Helen MacDonald

So on one hand, we're criticising a lack of diversity in opinion.

And at the same time, we're saying we've got too much of it.

And it's probably not the case that it's the same people arguing about those things.

But the contrast is nonetheless quite interesting.

So to say a bit more about the specifics, this UK SAGE group,

who presumably translate and discuss the evidence with the UK government, seem pretty important given the party line that they rely on the science heavily.

But we didn't know, curiously, who they were.

And the Guardian newspaper in the UK got to the bottom of this this week.

And there was a linked opinion piece by Anthony Costello.

And he's a professor of global health and sustainable development.

And he said success of any advisory group of scientists surely depends on a culture of openness, independence and diversity of opinion.

And the government to date has not been open about who's been on this committee.

or at least it didn't seem to be until it got put under pressure.

The group of people does not seem particularly independent because around half of the people on it are paid government employees, so may not feel that they can give independent advice or speak completely freely.

And they're not as diverse as you might expect.

So their opinions might be a bit shallow.

So, for example, Costello explained that seven of the people on there are clinical academics.

There are three microbiologists, seven modelers, two behavioral scientists with backgrounds in disaster and terrorism, one geneticist and a civil servant.

Very few women and only one person from a minority background.

So last week we heard from Julian Sheather that ethicists might have an important role to play in the crisis.