“I would not,” said Groucho Marx, “join any club that would take me as a member.”

I’m with him.  But unfortunately, circumstances ain’t and, like it or not, Britain – No,  let’s call it the United Kingdom while we still can – the United Kingdom joined the exclusive club of countries which have recorded more than 20,000 deaths from the virus.  Other members include just the USA, Spain, Italy and France . No other country is even half way there.

Germany, which has recorded something over 7,000 more cases than we have, has incurred just 5,843 deaths against our 20,319.  Then again, they have Mrs Merkel, an experienced, pragmatic and empathetic leader;  we have Johnson a flatulent egomaniac.