(Source: ITV News)
Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews, told MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus that the three-tier approach was a “good idea in principle” if it provided clarity and equity.
However, Prof Reicher, who is also a member of Sage, said there was a lack of clarity over what criteria was being used to place areas in different tiers, with variations of measures even within certain tiers.
He said: “So we have the worst of all worlds, we have a system where there is no sense of clarity. There is a growing sense of inequity and resistance.”
Prof Reicher warned if resistance was “politicised” it could risk bringing “polarisation”, as seen in the United States.
He added: “A tier system isn’t bad in and of itself, the way it’s been applied I think has been disastrous and is leading to political paralysis when we need action really quickly because infections are spiking.
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