Johnson Prepares for First Test: Ticking Deadline, Astonishing Conference

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been faced with a looming deadline as he sets out to assess the efficacy of the UK’s lockdown rules in the first major test of his ability to maintain public order in the pandemic. The Prime Minister held a press conference on Monday to review lockdown levels in different parts of the country, as well as the current state of the economy. To the various reporters in attendance, Johnson expressed his incredulity at the British government’s “to-ing and fro-ing” in the face of the current crisis. Despite the Prime Minister’s exasperated rhetorical performance, he also acknowledged that the lockdown measures have helped to keep the pandemic’s spread in check, and thus the population as a whole relatively safe. Furthermore, he noted that the country has managed to avoid an economic depression – a testament to the action taken by the government. Ultimately, however, Johnson is now tasked with carrying out a balancing act, whereby enough restrictions are in place to prevent new outbreaks, but not to the point where the economy and the population completely erode. Johnson himself is under intense pressure to resolve this conundrum before the year’s end, as the British people are growing increasingly desperate for an answer. The Prime Minister himself did not talk in detail about further policy. Instead, he instructed reporters to wait until the results of the government meetings become available. Nevertheless, the need to find a middle ground between physical safety and economic viability is becoming increasingly evident. Ideally, Johnson will be able to provide a decisive answer sooner rather than later. This will provide businesses and households certainty over their future, and would indicate a willingness to address the pressing issue in a timely manner. Ultimately, resolution will come down to the balance between public health and economic stability. This delicate balance will determine Johnson’s politcal future.