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Original poster

Kay Burley

86 replies

littlequestion · 08/12/2020 11:34

So Kay Burley went to a Covid-safe restaurant, nipped to a different restaurant for the loo and then went back to her house with a few others.

To me, the issue was going back to her house with a group (in tier 2) but all the focus seems to be about going to the loo.

What rule did she go break about going to the toilet in a different restaurant? It doesn't mention a mask so I am assuming it's not that she failed to put a mask on?

Asking because I'd probably have done the same thing (also in tier 2) and can't see what the problem is.

OP posts:
merrygoround51 · 10/12/2020 09:43

They are human and it seems unfair, however Dominic Cummings can’t be hauled over the coals by the sky team when they don’t bother themselves

AlexaShutUp · 10/12/2020 09:45

There ought to be enough Brexit - related stuff to report on in the short-medium term at least.

Maybe they'll move her into a Brexit-focused role or something similar. I can't see how she can remain as a political editor if she isn't allowed to talk about covid.

I hope they keep her (and IR) but not sure how they'd justify sacking KB if the others are allowed to stay. I think they have to all go or all stay, don't they?

RandomUser18282 · 10/12/2020 09:46

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

AlexaShutUp · 10/12/2020 09:52

I don't think any of those involved can be allowed to talk about covid any more, that's for sure.

Andante57 · 10/12/2020 11:50

But they have a duty IMO to be SEEN to be doing the right things. And they must have known that going out on the piss all together was a risky manouver.

This. Also they gleefully haul politicians over the coals and so it seems daft to do the one thing they criticise others over.

Bluntness100 · 10/12/2020 11:57

I think this is an issue because there were so many of their key staff involved. It’s not that easy to replace them all.

I also don’t know what they were thinking.

To be honest, I don’t really have an issue with what they did as such, they can make their own decisions, I just think it was stupid, given their roles, to do it, and as such I question their judgement. Ultimately though they all need to be treated equally.

RandomUser18282 · 10/12/2020 11:58

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Bathroom12345 · 10/12/2020 12:25

Blunt - I agree. But as others have said, what on earth were they thinking. They are familar faces and someone will have spotted them. I wonder if the restaurant was only open for them and they thought they could get away with it.

If that wasnt the case then they are daft bints for thinking they wouldnt be caught. If I was sitting at a table with DH and they were next to me I would necessarily report them but I bet others would.

And as for going to two different places and then back to Burley's house. Are they actually that stupid that they didnt think they were going to be spotted? Taxi drivers, restaurant staff, family members of those who were attending, other people in the restaurant/restaurants, people in the street - so many people in on the secret. It was bound to get out

Frazzled2207 · 10/12/2020 14:15

there are pics of the said gathering now on the daily fail.

I'm just wondering if they were possibly clutching at straws and claiming it was a 'working' event which I think is technically allowed? Though at least one of them was not a sky employee.

stayhomeatchristmas · 10/12/2020 14:42

Pictures seem to be from waiting for cabs home. No photos of the inside of the venue(s) and private residence.
You are only allowed to gather inside for work if it is not feasible to meet anywhere else at all. As employees of Sky, they could all have met at Sky. That excuse holds no water.

Watercoloursky · 10/12/2020 17:42

Sky has ruled that Kay Burley's to be off air for the next 6 months, the Guardian is reporting... Beth Rigby and Inzamam Rashid for 3: www.theguardian.com/media/2020/dec/10/kay-burley-off-air-at-sky-news-for-six-months-over-covid-rule-breach

LucyLocketsPocket · 10/12/2020 17:55

Well done Sky News. Glad they've taken action.

LucyLocketsPocket · 10/12/2020 17:57

Can't believe Kay Burley is still claiming she thought she was being COVID-compliant.

She must surely know the rules!!

Redcrayons · 10/12/2020 18:00

I wondered about why she was apologizing for using the toilet in another place when she was breaking the mixing indoors rules.

6 months is a long suspension. Wonder if that’s paid?

stayhomeatchristmas · 10/12/2020 18:22

I hope they take her name off the programme - this morning I briefly watched for 5 mins (it was dominic raab and I just couldn't stand it) and Stephen Dixon was doing her show with #KayBurley on the corner of the screen continuously. He is a big enough name and presence not to be subbing for someone else under the other person's name. Ditto Gillian Joseph and the others.

Violetparis · 10/12/2020 18:32

I like Beth Rigby but she and the others have behaved arrogantly and foolishly. Their credibility in holding politicians to account on covid rules/tiers has been lost.

IcedPurple · 10/12/2020 18:32

@Redcrayons

I wondered about why she was apologizing for using the toilet in another place when she was breaking the mixing indoors rules. 6 months is a long suspension. Wonder if that’s paid?
It says she has 'agreed to be off air' so I'm betting that she and her colleagues will be fully paid. So more like a paid holiday then! Nice work if you can get it.
Bathroom12345 · 10/12/2020 19:36

This is her Gerald Ratner moment. I wonder what she is thinking now? She has dragged others in but presumably they knew what they were doing too so could have said no to the invite.

I don’t think we will see her back in her previous role. Can you imagine her giving a politician a hard time over the rules now.

stayhomeatchristmas · 10/12/2020 19:46

'period of reflection' - making it sound like a sabbatical or a leave of absence for personal reasons, rather than a punishment for behaving badly.

Bathroom12345 · 10/12/2020 19:52

Did they really sit outside during their dinner? Must have been freezing...

TokyoSushi · 10/12/2020 19:54

I'm a big Sky News fan but I can't say I'm massively surprised. Beth Rigby is a big Instagram poster and they went on a girls trip to France in the summer around the time France was very likely to have a quarantine upon return. As far as I can see, they both went anyway and subsequently had to isolate for 2 weeks when they got back so I suspect that was already a black mark.

Not RTFT but I couldn't figure out what a 'COVID compliant' restaurant was, as far as I can see you can't mix Households indoors, and thats it. They might have been outside, but it seems unlikely.

It was reported earlier in the week that Samantha Washington was there as well, but she doesn't seem to have been sanctioned so perhaps that's not true.

It's a headace for Sky though as Kay Burley & Beth Rigby are two of their key presenters. Beth is Chief Political editor too, and it's not like there's much going on in that department at the moment... I wonder if she'll keep that job? Or if they'll promote Sam Coates (he's not my favourite) and bring in Kate McCann as deputy, she's young but fabulous!

TokyoSushi · 10/12/2020 20:00

Twitter seems to think they're all off on full pay! Nice work if you can get or!

Violetparis · 10/12/2020 21:21

I really like Kate McCann too.

havemybreakfastthen · 10/12/2020 21:39

I dislike them both as they are too arrogant. Their behaviour now has proved they are also hypocritical.
Suspension is good, although I think they deserve to be sacked.

chomalungma · 10/12/2020 21:52

I still am not clear about what she did.

She thought she was at a Covid compliant restaurant - so did it have an outside seating place where they ate?

She went to the toilet in another restaurant - not really an issue.

She went back home with several friends - no excuse here.

The reporting on exactly she did wrong has been quite quiet - and her tweets haven't been too clear.

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