Hello and one to the Red Box Politics Podcast on The Times, I'm Matt Chorley.

Please only continue listening if you've washed your hands.

The government is setting out its battle plan to tackle the spread of coronavirus with early polling

suggesting the public thinking it's handling the crisis well. So today we're

going to take a look at where things are looking less rosy. Rachel Sylvester

takes us inside the extraordinary story of

pretty Patel versus well just about everyone. Will Tana a former down street

advisor warns the fabric of society is fraying and Matt Ford a former a former Labour advisor, turned to stand up. It was on

tour right now with his show Brexit, pursued by a bear, turns his attention to the breakout

star of Labour's deputy leadership contest. Richard Bergen, welcome to you all. I assume you're all

coronavirus free. Hands washed. Although shaking of how, we all shook hands before we

started because Matt Hancock said that it was fine and he definitely knows what he took.

Right, let's get down to business and kick off. This is Rachel Sylvester.

In one of E-Selt's fables, the sun and the wind tests their strength by having a competition to make a man remove his cloak.

When the wind blows as hard as it can, he just wraps it more tightly around him,

but the heat of the sun makes him take it off.

The moral of the story that persuasion is sometimes more effective than force

is one the government needs to learn

following the extraordinary resignation of Sir Philip Putnam

as permanent secretary at the home office.

Ministers and Downing Street Advisors are good at huffing and puffing against a civil service,

but now they need to show a bit more warmth.

...