The scientists are now running the country

What we learned on Thursday is that, at least while the Prime Minister is convalescing, the boffins of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies are, in effect, running the country.

Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Boris Johnson, made it crystal clear that he and his fellow ministers – who met on Thursday in Cabinet and the Cobra committee – simply followed the advice of SAGE, which is chaired by Sir Patrick Vallance, in extending total lockdown for a minimum of three weeks.

As other ministers have confirmed to me, there was no pushing back on SAGE’s view that easing any of the current unprecedented constraints on our basic freedoms would lead to another surge in Covid-19 infections that would damage our health and the economy.

‘SAGE is the clear arbiter/adviser,’ said a senior minister.

This is not government by our elected representatives as we conventionally know it. And maybe, given the gravity of what’s happening, that is both understandable and sensible.