A shocking lack of testing, ventilators and protective equipment was exposed in full today as the UK media finally wakes up to government failings.
The Daily Telegraph – staunch advocates of the Johnson administration – leads on the questions being asked about why Britain lags behind other countries on rates of coronavirus testing.
The front page of tomorrow’s Daily Telegraph:
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 1, 2020
‘Questions without answers’#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Bzr2WlK3cF
The Daily Mirror says it’s a “shambles” that only 0.16 per cent of NHS staff have been tested for coronavirus, a theme also taken up by the Daily Mail.
Thursday’s @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/r6uefMZIdi
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) April 1, 2020
The i says NHS staff have been “let down on testing”, while The Times says virus testing plans are “in chaos”.
Virus testing plans in chaos#TomorrowsPapersToday@hendopolis pic.twitter.com/wNrxP3Q7C5
— The Times Pictures (@TimesPictures) April 1, 2020
The Independent also highlights the testing issue and the Daily Star also joins in, calling on Boris Johnson to “get a bleedin’ grip” on the problem.
STAR: Now get a bleedin grip Bozo #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/gp6epXNlMU
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 1, 2020
And Metro illustrates the contrast between the “sublime” effort to prepare the Nightingale Hospital and the “ridiculous” situation of frontline NHS workers still being short of vital protective equipment.
Thursday’s front page:
— Metro Newspaper UK (@MetroUKNews) April 1, 2020
SUBLIME TO THE
RIDICULOUS#tomorrowspaperstoday #BBCPapers #skypapers pic.twitter.com/yR0bzGWxm1
Meanwhile, Covid-19 patients who are more likely to die “may have ventilators taken away”, according to The Guardian.
The Sun highlights the “clap of honour” tonight and every Thursday night for NHS workers.
Tomorrow’s front page: ‘Brits are urged to carry on clapping their support for NHS workers’ https://t.co/gmZUcsumoY pic.twitter.com/zCLuZqN7g8
— The Sun (@TheSun) April 1, 2020
The Financial Times leads on unemployment rates skyrocketing due to the outbreak.
And the Daily Express calls for banks to repay favours from their 2008 bailout by coming to the aid of taxpayers in the current crisis.
EXPRESS. We bailed you out now do YOUR duty #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/5eYS4pMx7N
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) April 1, 2020
The reaction has been just as good. Abi Wilkinson tweeted: “Shocked to learn from the newspapers that the British government has fucked it”.
Shocked to learn from the newspapers that the British government has fucked it
— Abi Wilkinson (@AbiWilks) April 1, 2020
While James Melville noted: “It looks like the entire print media has turned against the government over their handling of the Coronavirus crisis”.
It looks like the entire print media has turned against the government over their handling of the Coronavirus crisis… pic.twitter.com/U2h3jRUNWI
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) April 2, 2020