Freedom Come, Freedom Go.

Lurking among my record collection in 1971 was a song entitled “Freedom Come Freedom Go” by The Fortunes. A perky little tune to which I knew all the words and would often dance around the living room, hairbrush in hand, giving it my all.

It seems an apt message for today. On the slew of Sunday morning political programmes gracing our screen, Freedom Day has been much to the fore. What is most alarming is that there doesn’t seem to be anybody saying that this is a good idea, other than the undersized uncharismatic and unqualified yes men of Boris’s gang.

I have just watched Robert Jenrick, the sort of man who thinks that charisma is December 25, lie his way through back-to-back interviews on Sky and The Andrew Marr Show. His modus operandi was typical of what we receive from our government. He refused to answer any question. One suspects that some people in the Cabinet are not stupid enough to believe that this government’s response has been faultless. Yet that is the line they pursue.

Now they are handing over responsibility to the public. Although every other word they utter is “caution”, it is now our responsibility for the progress of the pandemic in the UK. It only takes a glimpse of the activity we saw on our television screens last Sunday to know this is a mistake. As England at last regained its credibility as a world beating football team, almost forgotten images of loutish football fans were predominant. Firework filled arse cracks, tree flinging yobs, celebrating England’s place in the final by vandalising buildings and punching each other in the face before attempting a full-scale assault on Wembley.

A Wembley which seemed unprepared. There were reports of the Met police standing by and doing nothing. No doubt Cressida Dick would say that they did what was necessary. Had there been any suggestion that these football fans were about to hold a silent vigil for a woman raped and murdered, no doubt the police would have been in there straightaway, cracking skulls.

It’s in this environment that Boris has introduced the idea of public trust. And with a predictability that is as brazen as it is transparent, he has shot himself in the foot on the first day.

Sajid Javid has tested positive for a covid. There may be some who might say it’s the only positive thing he’s done for years. On Friday he had a long meeting with both the Chancellor and the Prime Minister. In the conditions brought about by our current pingdemic, both of them should now have received instructions to isolate. Yet they have not. Information appears that they are on a special pilot scheme which allows them not to isolate but to test every day. For months now it’s been very apparent that Boris is on some sort of pilot scheme to join humanity.

It’s Cummingsgate all over again. One law for them, and one kick in the teeth for the rest of us. That’s the rest of us responsible for the future of Covid.

So freedom will come tomorrow, and no doubt we’ll all deal with it in our different ways. A journey on tube and train yesterday told me that many have already dealt with it by throwing aside all caution.

And that’s where the second half of my childhood song, Freedom Go, will play. Jeremy Hunt thinks we will be back in lockdown by September. A spike is coming. Some think it’s Johnson’s way of proving the NHS can’t cope to give him more grist to the mill of privatisation. He should only be grateful they didn’t close the doors in his face when he fell ill last year.

Tomorrow, Monday 19th July, we are throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Too much is being taken away. Yes, we need to work out how to live with Covid. Yes, we need to revive the sections of the economy that have suffered the most. The Arts need help. Probably more than people need a holiday in Portugal, but both are good for the soul.

We need to work together and look after each other. And that means all of us. Politicians and public. I’m sure there is nothing that Boris is doing over the next ten days that he couldn’t do over a zoom call. Given the comments it’s alleged he shouted out in various meetings as he dawdled over lockdown decisions from “Let the bodies pile high” to “Pay for my decorations” he’d do much less harm in isolation.

And the public need guidance. Strong guidance. This is after all the public that voted Michelle McManus as the winner of Pop Idol. We pay the government to lead. Not enough, but they seem to screw a fair wage out of the system, anyway.

Isn’t it time they did what we paid them for?

And I don’t just mean Boris’s failing team. I should also ask “Do you remember when we had a valid opposition? An opposition that questioned and opposed, rather than one that hadn’t decided what it believed in.”

Perhaps for Labour it’s time to rework the song title.

Leaders Come Leaders Go.

I’ll be wearing a mask tomorrow. I’ll be doing my best to make sure that my actions look after others as well as myself. And I’ll be keeping my distance. As much distance as possible between anyone who thinks that Freedom day as it stands is a good idea.

And hopefully, I won’t be singing that childhood song anytime soon.