Transparency is key in a crisis - so why isn't the British government being straight with us?

Summary

Contrary to popular belief, people rarely panic in dangerous situations. Withholding information is patronising and counter-productive says Stephen Reicher, a member of the Sage subcommittee advising the government on behavioural science.

He suggests in his blog in the the Guardian that there needs to be a broader shift in the relationship between the state and its citizens. The government must abandon a psychology that infantilises people. It must recognise and respect the ability of the public to acknowledge and deal with harsh realities. It must engage us as full partners in every stage of the strategy against Covid-19: from formulating a response, to implementing and evaluating policy. And, as in any constructive relationship, none of this can happen without putting openness at the very heart of what government does.