Sir Patrick, in his diary entries, expressed frustration with the former prime minister, but he also acknowledged that this was not a unique issue for Mr. Johnson. Many scientific advisers in other countries were facing similar challenges in explaining concepts to politicians. During a meeting with scientific advisers from across Europe, everyone laughed when it was revealed that one leader was struggling with exponential curves. This difficulty was not unique to Mr. Johnson, as it was affecting many other countries as well.
During his testimony to the inquiry, Sir Patrick mentioned that the prime minister had given up science at a young age and struggled with certain concepts. According to diary entries from September 20, 2020, Mr. Johnson even wondered if “we are licked as a species” before imposing another lockdown.
These entries provide insight into the challenges faced by scientific advisers in communicating complex ideas to politicians and the difficulties leaders like Mr. Johnson encountered in understanding such concepts.
It is clear that scientists face an uphill battle when it comes to explaining complex ideas to politicians who may not have a strong background in science or mathematics. Despite this challenge, Sir Patrick acknowledged that this issue was not unique to Mr. Johnson and that many other scientific advisers faced similar problems.
The diary entries of Sir Patrick shed light on the difficulties faced by scientists when trying to communicate complex ideas to politicians who may not have a strong background in science or mathematics.
Overall, it is important for scientists to continue working hard to find ways to effectively communicate their findings and recommendations to political leaders so that they can make informed decisions based on evidence-based data and research.