Day 208

Wednesday 14 October

This past 208 days has seen much change. Much of this, I hope, will eventually change back to the way it was. But there are certainly some things that are likely to stay with us.

The use of technology to teach and learn remotely is something that I strongly believe is staying with schools. It will clearly stay with some settings more than others. Pupils who don’t access mainstream settings for example.

Similarly, the same technology has been used to change the need to meet face to face. There are naturally positives and negatives to this. The fact that there are fewer cars on the roads and planes in the sky means there is less pollution and congestion. But it also means there is less social interaction and increased isolation.

Then there’s the issue of our devolved nations. The UK has had to hold a mirror up to itself during this pandemic and question it’s true identity. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have increasingly made their own decisions around the measures they wish to introduce to try and suppress the second rise of the virus. Today NI and Wales have made some significant unilateral decisions. Many commentators suggest that this is becoming a defining period for the relationship between Westminster and the other parliaments. We will see.

Contemplating all of that whilst driving home from work. And getting back just in time to let Mabel take me for a 20 minute walk in the orchards behind our house. We will all find ways to keep our sanity.