Masking the real problem

It’s time to re-frame the debate on mask-wearing, writes Tim Farron.
It appears that the choice about whether to wear a piece of cloth on our faces has become the latest front in the culture war.

I don’t know anyone who isn’t sick of all the restrictions we have had to endure. We all long for a return to some normality, and this includes the ability to walk around in public indoor spaces without a mask. As someone who spends up to eight hours a week on public transport commuting between London and the Lakes, I can say that it is at least a little bit uncomfortable and pretty boring to be masked up for all this time.

Now, after months of telling us what to do, and as vaccinations start to protect us from the virus, the government is emphasising personal responsibility rather than rule-keeping. And the choice to mask or not to mask is getting controversial.

This is odd, because no one loves rules in public places more than the British. We cannot abide the crime of queue jumping...