My Prison Diary

Antonio Gramsci was a member of the Italian parliament and General Secretary of the Italian Communist Party. He was imprisoned by the Italian Fascist dictator Mussolini in 1928. With a history of poor health, he was released from prison in1933 and died under guard in a clinic. His writings in prison were smuggled out and became known as The Prison Notebooks.

Why am I referring to this? Firstly, because, if you are on the left, Gramsci is a political activist worth getting to know about by reading about his life and words. And secondly, we are all prisoners now. But we are not just prisoners because of the coronavirus, we are prisoners, and likely to remain prisoners for some time, because of the incompetence and malevolence of this government hence the title of this post.

I am on my twelfth day of lockdown after I visited a supermarket twelve days ago. I shouldn't have done it. I'm a vulnerable person. I have underlying medical conditions like Gramsci. Although my mental health is pretty good I do have some anxieties, not just for myself but those I love. Every time I cough I wonder if that is the start.

Today a government minister, Rober Jenrick, was on Sky News saying we have12,000 ventilators. Later on BBC Breakfast, he said there were 8,000. This is what we have to contend with not just incompetence but lying and it can only serve to cost yet more lives.

What we do know though is that our imprisonment is going to last a lot longer than some far-right commentators and Trump are saying. We won't be back on the streets and in pubs by Easter. We may be 'let out' in June, and then we can expect another lockdown in the Autumn. 

This is going to last for a minimum of eighteen months which is how long it will take to make an effective vaccine. In that time many people will die without a proper funeral or farewell from their loved ones, and the economy is going to take a massive hit. Afterward, life will be different for all of us.

In the meantime, we have to continue to expose the lies and incompetence of the government and work to make sure that things change - a decent NHS and benefits system and an end to low pay for 'essential' workers. 

I wish you all well. Stay safe.