Sunday , Michael Gove: government trusts people’s “common sense” and masks shouldn’t be compulsory in shops.
Monday evening, Prime Minister: people will face fines if they don’t wear masks in shops.
What happened? bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
Monday evening, Prime Minister: people will face fines if they don’t wear masks in shops.
What happened? bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politi…
This change will be introduced from 24th July. It will be for the police to enforce (though in reality seems unlikely there will be much physical enforcement)
The problem for ministers, in being so all over the place and without much consistency in policy is that without being clear for their rationale it’s easier for them to be buffeted. Easy to see where debate goes next: why not pubs? Offices? All indoor spaces? What is govt’s view?
There are perfectly good reasons for no mask compulsion in any of these places but if that’s your (or govt’s view) it’s all the harder to resist it if government is so inconsistent.
Questions
-why not bring it in tomorrow?
-why wasn’t it brought in when shops reopened?
-should it apply to other public settings?
-if it is going to be compulsory in shops and elsewhere, are police really going to be able to enforce it? How desirable is that?
-why not bring it in tomorrow?
-why wasn’t it brought in when shops reopened?
-should it apply to other public settings?
-if it is going to be compulsory in shops and elsewhere, are police really going to be able to enforce it? How desirable is that?
More broadly, remarkable how British citizens’ relationship with the state has transformed in just 6 months. For years we were told proudly by politicians that Britain wasn’t the sort of country which told people what to wear. And now-police will do so by force of law.
