Expert Comment

This week, US President Donald Trump seemed to change his attitude towards the COVID-19 pandemic, admitting the seriousness of the situation, and the necessity of social distancing for the next few months.

Dr Trevor McCrisken, from the Department of Politics and International Studies, offers his expert perspective.

"The most important question now is what happens to these credit consumers?" Dr John Morris of the Department of Politics and International Studies comments on what the collapse of BrightHouse may mean for people unable to access conventional credit but who need to make "big-ticket" purchases.

"The completion date can be changed by agreement. Estate agents and lawyers will play an important part in this negotiation, and it is to be hoped that all parties can work together in these difficult times to find a completion date that works for all, and respects the health of others involved in the process, such as removal firms." Dr Jane Bryan comments on the call from the Government to delay home moves to help in the fight against coronavirus.

The Chancellor’s is expected to announce government measures to support the self-employed during the coronavirus outbreak later today. Professor Chris Warhurst from the Warwick Institute for Employment Research at the University of Warwick comments that supporting this group of workers is more complicated than it might first appear.

As news reports of police struggling to persuade social gatherings to break up and go home start to appear, Helen Spencer-Oatey, Perry Hinton, Katharina Lefringhausen (Warwick) and Dan Spencer (Oxford) look at how norm theory can be applied to tailor appeals to different groups.