Reprise

Twelve years ago, I wrote a post of the change that BBC Radio 5 went through, turning away from experts and instead having phone ins.

You can read my thoughts here:

It was true then, and even more so now, as broadcasters, the press and politicians care what people think, rather than give the information to understand why such decisions had to be made.

I want pubs, restaurants to be open again. I want to go to football matches and go on holiday, but only when it is safe for me, and the rest of the country too. For that we rely on experts, experts in many fields who weigh up the risks and long term effects and tell the MInisters and Prime Minister who make an informed policy decision.

But the PM care more what his backbenchers and the editors of several newspapers think, rather than what expert advice says.

He might ay he followed the science, but any scrutiny shows he didn't. Not totally, instead many times he did the opposite.

Locking down late three times, each time causing the early deaths of tens of thousands of people, and the subsequent lockdown being harder and longer than would have otherwise have been needed.

I don't want the UK to be worldbeating in anything right now, just being competent would be a good start.

I just want people to stop dying and politicians lying.

Is that too much to ask?