Social collapse imminent?

[AdultHumanFemale]

DP and I have just been listening to R4 PM, and the unfolding conflict surrounding tiered regional restrictions. DP reckons we are potentially 6 weeks away from some degree of escalating social collapse in the UK, and should take precautions to insulate ourselves from the impact.
Prudent or unnecessary?
What measures might those of you who may be thinking along the same lines be taking?

yes defo think this is a bot. Stirring fear and discontent

Hmm, I think the Op is getting a hard time on this. We face a perfect storm at the moment; Brexit, Covid, climate change and environmental destruction. Something has to give. Poverty and homelessness are rising. Covid will push many many businesses under, increasing unemployment, poverty etc. People are afraid, and frightened people do not always act rationally.
If Manchester refuses to comply, the Govt has no choice but to MAKE them comply otherwise all restrictions are futile and civil disobedience rules. (I’m not blaming Manchester by the way. I’m in Scotland and am very sorely tempted to be civilly, or uncivilly, disobedient). But, to return to my point, HOW does the Govt make Manchester (or anywhere) comply? Asking hasn’t worked, advising hasn’t worked, instructing and ordering hasn’t worked. That leaves force.
We already have MACA processes in place (Military Aid to Civilian Authorities). Civil unrest was feared after a no-deal Brexit, thus there was Operation Yellowhammer was in place.
This stand off between Andy Burnham and the Govt has to be de-escalated, and quickly before it spreads. Sadly, it’s a lose lose situation whatever happens

I think there is definitely the possibility of civil unrest, protests and general shenanigans, yes.

Fucks sake I am so fucked off with all the bloody catastrophising. Heaven help us if we were hit with a virus with a high morbidity.

@maddiemookins16mum

Nope....it will be too cold, dark and wet for that kind of thing, we’ll all be in watching Strictly.

I know this is facetious but there is a genuine historical opinion that part of the reason why the UK has never had a violent civil uprising is partly because of our weather. Certainly the riots of August 2011 stopped when it started raining.

@SixesAndEights

At the start of lockdown supermarkets were stripped bare. For no real reason since supply chains hadn't been affected.

However at the beginning of January there's going to be some sort of disruption to the supply chains, so it's not unreasonable to suggest that there'll be some sort of unrest because supermarkets won't be fully supplied all the time and people will start to panic.

supermarkets weren't stripped bear here, [except for the prepper brexit basics], choice was more limited but food and ambient stuff was available. don't see january being that much different tbh.

@JamminDoughnuts

i saw a couple walk through the park at lunch time, both had a 9 pack of toilet rolls!

I believe you.

@pisspants

yes defo think this is a bot. Stirring fear and discontent

I believe you.

Thing is, OP, what measures can people realistically take? Some are getting in extra food because of Brexit. Am I supposed to be going out and buying a gun? Boarding up my windows? Getting my life savings out the bank and hiding them under my bed?

I think posts like this can cause vulnerable people severe issues with additional fear and anxiety. I don't think it's unlikely there will be protests and issues with people complying with new restrictions. But I'm not sure most Brits are the kind of people to storm the government and actually do harm to their fellow man. Most of us are pretty mild-mannered and nice.

I think we already have some form of social collapse in the UK. I personally know two people who have committed suicide because of the restrictions - they suffered from depression and the isolation imposed on them with furlough and redundancy and being prevented from going along to their usual social clubs and seeing their friends was undoubtedly the trigger. Its so sad.

A lot of social structures that have been established are already badly damaged, possibly beyond repair. I mainly know about sport, so in a country like Scotland, where much sport was banned all summer and many sports still are banned, its been particularly bad.

What has happened with park run is particularly sad. Its a free event, run every Saturday morning by volunteers, and the efforts taken to get people to volunteer and set it up are immense. But it hasn't run for many months now and there is no liklihood of resumption.

I did travel abroad to a European country in the summer and it was patently obvious that the restrictions were much more serious and liberty-disrupting when infection rates were low than here. The UK is going way over the top IMHO, I think we should concentrate on things such as mask wearing and social distancing rather than all this banning of healthy people meeting up and socialising.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if there was serious civil unrest if things get worse. Particularly if there is a shortage of food. People are already being pushed to breaking point. in a few months time, who knows where we will be.

