Opinion

Patrick Murphy: The health professionals are the true leaders in this crisis

Patrick Murphy

Patrick Murphy

Patrick Murphy is an Irish News columnist and former director of Belfast Institute for Further and Higher Education.

Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital
Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital

If management means doing things right and leadership is doing the right things, it is clear that Boris Johnson has failed on both accounts.

Last month he said that the coronavirus, "is likely to spread a bit more". But, he assured us, "we do have a great plan" to tackle it.

He had no plan. He relied on bluff, bluster and pretend buffoonery, making things up as he went along, pressing as many buttons as he could find in the hope that one of them would stop what is effectively a runaway train. By failing to do things right, he allowed a situation to become a crisis.

The general rule for handling a crisis is that you do not wait for it to begin before you plan for it. Prior planning takes leadership, which requires the courage to go against popular opinion through original thinking, clear communication and risk-taking. (That's why there are so few leaders in the public sector.)

Johnson displayed none of these values, so he is now playing catch-up by telling us all to stay indoors. (This is not totally unprecedented. The British army did the same during the Lower Falls curfew in 1970 - for a different reason.) He now governs a society where royals can be tested for the virus, but health workers cannot.

He is not alone among politicians in failing those who elected them. In terms of incompetence Donald Trump has exceeded all expectations. "We have it totally under control", he said about coronavirus in January. Now he is prepared to risk lives to re-start the US economy in advance of his re-election campaign. God help America.

Meanwhile the EU, so beloved of Irish nationalism, has just fined Italy £7 million for a breach of state aid rules in 2008 - hardly the most delicate decision at this time.

The German newspaper Der Spiegel describes the EU as "struggling for relevance" in the face of the pandemic. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's contribution to Italy's suffering was to record a short video of support. In a crisis like this, there is no EU.

Sadly, things are not much better up at Stormont. It declined to manage the NHS for three years. It was then forced back to work by nurses striking for pay parity with Britain, which our politicians had earlier refused. Having failed at management, Stormont now needs leadership.

While Arlene Foster and Michelle O'Neill are undoubtedly genuine in their concern for public health, their public pronouncements do not inspire confidence. Being at the top of the pile does not make you a leader.

Health Minister Robin Swann is showing leadership as evidenced, for example, by his decision to call in the Irish army if necessary. He deserves our support and respect. Nichola Mallon is also leading, by tackling her responsibilities quietly and efficiently. The remaining ministers appear to be spectators.

In Dublin, Leo Varadkar has resurrected his political career by showing a degree of leadership which might have won him the election had he done it earlier. Facing political quarantine for life, he began to fight back, thereby side-lining Sinn Féin and gaining an edge over Fianna Fáil's Micheal Martin in negotiations to form a government.

Martin would probably have become taoiseach had the 2008 financial crisis not happened. He would definitely have become outright taoiseach a few weeks ago, but the coronavirus has changed everyone's future plans and dreams.

Politics and politicians have largely failed us. So in the absence of political leadership, who is filling the gap? Welcome to our brave new world where politicians have been left behind by the real leaders in society: front line health workers. These professionals speak with authority, concern, genuine care and informed opinion. They are not seeking election, popular support or a public relations image. They are there because they care.

As someone once said, when you face a crisis, you know who your true friends are. Our true friends today, and our new leaders, are those who are risking their lives to save ours. We are blessed to have them.