based on unchecked, unsupported and exaggerated claims of what is being done and what can be done.
I know it’s difficult and things are uncertain but don’t lie to us! We won’t forgive and we won’t forget!
Richard Saberton, by email
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