Boris Johnson will have to adopt some very socialist principles “whether he likes it or not”, ITV political editor Robert Peston has said.
After two months of leaning on Labour policies, the Conservatives will likely have to go one step further in dealing with the escalating coronavirus crisis.
Peston outlined a handful of policies that should inform how they should respond, many of which have the hallmarks of left wing governance.
He implored Johnson to look after the vulnerable and incentivise certain behaviours that will keep us all safe.
If vital infrastructure and services are at risk of collapse, and the market cannot bear the cost of restoring them, “those costs should be socialised, or shared between all of us, with the wealthy shouldering the lion’s share”, he said.
The government and Bank of England should also be the insurer of last resort for companies.
They will likely have to introduce many modern welfare concepts, such as the universal basic income which gives an entitlement to everyone to a minimum income.
“We’ll find ourselves implementing most of Jeremy Corbyn’s programme”, one Tory minister told him.
Related: Boris has got his Churchill moment
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