Matt Hancock and Rishi Sunak show why we need professional politicians

Coronavirus commentary often takes a familiar form, which can easily be parodied thus: ‘Why the Coronavirus crisis justifies the thing I was arguing for before the crisis.’

I mention this because this article could, I suppose, be written off in that way. It is a column of praise for technocratic, wonkish politician-managers written by someone who runs a centrist think-tank. I would say this, wouldn’t I?

Well, perhaps, but I will say it anyway: the coronavirus crisis is reminding us that we should, once again, value politicians whose primary skill is understanding, gripping and managing complicated stuff and whose inclination is to put that management ahead of appealing to the emotions of voters.

By way of evidence, I offer you Matt Hancock and Rishi Sunak. If you, like many others, keep a regular eye on Downing Street’s daily media briefing, you’ll have seen that the Chancellor and, most recently yesterday the health secretary, have emerged as the ministers best able to demonstrate command of their brief and a sense of grip on the crisis.