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

Oh come on. Now is not the right time to be starting a thread like this.
Personally I think he is coping very well in completely unprecedented circumstances.

We all need to forget about whether we like Boris or not, and just listen carefully to what he is telling us in his daily broadcast. This is no time for politics.

This is a pointless thread. Does anyone agree with me?

These are unprecedented times. Bojo is flying by the seat of his pants. Personally - and I'm no fan - I think he's doing a good job under the circumstances.

Last night's message was pretty unequivocal imho. Not much room for doubt in what he said. There'll always be some who think they know better though.

When he 'asked' people to do social distancing last week he also said it was important that people could still 'enjoy themselves'. What sort of message was that. Hmm; perhaps one that meant lets all descend on the seaside/NT properties and have a good time, especially as none of the takeaway food services have been made to close down. He started off by telling people to 'wash their hands'; moved on to saying he was still shaking peoples hands. Told people not to go to the pubs that he wasn't closing down [his dad said he would continue going]. Told everyone that it would all be over in 12 weeks time. Says there are plenty of ventilators [there aren't]. Says NHS staff are adequately protected [they're not]. Reduces the number of trains so that those who do still have to use them are packed in like sardines. Yes; he's doing a great job .

It’s a good job we are all different as good to hear differing views. I think he has really stepped up to the mark during these unprecedented times and I have every confidence in him!
It’s the idiots who are not listening and not heeding the warnings that are my major cause for concern!!

May7
Not all experts sing from the same sheet.

Well we will see wont we

Can what he said yesterday evening not be taken seriously ?

The problem is that Boris was elected on a single statement. He wasn't elected for his statemanship or his honesty and there will be those who don't believe a word he says. He is good at being amusing and light hearted, he isn't good at being serious and concerned. Put all the factors together and you get a man out of his depth struggling to convince the British public to change their behaviour. It doesn't bode well. I hope he can change but I doubt it and it might well be better to let someone else give details of the virus whilst limiting his own speeches to the government actions.

To be fair, he knows as much as we do and has to follow advice from the medics/scientists. I have never been a Tory supporter, but we need to support him at this time. He is doing his best and Id rather have him than another person from across the Atlantic. We need to all support each other and do away with petty cr*p.

Quite right, we do need to heed the message. Unfortunately, Boris has nurtured the persona of being a bit of a lad ever ready with the witty quip. He needs to work on his gravitas now if he is to be taken seriously and listened to or people will still be waiting for him to start bumbling about naysayers and poppycock. He can pull it off if enough people give him the benefit of the doubt.

Suziewoozie
Maw many find it impossible to separate the message from the messenger

Might I respectfully suggest that is their problem..

Whether he is the best person for the job is not relevant right now - he is the one we've got, and the middle of a global health crisis is not the time to try to change him. Try to focus on ther message, not the messenger.

If people are too bigoted to separate the message from the messenger that says more about them than it does about Boris. Crass and idiotic. It’s never been more important that people cooperate that people work together but some parts don’t like Boris? Tough! There are far worse alternatives.

Would you prefer Corbin who thinks the Argentinian president didn’t murder enough dissidents?

Hard to believe how crass some people can be or is it more desperate attention seeking?

And the BBC is an eminently trustworthy source of course.

He is doing better than I thought.
Imagine Corbyn in control; you'd need your extra toilet rolls then methinks as we would all be in the shit.

......... just this........

I think that is the potential problem. He is a discredited "medium".

People are not always rational in their response to these sort of diktats - there are idiots out there who are deliberately spitting on policemen.

BBC had a very clear graph yesterday showing the exponential spread that results from just one person infecting another. I think that the CMO showing these things himself and explaining the science might hit home.

One of my DDs has a FIL who thinks it is all rubbish, and is behaving accordingly. Anything that might make people like him listen is to be welcomed.

If the "medium" of BJ is not hitting the spot - which seems to be the case for many - then a serious scientist needs to front the campaign.

many find it impossible to separate the message from the messenger.

Spot on suziewoozie; that's exactly why Corbyn got nowhere.

I really do not care if they roll out Muffin The Mule to deliver the Message I just want people to adhere to it #stayhomesavelives

Absolutely right Maw; I don't care what Boris looks like, sounds like or dresses like. All I care about is that he delivers us facts on how we can survive this. And so far, he has. I don't particularly like the man but I can't fault how he's addressed this situation so far. I reckon he's making a better fist of it than Corbyn would ever have done.

Exactly, the message is far more important than he who delivers it. Some people will follow Boris' advice from the lectern, others will take heed when they receive the texts in black and white.
Maybe her Majesty will add her weight to the plea soon?

His task is thankless, unprecedented and he must be working round the clock. He has been clear and consistent in the briefings and has responded to a rapidly evolving emergency situation. This is not the time to be pontificating about who might or might not be better for the job: it's not going to happen. We all need to get behind him and save our wittering about his appearance, his public speaking style and his mannerisms and start listening to the message as MawB quite rightly says

Maw many find it impossible to separate the message from the messenger.

pink Professor Helen Ward - she’s brilliant.* Luckygirl* is spot on. Trump is the elected POTUS and has yet to say anything that deserves respect. BJ is better but it’s a low bar isn’t it? Everything BJ has done so far has been too little, too late. But going back to OP, he has no gravitas, no dignity, has been a well documented liar in every job he’s ever done. ( having been sacked twice for such behaviour) and has lied and cheated through his personal life. He must be furious that this latest job isn’t working out as he wished and that for once in his pathetic little life, he might actually have to take responsibility for his actions and decisions.

Last nights statement is unravelling around him

Isn’t this like cutting off your nose to spite your face?
Whether we like BJ or not, whether we like his style or not, or whether we think he is less than 2 m away from his fellow spokesmen or not (probably not) is irrelevant.
It is not the messenger we need to heed, but the message.