Welsh govt ban on sale of non-essentials

"Cometh the hour cometh the man"

When we compare the clarity, responsiveness and proactivity of the Labour-lead Welsh government's response to Coronavirus there is little doubt that this crisis has been the making of Mark Drakeford. He has shone in this hour; and presented himself as on-top of the crisis a leader; To stand-up for Wales; And a leader to reassure and comfort When we all feel our world and normality crumbling about us. He is a leader for Now and we are lucky to have him! It is true he has sometimes seamed the dull uninspiring option, and I'll be honest, I did not vote for him in the Leadership elections. But in any other election I most certatinly would vote for support him.

But today Mark, you have made your first error: please don’t stick to it and instead show your strength by making a U-turn. Part of strength in character and in leadership is having the wit and wisdom to recognise an error and rectify it.

Your announcement that he firebreak in shops would involve a ban on the sale of "non–essentials" was incoherent, clumsy and potentially prejudicial for many in Wales. We can all understand and support the closure of non-essential shops. In this vital firebreak window and subsequent firebreaks. But generating a scheme where supermarkets and general stores are using plastic tape (1st problem) etc. to close aisles stacked with un-defined, "non-essentials" is too vague, lacking detail or framework.

There are two issues:

What is esential to whom?

What seams non-essential to you, or to the average citizen, may be vital to another ...

• A disabled person who suffers power-cuts but has run out of candles (your own off-the-cuff, foolhardy, example) could be at great peril of falling if they are unable to light their home.
• An elderly person or family suffering energy poverty could need that extra pairs of socks on sale usually at Aldi.

Digital exclusion

Socks, candles, replacing that broken toaster or kettle. So these can’t be bought in the budget supermarket, "But, OK, it’s there on Amazon". But the trap of assuming that online-shopping is available to all neglects awareness of digital exclusion and that not everyone is internet connected or comfortable with online shopping or has a computer etc.

These measures of firebreak are necessary [ a vital and comparatively timely intervention . Mental health deterioration and potential cross -community ‘PTSD’. Is likely to arise in young and elderly alike as a result of long and repeat lockdowns. As Winter advances and the stuck- at-home face increased costs/use of domestic fuel there needs to be an awareness across the board to instigate measures that are effective and cut the ties-with-normality as little as is necessary to be effective; It can hardly be claimed that throngs of folk are descending to swamp the. ‘ non-necessary’ supermarket aisles; to become zones of viral- transmission. This policy smacks of the ill-thought-through! – Do the decent and Intelligent thing and rethink this policy. That is the caring and thoughtful Way Of doing Politics. In a crisis That until now you have Done masterfully. This knee- jerk. Announcement risks a loss of credibility we can ill- afford from such an effective leadership.