Perhaps Boris is not the best person........

Have never been a fan, I find his constant smirking really irritating and no, I do not trust him. He isn’t an inspiring speaker but he is the PM for good or ill, and hope it’s not ill.

If, say, S of S, Dominic Raab were to deliver ‘the message’, I suspect there would be equally as many people saying “where’s our PM” ..... so a no win situation whichever way one decides to look at it.

Anyone here like to take his place?

I do think both Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham have been much more statesman like than BJ. Sadiq was teling people on Sunday morning "Stay at home"

The PM isn’t someone I’ve voted for but I think he was perfectly clear in his message last night. I did think he made an error with his ‘it’s ok to go outside and exercise’ message last week but things have changed since then and everyone needs to listen to the message, not the messenger, as others have pointed out.

I’m no lover of Nicola Sturgeon but I think she has been doing well. She said last week that she has never been less interested in politics than she is right now, which I thought an excellent comment.

That makes sense to me GrannySomerset - WE - or most of us - are hearing the message. The question is how to get that message through to those who are not hearing it. They too hold our life in their hands - it is not just about what we do.

The problem is surely with the section of the population - under 40 - who neither read newspapers nor watch terrestrial television but take their news entirely from social media. The government needs to be running a heavy duty public health campaign on that in order to reach this large section of the community.

I think Boris Johnson is doing a good job under these circumstances. If everyone does as he says and stays indoors and only going out when necessary this virus will be beaten. Better to stay at home now than having this virus spread further. Think of all the people on the front line who are taking risks with there own lives and there families. You will get some people who are pig headed who think they know it all and know nothing.

I agree MawB. and GrannyGravy13 and anyone else who say Listen to the message. Whether you like him or not. Put that aside please. Do what the message says.

those of us intelligent enough to heed it - unfortunately it is not just those who who need to heed it and it is clear from some of the behaviour we have seen that many are not "intelligent enough" to heed it.

The message needs to get through to them too for we are all in this together.

Also we have got used to even the police being rather soft compared to many countries that is......

when I say we I don't mean GN.......I mean the horrible thugs who do as they please.
They are clearly not afraid of repercussions.
Police cuts are also too blame.

I think we on here get the message ....we were discussing why so many are not listening to PM

Does it occur to you that, as it’s likely to be politicians, someone will object to the speaker but would we be stupid enough to ignore the messenger? Creating a brain dead community who follow blindly is the polar opposite to Boris’s mindset but he’s putting it aside and doing a good job for the vast majority of the population knowing that the evil vultures are circling and waiting to feast on his carcass at the first opportunity.

How can people not believe him ? Do they think he making
the whole thing up

Luckygirl I agree with you, when he is making his announcements he seems to just bumble along, a bit different to nicola Sturgeon. He is trying to stay popular by not making rules. Yesterday he announced lockdown, well with my neighbours its made no difference. I am afraid a great many people just don't believe him especially as he still has airports open and people flying in from all over the globs. Wrong person

He hasn't been Prime Minister very long, he's had Brexit to sort out, the floods, and now all this! I think he's doing a marvellous job, actually. He gets his advice from the World Health Organisation, so let's not be ridiculous - it doesn't matter whether he is liked or not. He's in charge of the county.

He is doing a great job,the idiots will continue to do as they like and blame the government when it all goes wrong.

So are some saying that it’s no wonder idiots aren’t listening , it’s all Boris Johnson’s fault?

oh dear we can’t listen to him or anything he says because he’s Boris , I wonder about some of you, I really do.

I’m no fan of Boris or his government, but I reluctantly admit that I think he’s doing a good job in unprecedented circumstances. He’s been handed a poisoned chalice with this, and whatever he does or says will be roundly criticised by the armchair experts. There are no easy answers to this.

luckygirl well posted -voice of reason. The OP is not about politics but about whether our PM is best placed to deliver the announcements.
Listen to the experts every time for me

I have no trouble separating the message from the messenger. The message is LOUD AND CLEAR to those of us intelligent enough to heed it rather than criticising the PM for looking a bit dishevelled, sounding too posh, or whatever else you care to throw at him.

Boris hasn't reduced the number of trains that honour goes to Sadiq Khan, he does like to blame Boris for everything but lets give him the credit for his actions.

GagaJo - that is my point - thank you for expressing it so succinctly.

It is only a pointless thread if the message was getting through. It isn't for many. That is a challenge - and any new tactic has to be considered.

I hate him less than I did now he is taking it a bit more seriously.

BUT no, he's not the best person for the job. I accept he's our PM (WHAT a time to get stuck with a puppet leading the country, but he's not quite as bad as Trump) but he COULD give a brief intro, bring on an expert and then do a brief summing up. That way, he'd have less of a disastrous effect on the covidiots.

Labaik - your points are valid I feel. He also said he would be seeing his Mum on Mothers' Day!

I fully accept that those who are not listening to the message are complete idiots; but we have to accept that there are people like that and do all we can to change their minds.

I am absolutely NOT suggesting a change of PM - just that we need a new tactic and that might be to have a respected scientist who understands epidemics fronting the campaign.

Those who cannot separate the message from the medium do indeed have a problem - but in the current circumstances it becomes our problem too. This is not about politics, but about finding the right person to ram the message home to both idiots and the sane.