How a Prime minister deals with a crisis sometimes seals their fate. Chamberlain did not survive the switch from phony war to Blitzkrieg, and Eden paid for the shambles of Suez with his job. How our current Prime Minister handles the next few weeks will seal his fate.  I never thought I would be writing these lines, especially in a situation where the current government has such a large majority. But even a large majority cannot protect someone in Number 10 Downing Street if both the opposition and significant parts of his own Party want a change of leadership.

We haven’t reached that state yet. But, just looking at how the government has handled the school situation in England this week leaves me wondering, as a political opponent, how much more his own Party will take? Why was the list of key workers not available on Wednesday? What does the following mean:

‘If your school is closed then please contact your local authority, who will seek to redirect you to a local school in your area that your child, or children, can attend.’

How have local authorities been briefed to handle such requests from parents, and if they cannot, it is obvious where the blame will rest.

Fortunately it isn’t as bad for education as it is in some other industries. Who is going to offer accommodation to live-in workers in the hospitality industry summarily dismissed, such as the waiter interviewed on the today Programme this morning. Will local authorities be able to requisition hotels as hostels for the duration of the current crisis?

In 1939 the country managed a mass evacuation of children from our cities under a Conservative Government. Does the civil service have the mentality to handle arrangements on such a scale today? After decades of a philosophy of private choice rather than public good, it may need a rethink, and quickly.

As a Liberal I celebrate choice, and especially choice in my personal life, but I also recognise the need for fairness in society as a whole. So, looking at the quote from government, does this mean that either local authorities just wait to be informed which schools are open and pass on the message to parents or that they play an active role in managing the situation, for the fairness of all, especially in rural areas and where there are smaller schools? Does ‘seek to’ mean a permissive role or a ‘duty of care’?

Should we also be seeking to make use of these technologically savvy young sixth formers now excluded from school to help with the national voluntary effort, especially if it turns out that healthy young people are less likely to catch a debilitating version of the virus? Perhaps some can help with school-based childcare to relieve adults that have to go into isolation. But, any such scheme would need planning and that’s something modern governments in Britain have found difficult to do effectively.

Something to think about if you have children at home: are there other lost words they can find and both illustrate and create a ‘spell’ for?

The Lost Words: A Spell Book

by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
published by Hamish Hamilton at Penguin – UK

The book began as a response to the removal of everyday nature words – among them “acorn”, “bluebell”, “kingfisher” and “wren” – from a widely used children’s dictionary, because those words were not being used enough by children to merit inclusion. But The Lost Words then grew to become a much broader protest at the loss of the natural world around us, as well as a celebration of the creatures and plants with which we share our lives, in all their wonderful, characterful glory.”

The Lost Words is a ‘book of spells’ that seeks to conjure back the near-lost magic and strangeness of the nature that surrounds us. It transcends age barriers inspiring children and moving adults with its wide appeal. It is a large hardback book – over A4 in size, and the gold lettering and eye catching ’charm’ of Goldfinches on the front cover give a hint of the treasures that lie within. Each lost word is conjured back to importance through Robert’s powerful spells. They are called ‘spells’ rather than poems as they are designed to be spoken (or sung!) out loud in order to summon back these words and creatures into our hearts. Robert explains: “We’ve got more than 50% of species in decline. And names, good names, well used can help us see and they help us care. We find it hard to love what we cannot give a name to. And what we do not love we will not save.”

Each acrostic spell has 3 accompanying artworks by Jackie Morris– a glorious triptych of watercolour painting – firstly a clever but solemn display of the creature or plant’s absence from our world, then the spell itself accompanied by an ‘icon-esque’ self portrait of the central character surrounded with sumptuous gold leaf, and finally the creature or plant is depicted embedded in its natural habitat.

Since the Lost Words’ publication in October 2017, this book has had a transformative effect on all who have come in contact with it. Described as a ‘cultural phenomenon’ in the Guardian, it has become a huge bestseller, has taken root in thousands of schools across Britain, been widely acclaimed as an instant classic, won numerous prizes, and inspired many creative thinkers, young and old. It was shortlisted in 2017 as one of Britain’s favourite books of all time on the natural world (alongside titles including Henry Williamson’s famous Tarka the Otter and Gilbert White’s The Natural History of Selborne).