I'd call it a war, too, if I wanted to characterise myself as Churchill.

If I wanted people to look outwards, somewhere else, over there, to a conveniently invisible enemy, and rally blindly behind me.

1/7

If I wanted to deflect responsibility for my hollow words, my failure to deliver even basic testing, masks and gloves.

If I wanted to divert attention away from my arrogant denial of the threat, even though it was clearly coming.

2/7

I'd call it a war, too, if I wanted to divert attention away from my murderous, eugenicist, early policy of "herd immunity".

From my lies about being "guided by the science" while ignoring the advice of the WHO and countries already in crisis.

3/7

I'd call it a war, too, if I wanted to divert attention away from the complete absence of an exit plan, from my failure to put in place the infrastructure of tracing, home testing and domestic monitoring so that lockdown could actually one day end.

4/7

From my ideological refusal to accept help from, or co-operate with, the EU, even if it costs British lives.

From my party's failure to back the NHS for a full decade, its decimation of the police, social care and so many front-line services we now know are literally vital.

5/7

I'd call it a war too, if I thought I might get (and deserve) the blame for leading a country towards the highest death rate in Europe.

I'd call it a war, too, if I were playing any part in this murderous, inhuman government of spin, lies and criminal negligence.

6/7

I'd call it a war, too, if the language of a common, external, military enemy were my last shield, my only hope, the only remaining explanation for the blood of thousands of fellow citizens on my hands.

7/7