freedom-loving britons

Apparently, the Brits love freedom more than most - and this is why the UK has got the highest infection and death rates during the Covid crisis:

Are Britons too 'freedom-loving' to follow Covid rules? | UK news | The Guardian

Coronavirus: Boris Johnson suggests high coronavirus infection rates are due to UK’s ‘love of freedom’ | The Independent

Boris Johnson has blamed coronavirus on the British people, for loving freedom too much
The Germans and Italians are too timid to die in the kind of numbers we are, explains the prime minister
Tom Peck
Political Sketch Writer@tompeck
1 day ago

Labour’s Ben Bradshaw had asked the prime minister whether the fact that Germany and Italy had far lower death rates and far less severe lifestyle restrictions in place might be because “they have test and trace systems that actually work?” 

“Actually,” came the reply. “There is an important difference between our country and many other countries around the world: our country is a freedom-loving country. If we look at the history of this country over the past 300 years, virtually every advance, from free speech to democracy, has come from this country. It is very difficult to ask the British population uniformly to obey guidelines in the way that is necessary.” 

So there you have it. That really is the end of it. The Germans, the Italians, they are all so cowed, so timid, that they choose to live. It is only the freedom-loving Brits that have done their bit, not just for their own sake but for the greatness of mankind, and died entirely preventable deaths in their tens of thousands.
It turns out that, actually, the “world-beating” test and trace system that’s five months and counting behind schedule – well, you don’t even need it. Not over here anyway. We’re too good for it. Test and trace? Maybe Johnny Foreigner wants test and trace but not the Brits. Oh no. No, thanks. Not in the home of free speech, democracy and rampant Covid-19, thank you very much.

Boris Johnson has blamed coronavirus on the British people, for loving freedom too much | The Independent

The Italians and Germans are not impressed:

Italy’s president, Sergio Mattarella, said its citizens “also love freedom, but we also care about seriousness”, responding to Boris Johnson’s suggestion that the UK’s rate of coronavirus infection was worse than both Italy and Germany’s because Britons loved their freedom more.

Italian president rebuts Johnson's 'freedom' remarks over restrictions | World news | The Guardian

Britain's pandemic response 'shocking', top Italian coronavirus advisor says

The UK is currently reporting around 4,000 new cases a day, while the figure in Germany is between 1,000 and 2,000. Germany has had more success in suppressing the virus, partly thanks to mass testing and rigorous contact tracing, although numbers are also climbing again.

Boris Johnson contrasts Germany's lower Covid infection rates with 'freedom-loving' UK - The Local

Coronavirus: Germany offering free coronavirus tests at train stations | Metro News

The government-friendly Daily Telegraph also asks:

How Germany avoided Covid catastrophe - with 'luck and tests'

What can we learn from Germany?

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