COVID-19 UK Political Analysis by Tim Hames – 17th April 2020

The issues faced in the UK come in three forms which will be set out in this assessment. They mean that lifting the lockdown is probably even harder today than was thought two weeks ago and noted in an FTI UK Political Analysis on April 3^rd which floated a tentative timetable for the restoration of relative social and economic normality. The first set of factors are those faced by every nation that is considering how it can ease restrictions while avoiding a second wave of coronavirus deaths. The second set of factors involve unusual aspects of the UK as a country, as an economy and a society which have a distinct impact on policy options facing our politicians, different from elsewhere in Europe. Two of these features are very unhelpful to devising an effective lifting of the lockdown. The other one works to make matters more manageable. Finally, a few basic conclusions will be flagged.