Political posturing is a dangerous thing to be doing right now

You would think that politicians would be bored of posturing and the idea of being at an impasse.

The talks over an EU trade deal have ground to a halt, with Boris Johnson making clear that he sees little point in a return to the negotiating table unless those on the continent have a rethink about what they want. 

Now, Michael Gove has hit out at the posturing of Manchester mayor Andy Burnham (although without mentioning him by name) over the political stalemate around imposing new coronavirus-related local restrictions.

Whatever happens – and things could move quickly whatever the outlook at the time of writing – there is a common denominator here: Boris Johnson’s government. A number of our readers have respected the prime minister’s tough approach to negotiations (although it has to be said that a greater proportion of those writing in say they believe the opposite), but without compromise where will we be left in the end? At the moment, it doesn’t look like a stronger position.

On Brexit, the EU is still holding the door open to talks – the UK should beware of being too stubborn.

When it comes to the coronavirus measures, the government could impose them on Manchester and other areas without negotiation – and local leaders like Burnham have to be aware of that. Standing up for your region is something that every constituent would want their elected officials to do, but you have to be careful not to stray too far into obstinance. If Covid-19 cases continue to rise then public opinion will turn, as one of our readers makes clear in today’s letters page.

Burnham has said that this isn’t just about Manchester, but all regions who could face tier 3 Covid-19 measures. That is a fair point, people need to be able to live through the imposition without feeling like they need to break the rules.

There is a lesson here, which the government in particular should probably take to heart for future reference: making things more difficult than it needs to be is not in the interests of anyone.

Yours,

Chris Stevenson

Voices editor