There is no Churchill but the Blitz spirit is alive and well

It's probably the same everywhere on this planet, the sense of hardy determination to defeat this coronavirus pandemic, if not with actual safety and health measures then at least with a spirit of "We're all together in the Blitz" sort of situation. Here in UK, neighourhoods are helping each other with Whatsapp messages offering to buy groceries for the older members in the street, people are striding out into the sunshine for their daily approved exercise, and self-isolating faces appear in windows and hands wave. All of which is good for morale and lifting the spirits. We know this sort of morale-boosting is also going on in other countries such as Italy and France and Spain, with people clapping every evening from open windows to thank the doctors and nurses who are helping to save virus sufferers. Clapping from windows and front doors is going to happen here in the UK tonight for the same reason. I anticipate a tumultuous sound similar to when a concert pianist or violinist completes a wondrous performance of Beethoven or Mozart. While the Blitz spirit is comforting, the planet needs in the next few weeks a burst of good news: the promise of an antidote to coronavirus much sooner than the sober 12-18 months prediction of our weary-looking medical experts, a dramatic drop in deaths from the virus and inspiring leadership from our political masters. Despite a horribly cynical opinion column in the New York Times today which claims Boris Johnson is a disaster and out of his depth, I think he has done well. He may have been a slow starter but then most leaders were the same, not reacting with adequate instant control but forced eventually to bring in the toughest of measures. Boris speaks well, he looks as if he is totally aware of his responsibilities as prime minister, there is no spin from the lectern when he gives his daily press briefing, and his words are both forceful but calming. Prime Minister Boris is doing a good job. But please, Mr Prime Minister, don't make the mistake of trying to turn into Winston Churchill, the leader he admires most and would no doubt love to emulate in this battle against coronavirus. Just be Boris. The same goes for Donald Trump. He loves to talk about him being a wartime president. This is simply not the case. It's a fight against a virus that requires masterful leadership but Churchill? No sir, he is not a Churchill. But he is definitely a Trump and his ups and downs in this crisis have been staggering to behold. He is, understandably, terrified that the virus will destroy the US economy and, therefore, his chances of being reelected in November. So he is hedging his bets, taking drastic action but determined to make it short-lived so, as he says, America can get back to normal with a bang. Fifty per cent of the American people, according to the latest polls, approve of what he is doing. And 50 per cent don't. While 50 per cent is pretty good for a president who has been in power for more than three years, it is not good enough when the country is facing the worst health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic. If Trump is going to win reelection, he will need to inspire the whole country through this crisis. That seems a very remote possibility because of the way he is. Some of his press briefings have collapsed into media-hating tirades. Boris has avoided that - being a journalist himself - and I don't think Churchill went all anti-press. At this time political leaders need their nations on their side. Boris I believe is trying his best to unify the country, Trump I'm not so sure.