Why all political parties coming together to tackle coronavirus could be a bad idea

Usually in any kind of deep crisis the call goes up for a government of national unity (GNU). It happens in wartime, during severe financial crises and now, in the extraordinary public health emergency we are trying to come to terms with.

There is much to be said for national unity, for a “government of all the talents” or Goat, to tackle a grave situation free of party politics. Sometimes, as in the Second World War, it can be a great success. Arguably, the Lloyd George coalition governments during and after the Great War were less effective. The national government formed after the 1931 financial collapse, and which presided over mass unemployment for a decade in the Great Depression was neither national nor much of a government.

In any case, it is difficult to see what such a coalition of what would now be termed the “Westminster elite” could add to the current effort. In all probability bringing, say, Sir Keir Starmer, Jonathan Ashworth and Ed Davey into government would not swiftly speed up testing, bring in more ventilators, discover new sources of masks or deliver a vaccine. The problems are not going to be overcome for lack of political willpower or national unity. No doubt the government has made its mistakes, but much the same errors, driven at least in part by the science and expert advice, would have happened in some multiparty temporary administration. Political divisions, unlike in a struggle for national survival do not undermine the prospects of victory.

There is always a loss of democratic accountability and scrutiny when broad coalitions are formed, and thus, sometimes, poorer decision making. Even during the Churchill years the British made a number of military blunders, and only a small band of militant labour backbenchers, led by the likes of Nye Bevan, were there to ask the tough questions of ministers. There was no official leader of the opposition, and the press were constrained by national security considerations and censorship.

Today, with both main national opposition parties effectively leaderless and demoralised, with parliament absent and with ministers wielding emergency powers, the need for some sort of political accountability is obviously urgent. A national government now would mean even less criticism, constructive or otherwise. In short, hard pressed NHS staff and suffering families would have virtually no one to speak up for them – not even Jeremy Hunt if he was to be recalled to government as the minister for coronavirus. A multiparty GNU might also mean more bickering and less coherence, and a muddling of roles. Informal cross party cooperation may be better.

Of course, a GNU now seems pretty unthinkable anyway. Labour and, even more certainly, the SNP would not join one, and the Liberal Democrats are too small to make a difference either way (unlike in 2010). More to the point, the Conservatives, enjoying their first big majority in three decades, are not likely to wish to share their new found power. They will take all the plaudits if they “win” this war, but risk all of the blame if the public judge that they have lost it. They appear content with that, for now.