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On Prince Philip’s death, the government misunderstands the national mood

The establishment wants to see off summer revolts with a new ‘Diana moment’, but it won’t succeed

By Adam Ramsay
On Prince Philip’s death, the government misunderstands the national mood
Like the royals, hundreds of thousands of families have this year said goodbye to a loved one | SOPA Images Limited / Alamy Stock Photo
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The past year has been a massacre of nonagenarians. Goaded by the right-wing press, the government has repeatedly put business balance sheets over frail lives: Eat Out to Help Out, Christmas easing and delayed lockdowns.

My colleague Mary lives in London’s ‘COVID Triangle’. Every day, her neighbours file from their East End homes, onto the overcrowded Central Line, and put their lives at risk for minimum-wage service jobs.

Many – like Mary – will have said their final goodbye to grandparents over FaceTime, and attended funerals on Zoom. Many will have felt the virus choke up their lungs. All will have heard the sirens.

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0