If lockdown is the greatest social experiment in the world, then Sweden is the control. By keeping everyday life going it has become a global rebel – and to some, a rogue state. , it was held up as proof of the terrible price paid for reckless defiance. There is only one missing ingredient to this great cautionary tale: a lack of remorse among Swedes. Even now, with another wave underway, they have no intention of locking down.The story told of Sweden by those outside of the country is certainly damning. Headlines proclaim that its great experiment has been “abandoned” and that even its...…If lockdown is the greatest social experiment in the world, then Sweden is the control. By keeping everyday life going it has become a global rebel – and to some, a rogue state. , it was held up as proof of the terrible price paid for reckless defiance. There is only one missing ingredient to this great cautionary tale: a lack of remorse among Swedes. Even now, with another wave underway, they have no intention of locking down.The story told of Sweden by those outside of the country is certainly damning. Headlines proclaim that its great experiment has been “abandoned” and that even its...WW…

Boris Johnson was vaccinated against his own optimism by the third lockdown – and the protection seems to be long lasting. He grumbles that there’s only one real certainty about Covid: when things go wrong, Britain tends to get hit worst. That certainly was the experience of last year – but the surprise, now, is that things are going badly right. He is now facing the very real prospect that his “scientific cavalry” has not only arrived but is fairly close to winning the battle against coronavirus.. More effective and more eagerly sought-after than any modeller dared to imagine. British...…Boris Johnson was vaccinated against his own optimism by the third lockdown – and the protection seems to be long lasting. He grumbles that there’s only one real certainty about Covid: when things go wrong, Britain tends to get hit worst. That certainly was the experience of last year – but the surprise, now, is that things are going badly right. He is now facing the very real prospect that his “scientific cavalry” has not only arrived but is fairly close to winning the battle against coronavirus.. More effective and more eagerly sought-after than any modeller dared to imagine. British...WW…

The ethical case against domestic use of ‘vaccine passports’ was made with some passion in Britain before Boris Johnson’s change of heart. Matt Hancock people that Britain is 'not a papers-carrying country'. Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi vaccine passports would be 'discriminatory'. Michael Gove promised that there were 'no plans' to introduce them. In a Westminster Hall debate, MPs from all parties lined up to say that out of principle, the minority who chose not to take the vaccine should suffer no penalty.We have not been told the reason for the u-turn. In theory, the government is...…The ethical case against domestic use of ‘vaccine passports’ was made with some passion in Britain before Boris Johnson’s change of heart. Matt Hancock people that Britain is 'not a papers-carrying country'. Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi vaccine passports would be 'discriminatory'. Michael Gove promised that there were 'no plans' to introduce them. In a Westminster Hall debate, MPs from all parties lined up to say that out of principle, the minority who chose not to take the vaccine should suffer no penalty.We have not been told the reason for the u-turn. In theory, the government is...WW…

When listing his regrets about the pandemic, Boris Johnson has started to tell friends that he was let down by his own liberal instincts. That he hoped for too long that Britain could, like Sweden, fight the virus through consent rather than diktat – getting through this without abolishing basic freedoms. His fear at the time was irreversibility. If sacred principles were jettisoned in an emergency, would they ever be restored? Might he end up unleashing something he’d struggle to control?It was a good question. Covid levels are now so low in Britain that the Prime Minister could have...…When listing his regrets about the pandemic, Boris Johnson has started to tell friends that he was let down by his own liberal instincts. That he hoped for too long that Britain could, like Sweden, fight the virus through consent rather than diktat – getting through this without abolishing basic freedoms. His fear at the time was irreversibility. If sacred principles were jettisoned in an emergency, would they ever be restored? Might he end up unleashing something he’d struggle to control?It was a good question. Covid levels are now so low in Britain that the Prime Minister could have...WW…

When , something incredible happened: they did. Police were not needed: compliance was near-absolute. But next time, when he asked people , he was taken less seriously. He gave up on this message within a few days.His latest plea – “work from home if you can” – was made last week. It has been heard politely, but ignored. People have carried on pretty much as they were. The first wave of the virus caused panic: the second one has not.There is a new mood in the country, and it’s one that is being detected in No 10. A significant chunk of the public has decided to keep calm and carry on,...…When , something incredible happened: they did. Police were not needed: compliance was near-absolute. But next time, when he asked people , he was taken less seriously. He gave up on this message within a few days.His latest plea – “work from home if you can” – was made last week. It has been heard politely, but ignored. People have carried on pretty much as they were. The first wave of the virus caused panic: the second one has not.There is a new mood in the country, and it’s one that is being detected in No 10. A significant chunk of the public has decided to keep calm and carry on,...WW…

It has been a while since we have heard from . It was, famously, his advice that led to the first lockdown – which he claimed, at the time, would limit deaths to about 20,000. This was, alas, not the case: lockdown succeeded in crushing the economy but did not stop Britain from ending with one of the world’s highest death rates. Now, history seems to be repeating itself with cases again rising fast. Ferguson is back, with new apocalyptic scenarios for a second wave and calls for fresh restrictions. Yet again, his thinking is setting the direction of Government policy.The latest crackdown –...…It has been a while since we have heard from . It was, famously, his advice that led to the first lockdown – which he claimed, at the time, would limit deaths to about 20,000. This was, alas, not the case: lockdown succeeded in crushing the economy but did not stop Britain from ending with one of the world’s highest death rates. Now, history seems to be repeating itself with cases again rising fast. Ferguson is back, with new apocalyptic scenarios for a second wave and calls for fresh restrictions. Yet again, his thinking is setting the direction of Government policy.The latest crackdown –...WW…