Coronavirus: Sticking with the single transferable message

Back in the days when John Hume was formulating the principles that would eventually prove crucial to the peace process, the SDLP leader had a tendency to make somewhat repetitive public utterances.

"Spill your sweat and not your blood"; "You can't eat a flag"; and the need for everyone to deal with the "totality of relationships".

Hacks would scratch their heads trying to determine the "new line" to incorporate into their news bulletins.

More often than not, some reporter would conclude that we had been treated to another example of what became known as Hume's "single transferable speech".

Hume's belief was that if you have an important message, you need to ram it home

This was a play on the "single transferable vote" used in Northern Ireland's council elections, and became journalistic jargon for the SDLP leader's all-purpose oration.

But John Hume didn't give - to quote him again - "two roasted balls of snow" for our journalistic scepticism.

His belief was that if you have an important message, you need to ram it home, again and again if necessary.

Fast forward to 2020 and I sometimes wonder if our inbred desire to find the "new line" might do a disservice to our audience during this pandemic.

As journalists we want to tell people something they don't know already, and this is the reason why so much of our focus is on what happens next.

Good arguments can be made for reactivating places such as garden centres

Should we ease this regulation or explore that exit strategy?

However, with the casualty figures remaining depressingly high, might we be better off sticking with the single transferable speech of "stay home, stay safe and protect the NHS"?

Fraught with danger

Telling people to wash their hands is, frankly, more dull than speculating on what the Stormont Executive's review of the coronavirus rules might bring.

But given the potential threat from the virus hasn't changed, it almost certainly saves more lives.

Good arguments can be made for reactivating garden centres or opening church doors for solitary acts of prayer, just as there were good arguments for reopening the cemeteries.

Nevertheless - as the proverb says - isn't the road to hell likely to be paved with good intentions?

Telling people to wash their hands can be dull but is certain to save more lives than any other topic

The current lockdown can only be maintained with the public's understanding and consent, but easing it in the absence of a vaccine or a cure is fraught with danger.

Last Monday, I discussed whether the lockdown was fraying at the edges with four politicians from Upper Bann.

My thanks to Carla Lockhart, John O'Dowd, Doug Beattie and Dolores Kelly, who also took a range of questions from the public covering issues like checking inbound travellers for the virus and providing financial support for substitute teachers.

Questions please

Next Monday I shall be back inside my man shed, making a virtual visit to North Belfast.

As the home of the Mater Hospital, the constituency has played a vital role in Northern Ireland's battle against Covid-19.

I am glad to say that I shall be joined by the Sinn Féin MP John Finucane, DUP MLA William Humphrey and SDLP councillor Carl Whyte.

Each week we shall be extending invitations to all parties who are represented at the assembly in our chosen constituency.

We will, of course, be including Alliance, Greens, People Before Profit, the Traditional Unionist Voice, and any Independents when our faithful bingo ball machine points us to the seats where they are represented.

If you want to put a question to our North Belfast panel, please do so over Twitter using our hashtag #bbcip or by emailing [e-mail].