Indeed, the pandemic was a case study in how the health of a nation is not always in the hands of bungling politicians but in the laps of lab coats.

And while Boris Johnson clumsily wrestled away the narrative – implying that he was ‘responsible’ for the vaccine – history and the real story is on the side of pharma.

The reality is, pharma wizardry happens as a matter of course, seemingly beyond the gimmicks and befuddlement of the campaign trail.

But it is not completely immune to what happens on July 4. There will be the inevitable remixing of governance and, of course, the tossing around of the ultimate hot potato.

Gimme an ‘N’, gimme an ‘H’ and gimme an ‘S’. Put them together and what have you got? A crumbling edifice, barely surviving on the thin fumes of sentimentality. Yep, make no mistake – the bold reinvention of public health needs to be truly transformational, inviting big tech, igniting AI and upholding inclusion.

For the British, dismantling the NHS as we know it may be a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s a necessary dose. What must remain of the NHS, however, is its principle. Without that we are doomed.

So, while Ed Davey cascades down a waterslide, while Rishi Sunak wears suspiciously new Adidas trainers and while Kier Starmer occasionally mentions 14 years’ of hurt, we have a decision to make.

Whichever box you tick, do it with a flourish,

John Pinching
editor

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