Read the two letters to the editor, referring to the article “Covid lockdown rules more divisive than Brexit, survey finds”
Your article about the survey on the population’s views on covid-19 policy was very interesting (Covid lockdown rules more divisive than Brexit, survey finds, 11 Sep). It seems to focus on the judgments made by people of other people’s actions.
The survey appears to demonstrate more hatred anddivision, but I would question that. I think it could be demonstrating that there is more confusion and anxiety, which has voiced it self in the language of hostility. Maybe this was increased by the type of questions asked, but Idon’t know how those questions were phrased.
The reason for writing is to ask that we try to calm troubled waters rather than fan them by highlighting division and anger. Our population did an amazing thingin the early months of 2020 by staying away from eachother to stop the transmission of a deadly virus for the vulnerable members of our society. We need to feel proudof that.
Barbara Mark
Ludlow, Shropshire, UK
Robert Booth’s article reminds us how divided a society Britain has become, and how, for a brief period, the “all in this together” logic of the pandemic united us. My research on public generosity to foodbanks and othercharities shows an unprecedented surge in donations atthe beginning of the lockdown. Sadly, goodwill closelyfollowed infection rates. Donations are back at the pre-coronavirus level. Poverty and unemployment havecontinued to increase and will rise further as therecession, Brexit and the austerity programme we facenext year bite.
How do we move from a divided country to a stronger sense of community? A start would be a government that recognises the contribution that relatively low-paid workers in shops, cafes, care homes, nurseries and hospitals make to our society and raise the so-called living wage to real living wage levels. It could go on to promote fair taxes and enrol an army of tax inspectors tomake sure City fat cats pay their share.
Peter Taylor-GoobyProfessor of social policy, University of Kent, UK(www.theguardian.com, 13.09.2020. Adapted.)
The following statement is an explicit opinion by the writer of the second letter:
a) Britain is steadily going back to the dissenting society it used to be before covid-19 came up.
b) donations and other types of assistance reached unparalleled levels in England in earlier 2020.
c) the “all in this together” spirit is what rescued Britainfrom despair at the onset of the pandemic.
d) promoting fair taxes would be the most reasonable answer to the problem of low-paid workers.
e) the government must play its part if the country is to assume a more robust sense of solidarity.
