Coronavirus ‘will change politics profoundly’ says Conservative AM
The coronavirus will change politics “profoundly”, with far more emphasis on building a health service than can handle pandemics and an increased focus on social justice, according to a Conservative AM.
David Melding, who represents South Wales Central in the Senedd, said that while the impact on the economy will be temporary the coronavirus would have a long term impact on the NHS.
“The world is made of glass,” David Melding said. “Things can change quickly.
“No panic but sombre realisation. That seems to be the mood of the country at the moment. But make no mistake: The now likely epidemic will change politics profoundly.
“That a health crisis can start in China and sweep over the world in months reminds us of the need for international governance. Co-operation based on rules and international law is set for a resurgence.
“And our concept of social justice is likely to be radicalised. How easy is it for low paid workers on insecure contracts to follow precautionary advice?
“Revealed starkly in a crisis, these fractures in society are structural and require nothing less than a transformative citizens contract – a New Deal for our times.
“And at a personal level, human fragility may increase our love of neighbour at home and abroad.”
‘Robust’
Six cases of coronavirus have so far been confirmed in Wales. There are two in Pembrokeshire, and one each in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Cardiff and Newport.
Health officials said 634 people in Wales had been tested for coronavirus, as of Friday.
“The public can be assured that Wales and the whole of the UK is prepared for these types of incidents,” said Wales’ chief medical officer Dr Frank Atherton.
“Working with our partners in Wales and the UK, we have implemented our planned response, with robust infection control measures in place to protect the health of the public.”
Public Health Wales said the latest patients were being treated in “clinically appropriate settings”.
“We’ve said for a long time we expect there to be more cases – and we expect more in the coming days and weeks as well,” said Health Minister Vaughan Gething.
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Refreshing change to hear a Conservative politician talking sense!
Unfortunately, he seems blind to his own party’s actions.
“Return to” international law?
Has he met Virus Johnson?
I don’t think any party is overloaded with common sense or a serious commitment to the virtues of international law. While Johnson is an easy target, and not just because of his size, there are droves of politicians who use events and crises purely to engage in their own cameo virtue signalling appearances without any intention of doing any real good at all. Witness all those relatively well off pillocks who have harped on about “welcoming refugees” yet have failed abysmally to make a real gesture and actually provide shelter or care for a stranded family. Most politicians who visited… Read more »
You can add the royal family to that crowd aswell
Mr Melding, as far as I know, has always put his brain in gear first. Grade one.
So we should listen.
A central university hospital in Cardiff/Swansea, with six regions based on church in Wales diocese already mapped, each with it’s own clinic?
Interesting considering the Tories have been the main architects of the demise of the NHS, the Draconian cuts to benefits and the rise of the gig economy and zero hours contracts. Are they now admitting that they were wrong?
There is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents….?
I think David Melding is a lone voice, and is not standing again in 2021. a great shame to lose just about the only Tory that has something valuable to say!
Cognitive dissonance to the extreme I can’t help thinking!
I’m no Tory, but David Melding has always been an excellent politician in my experience – not a tow-the-line type at all. And it is interesting that the Tories (Westminster style) are queuing up on the media to say that our ‘centralised NHS’ is best placed to manage this outbreak. Given that the very same people have been flogging it off for years it’s hard to take seriously. For an insight into what is really happening in England, watch the Great NHS Heist documentary.
Don’t blame the Tories for the gig economy, when I and others were trying to prevent Royal Mail then a public owned company from recruiting postmen on zero hour contracts and short time working, our biggest opponent was the labour controlled union in Cardiff. This was the time of the Blair government and when Gordon Brown was boasting of his flexible workforce at the Lisbon E.U. conference. When the the French minister said to him that their unions would never accept such a situation, he replied that’s not a problem I have. How true.
Why doesn’t it start now with his party? Why hasn’t it started before now through his party? It’s all talk and no substance -nothing will happen under the Tories. If you want change vote for another party in the future.
David Melding may well be right about profound change, time will tell. For now it’s panic buying loo rolls!
In my experience a good fright or near death experience will change people’s attitude for a few years but complacency then returns and within a decade things are back to square one. This may sound cynical but I’ve seen so many people lose loads of weight after a heart attack but regain it all, and more, once the fear factor has subsided. Denial is how humans keep themselves going, when deep down we know the dark figure with the scythe could be waiting round the next corner. We’ve had pandemics before , the black death, plague, ‘Spanish’ flu etc.. We’ve… Read more »