Or at least in Scotland now we have the situation where competitive sport is for the elite only, certainly in running. There are a few races, but its by invitation only due to very limited numbers. Its been going on for so long now that its inevitable that there will be a lost generation of athletes, because there are key periods when youngster are recruited into different sports and open to forming the social bonds with fellow athletes that tend to keep them keen. As opposed to, for instance, developing an interest in gaming.

What has happened with park run is particularly sad. Its a free event, run every Saturday morning by volunteers, and the efforts taken to get people to volunteer and set it up are immense. But it hasn't run for many months now and there is no liklihood of resumption.

I don't know if our park is typical but the park runners are still going out for individual runs on Saturday mornings. Parkrun is one of the things I feel very confident will be back. I'm much more pessimistic about club sports and the arts.

We are in danger of disconnecting what we see on the internet (Mumsnet) with what we see on our 'high streets' (Couple with toilet rolls). Both are real but we - no you - do not join those dots up.

I am being serious when I say that Brexit, Covid and Boris are all empowered by Putin. He has it at the moment via our internet and this is a bigger challenge than lobsters, vaccines and north -v- south divides. All that pales into insignifance.

Winter of discontent definately especially with a PM who plays politics with people's lives. Take Liverpool and lancashire. One gets extra cash and allowed to keep gyms open and leisure centres in tier 3 the other also in tier 3 ( Liverpool) no extra cash and gyms and leisure centres made to close and Manchester where there are twice as many people Andy Burnham fighting for extra funds for businesses and workers and already been in lockdown for 3 months being accused of being political.
If Boris puts Manchester in tier 3 against their wishes and no extra cash then you will see civil unrest in the north and the north are plucky people. Then this shit about Brexit
Boris great at blaming EU but EU willing to carry on negotiations but Boris now told them it's all over and not to bother meeting next week. This country is in big trouble. Come January destitution starvation but don't worry the middle classes sitting at home wfh earning thousands are safely enclosed and will continue shopping online and travelling abroad bringing Covid with them while the poor disabled and elderly drop like flies. I never ever thought that this country could be ruined by such bad and un-honorable governance.

@ohidoliketobe

I'll admit, I smirked when I first read the OP. But. If a year ago you'd told me the state we'd be in now, that I'd be in a tier 3 lockdown, schools would have been shut from March to Sept, a whole country lockdown for all but essential work from March to June... I'd have pissed myself laughing. So I'm going to sit on the fence and say - actually, who bloody knows. Nothing would surprise me for 2020.

Yeah, one thing all this has taught me is that you should never assume "oh that will never ACTUALLY happen". Seemingly unlikely things really can happen. I used to laugh at the whole Trump/Kim thing and joke about a nuclear apocalypse... Now I'm a little more wary.

Having said that! Some people really do love to catastrophise and assume the worst. "Social collapse" (whatever that means) in the UK over whether or not to lockdown some regions or not is highly, highly unlikely, I would say.

Couldn't agree more Echobelly!

Is your DP Private Fraser?

Antonov, what COVID dimension do you think is powered by Putin? I've seen the recent suggestions about disinformation about chimp vaccines but most of the operational incompetence seems home grown.

I've got the street mafia mobilised and making petrol bombs in my garage as we speak.

DH and MIL are VERY smart individuals
Especially MIL who recently retired from an influential government role.

They’re saying similar OP.

We have a decent sized rural country home and are prepared should both parents/siblings and partners need to come here from the cities. We would have to repurpose the dining room and DH’s study but we would just about manage.

OMG I've only got 4 bog rolls left

May I suggest a fetching hysterical apocalyptic placard for you to wear in town centres whilst ringing a bell?

@ancientgran

Wrong time of year for riots, trust me the British don't like rioting in the rain or cold weather. If we have an unusually mild week they might.

I used to sort out policing for riots, first thing I did every morning was check the weather. This was the mid 80s.

There might be a mass outbreak of tutting and eye rolling.

No one will have the energy to riot coz we'll all be too hungry.