The lesson of lockdown 2: never again run down England's public health defences | Polly Toynbee

No wonder track and trace failed. Even before the Covid pandemic, the system was in turmoil and life expectancy had stalled

A leak inquiry? The looming lockdown was no state secret, as everyone had watched the graphs of doom ticking upwards daily: Ipsos Mori repeatedly found a majority of British people urging stricter controls. What was the cabinet doing all summer?

That picture of the mask-free chancellor serving Wagamama plates for his eat out to help out" disaster may be a career-killer, seeing as how he urged everyone into hot pubs and restaurants with the virus still in the air: his scheme alone raised infections by up to 17%. He sent up the party-time flares and plane-loads of holidaymakers flew off to enjoy the Spanish nightlife. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow ...