A bizarre column published in The Times today has been widely criticised for taking a “tired” and “unnecessary” swipe at former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn rather than observing the reality of life under Boris Johnson’s Conservatives.
Columnist Matt Chorley’s piece, entitled “In Corbyn’s Britain we’d all get free candyfloss at Marx & Spencer”, poked fun at an alternative universe where Diane Abbott would be the one announcing “three hundred thousand and thirty four, nine hundred and seventy four thousand tests carried out” rather than Priti Patel and John McDonnell “would be nationalising Marx & Spencer”.
The feature has been widely criticised on social media, with Owen Jones highlighting its futility against the backdrop of the current climate.
The UK miraculously managed to achieve the “worst of both worlds” this week after it suffered the largest recession of any G7 country as well as the highest excess death rate in Europe.
New Statesman online editor George Eaton tweeted the grim news after it was revealed Britain has officially entered into the largest recession on record with the pandemic sending the economy plunging by 20.4 per cent between April and June.
It comes following news that England had the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe across the first half of 2020.
The country experienced the longest continuous period of excess deaths as well as the highest levels, a comparison of 23 European countries found.
Related: Two-thirds of Boris Johnson’s cabinet were privately educated
