Which PM would have handled COVID19 best?

[tikay]

If we restrict it to the last, say, 55 years, which Prime Minister might have handled this virus crisis, & the subsequent huge economic consequences which will surely follow, best?

Wilson

Heath

Callaghan

Thatcher

Major

Blair

Brown

Cameron

May

Johnson



Think, for me, Thatcher would be head & shoulders above the rest, with Blair maybe second best.

[bookiebasher]

Thatcher .

Had the courage of her own convictions .

Strong and positive .

A leader not a follower .

[Doobs]

Not having Thatcher.  She was too stubborn, so if she decided early that we weren't going to close everything, that is what we would do until it was too late.

I'd go for Major, Blair, Brown or Cameron ahead of her, and probably ahead of Johnson too. I was too young to have a view of Wilson and Heath.  May and Callaghan nope, though both were unlucky in their timing, as is Johnson.

Can we pick Moon Jae-in?   

[bookiebasher]

Not having Thatcher.  She was too stubborn, so if she decided early that we weren't going to close everything, that is what we would do until it was too late.

I'd go for Major, Blair, Brown or Cameron ahead of her, and probably ahead of Johnson too. I was too young to have a view of Wilson and Heath.  May and Callaghan nope, though both were unlucky in their timing, as is Johnson.

Can we pick Moon Jae-in?  

She would have been the first to close borders and restrict travel to save UK lives.

Can’t imagine for a second she wouldn’t take decisive action to protect the UK.

[Pokerpops]

It can only be Thatcher for me.

Thatcher had a science background and the balls to act on her belief. Sadly, if the outbreak occurred post ‘84 we might have had even more difficulty imposing any lockdown. She was a tad divisive...


Given that she is unavailable now, I’ll take Boris over any of the alternatives. Including Blair.

[kukushkin88]

I’d be looking for who is the most intelligent. I’d go Brown, Blair, Major, Thatcher, in that order. As I say all
the time , I think intelligence is directly correlated to the ability to change your mind and be flexible, that will be key here. Brown had experience of playing a leading role in response to a global crisis, it seems outside of the U.K. most agree that he was excellent.

The problem with Boris is that for the average person, who is not interested in Coronavirus or politics, if you heard him say something significantly outside of the norm, you would assume (quite reasonably on all evidence) that he was lying or that he was joking. It’s hard to imagine anything less desirable in this spot.

[Woodsey]

Thatcher

[Karabiner]

I must admit that my first thoughts were Thatcher then Blair.

Wilson and Heath were both far too weak imo.

[nirvana]

Blair and Brown closely followed by Cameron and Boris. Thatcher after these, not sufficient empathy or flexibility in my book and a bit of tough, bit of kindness, and an ability to change views quickly needed in this spot I think.

[Pokerpops]

I’d be looking for who is the most intelligent. I’d go Brown, Blair, Major, Thatcher, in that order. As I say all
the time , I think intelligence is directly correlated to the ability to change your mind and be flexible, that will be key here. Brown had experience of playing a leading role in response to a global crisis, it seems outside of the U.K. most agree that he was excellent.

The problem with Boris is that for the average person, who is not interested in Coronavirus or politics, if you heard him say something significantly outside of the norm, you would assume (quite reasonably on all evidence) that he was lying or that he was joking. It’s hard to imagine anything less desirable in this spot.

I kind of disagree with this. Being able to change your mind is only of value if you change from a poor position to a better one.

As for Boris and the ‘average person’, I think you are seriously underestimating their intelligence. Sufficient numbers of them voted for the Conservatives, and by extension him very recently.

[kukushkin88]

I’d be looking for who is the most intelligent. I’d go Brown, Blair, Major, Thatcher, in that order. As I say all
the time , I think intelligence is directly correlated to the ability to change your mind and be flexible, that will be key here. Brown had experience of playing a leading role in response to a global crisis, it seems outside of the U.K. most agree that he was excellent.

The problem with Boris is that for the average person, who is not interested in Coronavirus or politics, if you heard him say something significantly outside of the norm, you would assume (quite reasonably on all evidence) that he was lying or that he was joking. It’s hard to imagine anything less desirable in this spot.

I kind of disagree with this. Being able to change your mind is only of value if you change from a poor position to a better one.

As for Boris and the ‘average person’, I think you are seriously underestimating their intelligence. Sufficient numbers of them voted for the Conservatives, and by extension him very recently.

