Shropshire Star comment: No one is safe from virus

Naturally we wish the PM the very best in his recovery. He is a strong man and a fighter, and with the fantastic care he is receiving at St Thomas’ Hospital, we know he can come back stronger.

It is heartening to see that the vast majority of people in this country feel the same. In the main, political rivalries have been put to one side as the nation comes together in an bid to defeat Covid-19.

And this collective effort will undoubtedly be required in the corridors of power over the coming weeks, as an unprecedented health emergency has now also become an emergency of governance. As well as Mr Johnson, Health Secretary Matt Hancock also tested positive for Covid-19, while chief medical officer Chris Whitty was forced to self-isolate after experiencing symptoms.

Thankfully both of them are now back in action, although Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove is the latest to enter isolation after a family member displayed mild symptoms of the disease. In many respects normal political life has been put on hold, but the nation still requires guidance during these testing times.

Since it instigated the lockdown, the British Government has been very clear in its instructions to the public.

This stands in stark contrast to many other nations whose leaders have either not taken Covid-19 seriously enough, or hesitated when the time came for major decisions.

Since Mr Johnson’s admission to hospital, concerns have been raised over precisely how the Conservative administration will function without its leader.

Questions have been asked over his stand-in, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, with critics claiming he is too inexperienced – or lacks the necessary skill – to lead the country at such a crucial time. But such views do a disservice to a man who was chosen by the PM with good reason.

The Government insists that a very clear plan is in place, with each department knowing its role in the crisis to the very last detail.

And support is there should it be required. Sir Keir Starmer, who in a matter of days already appears to have reinvigorated the Labour Party, has struck the right note in his pledge to assist the Government.

His measured and conciliatory approach is refreshing to see after the dark days of his predecessor.

You could say that senior politicians of all stripes have seemingly decided to take a break from political point scoring. Contrast this new found spirit of national unity with the bitterness and malice that characterised the last few years of political discourse in this country.

Scrutiny must still take place, but we should welcome the consensus that now is not the time for pointing fingers. It is important that with the PM out of action, politicians put their own egos to one side in the UK’s best interests. Covid-19 has now claimed more than 6,000 lives in Britain. It is putting our health service under immense strain and hammering industry and commerce. It is likely that we have many more weeks of tragedy ahead of us before light finally begins to emerge. The only way to reach this goal is by standing alongside each other and working together.