Alas Vine & Hitchens The Covid Legacy and Now Is Not The Time
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Oct 22, 2025 The hosts delve into the fallout from school closures during the pandemic, questioning their long-term impact on children. They critique government panic and political capitulation, highlighting Sweden's more reasoned COVID approach. Discussions touch on the erosion of critical thinking in education and the implications of distorted time through daylight saving. They also explore listener questions about the monarchy's role and concerns about political identity, with entertaining anecdotes about accents and memoirs adding a personal touch.
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School Closures Caused Lasting Harm
- Governments panicked during COVID and closed schools despite weak justification, causing lasting damage to children and the economy.
- Peter Hitchens argues ministers lacked nerve to resist hysteria and made decisions that will have permanent consequences.
Personal Toll On Her Children
- Sarah Vine recounts her children facing A-levels and GCSEs during lockdown and the severe disruption to their studies.
- She describes unequal access to online learning, with some pupils lacking computers or phones.
Conformity Replaces Critical Thought
- The education system now rewards conformity over critical thinking, reducing dissenting voices in elite institutions.
- Peter Hitchens links this to fewer qualified critics during the COVID panic and weaker public debate.
