The Conversation (0)
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Greg Evans
1594979100
On Friday, Boris Johnson set out a new timetable and guidelines in the government's effort to return things to normal in the fight to overcome coronavirus.
The prime minister hopes that the UK could return to some semblance of normality by Christmas or, at the earliest in November, but couldn't confirm anything for sure. He also announced that local councils will now be granted powers to enforce local lockdowns and employers will be able to decide if they want their employees to return to the workplace from 1 August.
Johnson also revealed that fans could potentially start returning to stadiums to watch live sports events from October with Premier League clubs home to fill their grounds by 40 per cent come next season. Dido Harding who is heading up the UK's contact-tracing system also gave an update on Track and Trace and when we can actually see it start to take effect.
As usual, reaction to Johnson giving a speech on coronavirus and the UK's recovery has been mixed, to say the least.
Boris Johnson, in the same #DailyBriefing just said: “It's possible the virus will be more virulent in the winter… https://t.co/zpj56nSxPj— Adam (@Adam) 1594981744
Boris Johnson: It's not for governments to say how businesses should run in terms of working at home or in the offi… https://t.co/NaKGkqnJdM— Femi (@Femi) 1594981823
Spoke to @borisjohnson today as he updated Westminster opposition leaders on Covid planning I urged him to sort ou… https://t.co/QDSt8d4UjX— Caroline Lucas (@Caroline Lucas) 1594983646
Boris Johnson repeats his suggestion we need to look at other countries to see what can go wrong with coronavirus.… https://t.co/luO2ZycMy5— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@Krishnan Guru-Murthy) 1594982413
Boris Johnson suggests that by November (at the earliest), it might be possible to scrap the 1m social distancing r… https://t.co/5FLN6l7TGd— Lewis Goodall (@Lewis Goodall) 1594981612
NB @BorisJohnson said repeatedly today employers shd "decide with their employees” on home/office working. Assume t… https://t.co/ifqbcO3Xqw— Paul Waugh (@Paul Waugh) 1594983922
Although there are many important talking points to come from this press conference an interesting one that might go under the radar was the unveiling of a new slogan from the prime minister. Throughout several points in his speech, Johnson repeated the phrase "hoping for the best, planning for the worst" which would appear like a wise sentiment but didn't exactly fill people with confidence.
I know he said “hoping for the best, planning for the worst”, but this is still quite the juxtaposition... https://t.co/wrs9ecQ4GJ— Mr Leaney. (@Mr Leaney.) 1594984389
Saying we just have to "hope for the best" isn't the sort of plan I'd expect to hear from a Prime Minister who's pr… https://t.co/z4D2aHQKXj— Graham Lithgow (@Graham Lithgow) 1594984385
Boris Johnson: "We must hope for the best but plan for the worst" ok mate except the only possible worst from here… https://t.co/SA7GF0D9nc— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻) 1594983110
3 weeks ago I said the Govts strategy was “hope for the best” Today the Prime Minister admits the same The proble… https://t.co/0r8a2RlOLB— nazir afzal (@nazir afzal) 1594983301
Boris Johnson says it’s “very important that we hope for the best”. I’m not entirely sure that’s going to help anyone hope for the best.— Mikey Smith (@Mikey Smith) 1594982232
Boris Johnson concludes press briefing with new slogan: 'Hope for the best, plan for the worst' We're doomed— Ava-Santina (@Ava-Santina) 1594981034
If this quote sounds familiar to you then it might be because it is very similar to a quote from Lee Child's Jack Reacher spy thriller novels, which were made into two movies starring Tom Cruise.
The quote from Reacher is much smaller than what Johnson said ('Hope for the best, plan for the worst') but it didn't stop people picking up on the similarities.
'Hope for the best, plan for the worst' The Prime Minister has started quoting Jack Reacher! This country is goin… https://t.co/tEoThRECpX— THE SECRET TORY (@THE SECRET TORY) 1594981459
Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Does Boris read Jack Reacher books then?— Dave Miller (@Dave Miller) 1594981057
Sounds like Boris is a fan of the Jack Reacher novels with his “Hope for the best, Plan for the worst” mantra— Matt Bourne (@Matt Bourne) 1594981077
I think Boris just quoted #JackReacher “Hope for the best, plan for the worst.” @LeeChildReacher— Jo Fairwood•SouthSeaScape (@Jo Fairwood•SouthSeaScape) 1594981498
@sima_kotecha Has he been watching Tom Cruise films ? "Hope for the best. Plan for the worst" That was one of the k… https://t.co/6dMzNyOxxu— Geoff Randall (@Geoff Randall) 1594986750
The phrase isn't exclusive to Lee Child and iterations have been used by the likes of Benjamin Disraeli, Maya Angelou and Mel Brooks, many preceding the publication of the Jack Reacher novels.
Of course, given how well known the phrase is, it is unlikely that Johnson knew that he was quoting Jack Reacher or any of those aforementioned names.
But we can't help but think a more inspiring slogan would have worked in this instance.