"The point is would our resident anti British lefty brigade be so vocal about that?"
Probably not. But our resident right on Rabid Right brigade would have a field day.
Personally, TTT, i agree with your first statement. No matter who was in charge, the scientists would have to be listened to, and decisions based on their advice. As i have said (and i'm almost sure you did, too, some time back) Boris has cherry-picked which advice to cock an ear to.
Other PMs, however, may not have pulled dates out of the air, nor made such wild promises as "World beating track and trace."