How the UK failed on Covid-19: the international view

In France, Germany, Poland, Georgia and New Zealand, the British government’s handling of the pandemic is viewed as a cautionary tale.

By New Statesman

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 29: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during a post cabinet press conference at Parliament on June 29, 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the Government is prioritising its latest investment in PPE for frontline health workers, including staff at managed isolation and quarantine facilities. It will ensure health and frontline workers will continue to receive comprehensive PPE for close contact with returnees. Returnees will also be required to wear face masks when they are in common or exercise areas. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

From delays implementing lockdowns, to uncertainty over the rules that were introduced, the UK government’s failures during the Covid-19 crisis have not gone unnoticed by the rest of the world. Here, as part of our special issue on the “Anatomy of a Crisis”, a politician in France, a German correspondent in London, a journalist in Poland, a public health expert in Georgia and an academic in New Zealand share their thoughts on how the UK’s response stood apart.

[see also: Where did the UK go wrong? Leading figures from science, medicine and politics on the UK government’s response]