COVID-19: 'Artful Dodger' Boris provided only 'illusory certainty'
11 May 2020
Dr Jorge Guira, Associate Professor in Law and Finance at the University of Reading, said:
"How do you set out a road map if you are not sure where you are going? That's the problem for the PM as he seeks to inspire confidence while dampening enthusiasm and yet signalling delay may be up ahead.
"Hiding behind 'the science', he has reduced the decision making to one apparently premised on objective criteria which is not independent nor evidence scrutinized by gatekeepers but a very much 'trust us, we have targets now and can indicate a direction of travel' approach.
"This is the policy of perma-ambiguity governance. BF Skinner would be proud of his conditioning of the public with a near complete lockdown, followed by greater freedom within discipline limits he controls. Questions as to real capacity to test, trace, and track are pushed to the side as messy works in progress. Deflection achieved, again.
"This is the artful dodger providing only illusory certainty. It is drip fed, given limited accountability with no bad news details uttered by the PM himself. Such details are likely an exercise in attempted constructive ambiguity. Not exactly a crime against truth but not exactly a victory for clarity.
"When the furlough cheques run out or if Treasury tapering becomes ineffective, a crisis of confidence in Boris' leadership will follow. But if it goes to plan, he may well have been able to manage and weather the storm.
"For now, the buck stops anywhere but the ducking and dodging Boris."