Thoughts on lockdowns:

1) Our economy is so fragile that they daren’t do it. Previous over-reactions have cost trillions.

2) Omicron is happening so fast that it is probably already too late. It might be all over bar the counting.

3) Boris doesn’t have the political authority any more to do it. His MPs and the electorate both showed him the door last week.

4) We have a voluntary lockdown in place, which is probably more effective. And close to the Conservative ethos of personal responsibility.

5) It was either lockdown or booster. The government betted on booster. And has won massively.

6) Dissonance, trauma and physical assaults were high in the last lockdown. The lockdown did more social harm than it prevented.

7) Conservative poll ratings would tumble. Finishing the poodle off. Conservative MPs don’t want an election losing PM.

8) We have got to learn to live with Covid. We now know how to manage this disease with science. No need for politics.

9) There would be high levels of civil insurrection. Some say a million people hit the streets of London last weekend in protest.

10) Too many ministers would resign if Boris did it. One already gone. Another would be unacceptable.