Wales’ vaccine problems mount for Mark Drakeford

Mark Drakeford has been a popular figure throughout the pandemic. The Welsh First Minister’s authoritative grasp of detail and his professorial briefings have helped foster a sense of national confidence that ministers in Cardiff have a better grip on the public health emergency than politicians in Westminster. Today’s Welsh Barometer poll for ITV Cymru reaffirms that view: it shows overwhelming public support for the lockdown restrictions introduced by the Welsh government before Christmas.

This popular support for the Labour government is no small thing to overlook; the Welsh public have embraced devolved politics and feel comfortable diverging from policy set in London. And with a new year comes new opportunities for varying strategies across the UK to combat the virus. But now we are not only managing Covid, but trying to defeat it. Everyone’s hopes – as well as the political capital of our leaders globally – are pinned on the successful roll-out of vaccines.