The COVID Diaries – 43 10th May
Boris Johnson has been accused of delivering a confusing and dangerous message in his speech this evening. His decision to change the message in England from “Stay at Home” to “Stay alert” has cut England adrift from the three-nation approach which now exists between Wales, Scotland and Northern England.
The Police Federation of England and Wales Phas said that police officers have been put under extreme pressure because of the mixed messages from government about the lockdown. In a statement on the Prime Minister’s speech, John Apter, the federation’s national chair, said:
“The government has, as expected, made a decision to relax its lockdown guidance in England. This comes following a week of mixed messages and the release of some information which, fuelled by media speculation, meant many people acted as though the lockdown had already ended. This is putting extreme pressure on my colleagues who are on the frontline trying to enforce legislation in these most challenging of times.
“What we need from the prime minister and the government now is clear and unambiguous messaging and guidance, explaining what exactly is expected of the public, so that my colleagues can do their level best to police it.
“Police officers will continue to do their best, but their work must be based on crystal clear guidance, not loose rules that are left open to interpretation – because that will be grossly unfair on officers whose job is already challenging. If the message of what is expected of the public is not clear, then it will make the job of policing this legislation almost impossible.”