Coronavirus: We must turn to internet to keep economy’s wheels turning – leader comment

We must ensure the economy and society continue to function well despite the coronavirus outbreak.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the Brexit talks should continue despite the coronavirus outbreak (Picture: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire)

The suggestion from Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab that the United Nations climate change summit planned in Glasgow this November might not go ahead because of the coronavirus outbreak, while the Brexit talks should proceed as planned, perhaps says a lot about the UK Government’s priorities.

Some would argue that if Brexit, an event which most agree will damage the UK economy, was delayed by a few months or more, this would not be a bad thing, particularly if the Covid-19 outbreak continues to wreak havoc. And the fact that the EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, actually has coronavirus is surely a justifiable reason to pause so he can at least recover his health.

However, Raab’s suggestion that, thanks to 21st-century technology, the talks with the EU should be able to continue without the need for the parties to meet in person is absolutely correct. For more than one reason, this deal does not need to be sealed with a handshake.

The same could be said for the UN summit. If it does prove impossible to hold this major global event, which attracts tens of thousands of delegates, campaigners and protesters, it should be possible for the discussions to take place online. The internet has already transformed society and the way we do business, but we still rely heavily on what are rapidly becoming old-fashioned ways of working.

Embracing the digital revolution can be difficult, but it provides ways of allowing life to continue without the physical interactions that viruses require to spread.

Supermarkets have already been deluged with online orders for food to be delivered. Everyone hopes this demand will be short-term, but it is possible we could remain in our current situation for months to come. There could be even more stringent controls on movement, like those imposed in France, so improving supermarkets’ ability to, literally, deliver will become increasingly important.

Retailers are just one example. If government offices are closed for long periods, do they have the necessary technology to allow staff to work from home? Will there be enough civil servants to deliver Rishi Sunak’s £350 billion to businesses in need? Will there be enough staff online to ensure people’s benefits are paid?

Raab is correct, 21st-century technology is the method by which we can keep the wheels of the economy and society turning. And that will be vital to winning the war against Covid-19.