Why all political parties coming together to tackle coronavirus could be a bad idea

As the call again goes out for a government of national unity, Sean O'Grady says that by trying to work together MPs could lose something crucial

Who would hold the government to account on Covid-19? (PA)

Usually in any kind of deep crisis the call goes up for a government of national unity (GNU). It happens in wartime, during severe financial crises and now, in the extraordinary public health emergency we are trying to come to terms with.

There is much to be said for national unity, for a “government of all the talents” or Goat, to tackle a grave situation free of party politics. Sometimes, as in the Second World War, it can be a great success. Arguably, the Lloyd George coalition governments during and after the Great War were less effective. The national government formed after the 1931 financial collapse, and which presided over mass unemployment for a decade in the Great Depression was neither national nor much of a government.

In any case, it is difficult to see what such a coalition of what would now be termed the “Westminster elite” could add to the current effort. In all probability bringing, say, Sir Keir Starmer, Jonathan Ashworth and Ed Davey into government would not swiftly speed up testing, bring in more ventilators, discover new sources of masks or deliver a vaccine. The problems are not going to be overcome for lack of political willpower or national unity. No doubt the government has made its mistakes, but much the same errors, driven at least in part by the science and expert advice, would have happened in some multiparty temporary administration. Political divisions, unlike in a struggle for national survival do not undermine the prospects of victory.