Unprecedented

What a week.

I can remember as a boy hearing the PM Harold Wilson saying that a week is a long time in politics. Well, it’s a long time for lots of things. Today all the nurseries, schools and colleges closed. Tonight the pubs, bars, restaurants, leisure centres, gyms, cinemas and more close - indefinitely. And a Tory government is making massive state interventions, and committing funds on a huge scale.

The UK’s strategy is all about attempting to “flatten the curve” of the impending crisis.

Everyone is reeling. The memorable image for me today was of a Mum walking up the road with her two children. The eldest, a boy of maybe 12 years, was in floods of tears. This must all be very frightening for the youngsters.

On leave today, but to Swinton to say goodbye to a colleague whose last day this was before retiring, We are the “ what a strange time to be retiring” club.

The magnolia buds are opening up - it is, despite everything, still the Spring Equinox.