Lockdown sceptics must stick to their guns

“As a 'journalist', Derbyshire should be critical of the Government where criticism is needed, and goodness knows it's needed now.”

Those who believe that the Government's response to the coronavirus has been - and is - disproportionate and over restrictive should say so, loud and clear. Especially those with some influence.

Many lockdown sceptics have rightly despaired at Douglas Murray's silence on the issue. What better example of 'the madness of crowds' could there be?

More frustrating, however, is the recent case of the journalist and newsreader Victoria Derbyshire backing down from her vow to break lockdown guidelines this Christmas.

Derbyshire is a household name, much more so than Murray, so it was encouraging to read that she had said:

'If the rule of six is still in place at Christmas, we're breaking it to have the rule of seven. We just are'.

'Joining me, my husband and our two boys will be my mum, her partner and my husband's dad. It's fine. We'll do it knowing what the risks are. We're not stupid'.

Wholesome stuff, to be cheered on by any conservative. So then why did Derbyshire back down on Tuesday? 'I was totally wrong to say it & I’m sorry. We’ll of course continue to follow whatever rules are in place on Dec 25th'. Why 'of course'? The rule is ridiculous (and would be more so at this special time). Derbyshire knows that the rule is ridiculous. Everyone with even a modicum of sense knows that the rule is ridiculous.

As a 'journalist', Derbyshire should be critical of the Government where criticism is needed, and goodness knows it's needed now. Instead, she decided to kowtow to the Government, and to apologise for the decent act of expressing a desire to be with her family at Christmas.

Lockdown sceptics should, and must do so much better.