To think we are being lined up for something?

I worked in medical supplies/food and the higher ups knew well before COVID became a crises and already had a script and plan.
Preparedness and continuity planning is sensible policy. It isn't evidence of conspiracy. Planning for something that might happen isn't the same as planning to make it happen.

I agree. It is really siilly people the still think those in the their ivory towers are oblivious to what is set to happen especially after 2020 that should have woken up the world.
I worked in medical supplies/food and the higher ups knew well before COVID became a crises and already had a script and plan.

@MibsXX

"The only shop near me for miles charges 1.45 for a box of matches.....I have to feed 3 of us on 14 a week, often less. So yes, even a box of matches that MIGHT be needed ( but with no candles and a possibly useless electric cooker what would matches be of use for) versus food that IS needed now"

Exactly. Folk with a comfortable income just don't get it do they. I remember sitting with my ex's family once and his Mum was talking about her childhood. She mentioned they used jars to drink out of as they couldn't afford glasses. His cousin said something like "it makes you think doesn't it, how much better off we are these days. Nobody's drinking out of jam jars now." Meanwhile guess what the kids and I were using as glasses at home 🤣 and we didn't have curtains downstairs yet either 😅

I mean I literally can’t see how the country could get any worse at this point, bar a war. UK is an embarrassment

https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Global%20Trends/foodbp0107.pdf

🤣 If anyone gets in other than the Tories things will improve. Labour are also shit but they would start fixing some of the things the Tories have (deliberately, to make themselves richer) broken.

Some of this may be to seek to avoid financial shocks if there is intl disruption.

Food supply lines and the issues of modern supermarkets have been studied for at least a decade (see some of the events/reports from Chatham House).

I am amazed people are heavily landscaping gardens/in some cases putting down plastic lawns. We are self sufficient in berries and (for half the year) apples. The UK imports almost all its required fruit. We also grow tomatoes and some other veg over the summer. Not preppers and we obviously cannot live off this, but good to avoid pesticides in these items, avoid ridiculous plastic packaging and makes for a nice garden with blossom, bumble bees and butterflies. It is also interesting for DC to see food growing. I think there should be some encouragement to put in a fruit tree or two space permitting, plus awareness of the ease/low space requirement to grow things like tomatoes and herbs (again, a ridiculous amount of plastic for plants that are easy to grow in minimal space). Community gardens could be a requirement in some areas. With secure chicken coops for both eggs and to use up food waste, if welfare could be assured.

"In 2020, the UK depended for about 44% on the import of vegetables. For fruits this was even close to 84%. Even for some of the main products that the UK produces, the import volume is relatively high." https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/fresh-fruit-vegetables/united-kingdom/market-potential#:~:text=The%20current%20labour%20shortages%20make,import%20volume%20is%20relatively%20high.

@BlackFriYay

"Ha that's exactly what I thought when I saw the "should I feel guilty for receiving a large amount of universal credit" thread the other week, with the OP rustling everybody's feathers going on about how she receives thousands.

I thought to myself, it's very convenient timing to start pissing off a forum with a sizable % of middle class users. That's one way to temp somebody to vote Tory."

It's BS as well; nobody receives thousands in UC.

I used to work in vaccine development, so it is people like me you are accusing.
What are you accusing me and people like me of? Please, be specific.

I think it’s highly likely we could be.

Im just not sure exactly what.

Oh ffs this is how panic buying etc starts, like we need more idiots stockpiling shit!!

What items are being over ordered? Give us a heads up so we can all go and panic buy and Fill our lofts, sheds and garages with pasta and toilet roll 😂😂

Oh course there is, but when you can name it it’s something that can be tackled, when you’re including men in the definition of women, how do you even define misogyny, let alone tackle it?

Because they have no backbone, they like poncing about with ideologies best suited to the 6th form
commom room??

@RickyGervaislovesdogs Sorry 🤣🫣

Thanks. Got what we needed from the foodbank, kids didn't go hungry (just missed out on their usual Friday movie night treats) and off to their Dad's now till Monday. £21 of club card vouchers came in the post this morning so if I'm wrong about a benefit payment on Mon that'll feed us that evening and then the food bank's open again on Tuesday. Only a week left of this month, should get through it fine and then on the 1st I can do normal supermarket shops again.

Husband works in IT - been lots of talk about increased cyber-threats lately and potential power cuts.

Yes, it's a conspiracy theory because you can't make a vaccine for an illness that doesn't exist yet.

they are doing it in July to hope for low turn out when people go on holiday.

It takes 2 minutes to apply for a postal vote so I really can't see this.

Border controls are tightening on food from October. I work in supply chain. It’s going to be a nightmare. I think that’s what they’re preparing for.

It’s a Major issue

Another virus is on the way? I’ve read ‘they’re’ making a new vaccine for the next big one. Conspiracy theory? I’ve no idea🤔

Prepare.campaign.gov.uk. ie govn website.

Nothing new though this is to prepare for risks
flooding,
cyber
etc.

We should be on a war footing, because we should be supporting Ukraine more and that’s what it requires. They’re fighting our fight for us but be under no illusions, Putin has aspirations far beyond Ukraine. We should be ramping up our military industrial capacity, giving them what they need and being prepared for other eventualities.

Linked to that we’ve had to wean ourselves off from Russian gas and Oil and that’s put pressure on the economy but it’s the right thing to do.

Equally the Middle East has led to increased shipping and other costs.

China are buying up gold stocks at an unprecedented rate, aiming it’s likely to become the Global South’s reserve currency and that’ll impact too, as would any blockade or invasion of Taiwan.

There are a multitude of interconnected global issues that mean it makes sense for supermarkets, and other industries, to undertake abnormal levels of preparedness.

And all of that comes alongside climate change and Covid hangovers.

I’ve got emergency procedures for our home in place and the kids know what to do the second all the phones start howling.
I keep enough food rotating for three weeks or more and we have alternative means of fuel.
I’m not a prepper and don’t have a basement full of food or anything like that but if there for some reason is a collapse of some sort, we are prepared but more than that, if I’m at work I’m unlikely to be able to get home easily as I work in the middle of London so it’s important that my children know how to behave and react if shit does indeed hit the fan.