Editor @Salann

Throughout this crisis much has been made of the positives that are coming about during an otherwise bleak situation.

We’ve witnessed a huge collective spirit – people sacrificing their own freedoms and pleasures for the protection of others who are seriously at risk from the virus. It’s laudable that the vast majority of people across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland are following the social-distancing rules closely and have done so without a second thought. We recognise the moral obligation on all of us to be responsible, for the common good.

Across the UK, people have distributed postcards in their local communities offering help with shopping, or simply a ‘friendly phone call’. The postcards (pictured below) are emblazoned with the slogan #ViralKindness.

Another positive impact that’s been noted is the improved quality of family time and relationships. My neighbour, a busy solicitor, said that he has had more sit down meals with his family in the last two weeks than in the previous six months. Others have told me that the crisis has given them a renewed focus on what is truly important in life – family, friendship, community, and health.

Of course there is hardship and uncertainty in thousands of homes just now due to job losses, and in hundreds, devastation following the death of loved ones. This should not to be minimised. But there are still reasons for encouragement, amidst the chaos.

Something else that has stood out to me since the early days of the crisis is the setting aside of partisan politics in order to focus on the crisis at hand. It’s been truly heartening to see politicians who are normally at one another’s throats speaking to one another in more gentle, collaborative tones. 

It’s hard to remember a time in the last few years when the Labour front bench at Westminster praised the Conservative Government for their actions, and lent their unqualified support. Or a time at Holyrood when Jackson Carlaw praised Nicola Sturgeon for her leadership and offered the support of the Scottish Conservatives in whatever capacity they can serve.

In a sense, it feels like politics has returned to what it should be – Governments held to account and scrutinised by Parliament but also supported in their work on behalf of the electorate. In these last weeks we have witnessed a more respectful dialogue that sees politicians of every party recognising the gravity of decisions being made and offering their helpful counsel to ensure the best outcome.

Just weeks ago, the picture was entirely different. Politicians were locked in bitter and partisan debates over Brexit, and Scottish independence – debates that have dominated the political landscape for years and led to people on all sides feeling bullied, hated, and harassed simply for venturing a view. These arguments pale in the face of COVID-19, spreading like a wild fire throughout the globe.

The new, respectful dialogue we’re witnessing in politics is also evident across the country. It’s fascinating that citizens in the UK, a country so polarised and divided since the referenda of 2014 and 2016, are now almost unanimously getting behind their leaders at Westminster and Holyrood, championing the NHS, and standing shoulder to shoulder with one another against coronavirus. This proves that when there’s a cause worthy enough, people can and do set aside their differences to work together.

So will all this last beyond COVID-19? I dare to hope that it will. In these days of huge societal disruption, not seen since the Second World War, people are being reminded of things long forgotten. The current crisis brings the values that helped our four nations grow and flourish in the past into sharp relief once again. These values are kindness, respect, gentleness, and above all a strong community spirit.

If politicians and the public can set aside passionate differences for the sake of the common good now, we can do so in future. Let’s all work towards a better politics in the years ahead.