Cleverly Likens Johnson's COVID Measures to Cromwell's Christmas Ban

In a surprising comparison, James Cleverly, a contender for the Conservative Party leadership, has drawn parallels between Boris Johnson's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions of Oliver Cromwell. Cleverly's remarks came during a Q&A session with other Tory leadership candidates, as reported by The Spectator.

Cleverly stated, "Boris Johnson and Oliver Cromwell [are] the two national leaders who in our history cancelled Christmas, and you wouldn't have expected the Venn diagram of Oliver Cromwell and Boris Johnson to have had much of a crossover." This comparison refers to Johnson's decision in December 2020 to cancel Christmas celebrations in parts of England due to a new, highly transmissible COVID-19 variant.

The former home secretary acknowledged the Conservative Party's interventionist approach during the pandemic, expressing regret over the extent of social restrictions imposed. "I suppose all of us have got to recognise that our response to Covid was inherently interventionist... I think all of us now look back and say that was far, far, far too much," Cleverly remarked.

Historically, Oliver Cromwell, who served as Lord Protector of England from 1653 to 1658, is often associated with banning Christmas celebrations. However, it's important to note that the initial attempts to stop Christmas began in 1644, when Cromwell was still an MP and cavalry officer in the New Model Army during the English Civil War. The ban, which included fines for festivities, continued throughout Cromwell's tenure as Lord Protector and was only repealed in 1660 after the restoration of the monarchy under King Charles II.

Boris Johnson's decision to cancel Christmas in 2020 came after he had initially reassured the public that such a move would be "frankly inhuman." However, faced with new scientific evidence about a more transmissible COVID-19 variant, Johnson announced the measures "with a very heavy heart," affecting London and parts of eastern and South East England.

"I know how much emotion people invest in this time of year, and how important it is for grandparents to see their grandchildren, and for families to be together. I know how disappointing this will be, but we have said throughout this pandemic that we must and we will be guided by the science."

Cleverly's comments come as the Conservative Party prepares for its conference in Birmingham, starting this weekend. The event will be crucial in determining the party's future direction following its worst general election defeat in July 2024. Alongside Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, and Tom Tugendhat remain in the race for party leadership.

As the UK reflects on its pandemic response, the comparison between Johnson and Cromwell serves as a reminder of the far-reaching impacts of crisis management decisions on both governance and public life.