Stupid media overreaction for this weekend: Dominic Cummings attended some SAGE meetings.
Or let's put it another way: the Prime Minister's Chief Adviser attended critical SAGE pandemic meetings.
Labour said Cummings had "no place" on the government's scientific advisory group. I'd be more concerned if he WASN'T involved in high-level discussions and planning, you know being the Chief Adviser n'all. Thankfully members of SAGE have already clarified his minimal involvement.
Anyway - and I make no apology for using and expanding on a social media post, it made me smile a little smile. The below rings very true with the media - let's imagine the UK produces the first CV19 vaccine in just a few weeks and Matt Hancock announces vaccinations have already begun...
BBC: "will you apologise for not creating it sooner?"
ITV: "is it true the vaccine contains animal products?"
Channel 4: "wouldn't this have been quicker if we had joined the EU vaccination scheme?"
Sky: "you said creating a vaccine would take a year; do you accept you were misleading Parliament and the public?"
Mirror: "isn't it true austerity stopped the vaccine being created sooner?"
Guardian: "do you accept our report showing the vaccine is less effective in BAME groups?"
Independent: "we have evidence the vaccine team is 95% white, will you apologise for this bias?"
Metro: "do you accept millions could die from this vaccine?"
Labour: "we need to know why the government doesn't have 67 million vaccines available immediately."
RLFans: "apparently Boris Johnson was one of the first to have the vaccination, he should be giving it to the NHS and the vulnerable, typical Tories, abusing their privilege again..."