The theory is that you change your mind to a greater or lesser extent once more information becomes available, it’s like an iteration to gradually improve quality of thought/level of understanding.

There’s just so much we don’t know about perception of Boris, it won’t be much more than 25% of the population that voted Conservative, plenty of those imo would vote for him because they like the fact that he’s a clown.

[MintTrav]

Hearing Brown being interviewed about this on Thursday morning, it was like he was on a different level of understanding than we have been seeing (as was David Miliband the previous day), so I’d have to go with Brown. After that, I find it hard to chose between Major, Blair and Cameron, but I guess it would be Blair.

[Pokerpops]

I’d be looking for who is the most intelligent. I’d go Brown, Blair, Major, Thatcher, in that order. As I say all
the time , I think intelligence is directly correlated to the ability to change your mind and be flexible, that will be key here. Brown had experience of playing a leading role in response to a global crisis, it seems outside of the U.K. most agree that he was excellent.

The problem with Boris is that for the average person, who is not interested in Coronavirus or politics, if you heard him say something significantly outside of the norm, you would assume (quite reasonably on all evidence) that he was lying or that he was joking. It’s hard to imagine anything less desirable in this spot.

I kind of disagree with this. Being able to change your mind is only of value if you change from a poor position to a better one.

As for Boris and the ‘average person’, I think you are seriously underestimating their intelligence. Sufficient numbers of them voted for the Conservatives, and by extension him very recently.

The theory is that you change your mind to a greater or lesser extent once more information becomes available, it’s like an iteration to gradually improve quality of thought/level of understanding.

There’s just so much we don’t know about perception of Boris, it won’t be much more than 25% of the population that voted Conservative, plenty of those imo would vote for him because they like the fact that he’s a clown.

I understand the iterative process, but I’m going to disagree with your view of intelligence out of sheer bloody mindedness. Or because it makes no sense.

You equate being able to ‘change your mind’ with being ‘intelligent’. They aren’t at all the same, unless, when you say ‘change your mind’ you actually mean ‘learn something new’. Which is a very different kettle of fish.

[EvilPie]

Hearing Brown being interviewed about this on Thursday morning, it was like he was on a different level of understanding than we have been seeing (as was David Miliband the previous day), so I’d have to go with Brown. After that, I find it hard to chose between Major, Blair and Cameron, but I guess it would be Blair.

It's really easy to be interviewed about this when it doesn't matter one jot what you actually say.

Boris has to be so careful, one wrong word and he's screwed.

Brown and Milliband can say wtf they like with literally zero consequence.

[kukushkin88]

I’d be looking for who is the most intelligent. I’d go Brown, Blair, Major, Thatcher, in that order. As I say all
the time , I think intelligence is directly correlated to the ability to change your mind and be flexible, that will be key here. Brown had experience of playing a leading role in response to a global crisis, it seems outside of the U.K. most agree that he was excellent.

The problem with Boris is that for the average person, who is not interested in Coronavirus or politics, if you heard him say something significantly outside of the norm, you would assume (quite reasonably on all evidence) that he was lying or that he was joking. It’s hard to imagine anything less desirable in this spot.

I kind of disagree with this. Being able to change your mind is only of value if you change from a poor position to a better one.

As for Boris and the ‘average person’, I think you are seriously underestimating their intelligence. Sufficient numbers of them voted for the Conservatives, and by extension him very recently.

The theory is that you change your mind to a greater or lesser extent once more information becomes available, it’s like an iteration to gradually improve quality of thought/level of understanding.

There’s just so much we don’t know about perception of Boris, it won’t be much more than 25% of the population that voted Conservative, plenty of those imo would vote for him because they like the fact that he’s a clown.

I understand the iterative process, but I’m going to disagree with your view of intelligence out of sheer bloody mindedness. Or because it makes no sense.

You equate being able to ‘change your mind’ with being ‘intelligent’. They aren’t at all the same, unless, when you say ‘change your mind’ you actually mean ‘learn something new’. Which is a very different kettle of fish.

This explains it better than I ever could. It‘s a long read but is completely backed rigorous science and well worth reading:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/27/why-facts-dont-change-our-minds?fbclid=IwAR0Qz_CsVFebSavTyQJdhTBov8m9kWIvVHtuc6WUlu4eNfcZwkihCh2ipiM