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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel awful for Boris

410 replies

YouDoYou18 · 15/04/2020 07:08

A few people I know have said some awful things like ‘it serves him right’

I didn’t vote conservative, and to be honest I’ve never been a big fan of BJ himself.. but Christ do I feel awful for the poor man.

He must have thought it was going to be relatively easy, brexit was almost over and we just had to get through the last little bit and then the world fell into one of the biggest disasters in recent history...

He’s got to balance trying to save a big percentage of the population with making sure they have an economy to return to when this is over, he’s got to pull unprecedented amounts of money from thin air to support everyone through this time, everyone thinks they can do a better job and then to top it off he catches the virus himself and ends up hospitalised!

He just can’t catch a break! Whether you like him or not surely I’m not being unreasonable in feeling pretty bad for the guy?

OP posts:
WiseUpJanetWeiss · 15/04/2020 21:56

@Seriouslyastounded

The same managers whose job it was to order in before this happened. There is more managers than doctors and nurses combined In the NHS but let’s let them off

No, you are completely wrong about this. The responsibility for pandemic preparedness lies with the government. The NHS is not given funds for stockpiling PPE. The government were aware following an exercise in 2016 that the U.K. did not have sufficient PPE but chose not to commission more.

As I said before, you clearly understand nothing about how the NHS is funded and organised.

CendrillonSings · 15/04/2020 21:58

I’m sure he can take the criticism on the chin.

Another lame “witticism”. The government has locked down the economy at unprecedented cost to shield the old and vulnerable, but somehow the intellectuals on here think that equates to “taking it on the chin”. Top tip - it doesn’t. No government since WW2 has voluntarily incurred this much economic damage to protect life.

lljkk · 15/04/2020 22:13

I can't understand blaming politicians for policies consistent with what they have always said they would support.

BJ doesn't have principles. He chose the policies that he thought would win him votes. the People voted for him & his policies. If this situation is a mess, the People chose the politicians that made it a mess. the People can take all responsibility for policy responses on the chin. the People wished everything that Tories have done onto themselves.

Peregrina · 15/04/2020 22:19

I am 100% sure that if lovable Boris, once some semblance of normality returns, fails to support the NHS and thereby loses the support of the general public, he will do an almighty screeching U-turn. His aim is to stay in power.

Which if it does end up with a properly funded NHS and care system will be fine by me.

KenDodd · 15/04/2020 22:26

Anyone heard what's happening with, big Tory donor, Dyson's ventilators?
I know Boris was very keen to have them over already built, approved and available ventilators.

CherryPavlova · 15/04/2020 22:28

Croney Donor Dyson hasn’t had his machines cleared for use. Huge investment for zero delivery. Propaganda without substance.

CherryPavlova · 15/04/2020 22:30

The same managers whose job it was to order in before this happened. There is more managers than doctors and nurses combined In the NHS but let’s let them off

Source? It’s twaddle, of course. Most managers are doctors and nurses. Procurement isn’t their decision to make.

HarryHarry · 15/04/2020 22:39

He has had nothing but breaks for his entire life.

He needs to be held to account for the shambles that is Brexit.

He needs to be held to account for dragging his feet for so long before taking action against the coronavirus, causing who knows how many preventable deaths.

He needs to be held to account for all the terrible decisions made by the party he represents that have made the lives of the ordinary people worse while enriching his friends in business.

I will save my sympathy for the people who deserve it.

Vanhi · 16/04/2020 09:45

No, you are completely wrong about this. The responsibility for pandemic preparedness lies with the government. The NHS is not given funds for stockpiling PPE. The government were aware following an exercise in 2016 that the U.K. did not have sufficient PPE but chose not to commission more.

Even without knowing this, it should be obvious that lack of PPE across an entire service is a systemic problem, not a management one. If some hospitals had adequate stocks and others didn't, you could consider management as a cause. But all hospitals and care homes are crying out for more PPE. That isn't a failure of management, that is something that goes much deeper. Something is wrong with the system if none of the managers can obtain what they need.

Moonmelodies · 16/04/2020 09:47

How much constitutes proper funding of the NHS? In £, s, and d? Does anyone know?

Peregrina · 16/04/2020 10:04

That's a bit of a how long is a piece of string question. All we can do really is look to countries of similar size and see how well they are funded and what the outcomes are.

The American system is expensive, but no one pretends that it's a universal health service.

Vanhi · 16/04/2020 10:13

It's also not just about how much money the NHS has but about social care as well. Part of the reason the NHS struggles is because there aren't adequate provisions for people who cannot live fully independently, but don't really require hospitalisation. However, they end up in hospitals because there aren't facilities for them in the wider community, thus upping the strain on the NHS.

We could consider a system like the French have where basic universal healthcare is free at the point of access, but more than that requires a separate individual insurance. It means that healthcare is available for all but also that there is more funding.

MerryDeath · 16/04/2020 12:27

GIVE ME STRENGTH

Peregrina · 16/04/2020 12:32

Why?

Proper debates about health care and how it links with social care are the discussions that need to be had. I would say that all elderly people I know who have gone into care homes have medical issues to some extent.

returnofthecat · 16/04/2020 12:39

I don't wish the man ill-health because as much as I disagree with his politics, he's still a human being, and he's still a father to various children etc.

However, it should be noted that he campaigned to divide this country, make immigrants feel unwelcome, and is currently leading a country that will collapse overnight if the immigrants go away. How many doctors, nurses and keyworkers are immigrants? How many of them are risking their lives every day for a country that Boris persuaded to hate them?

I feel increasingly angry that he has not apologised. It's all very well to do a little clap and talk about how wonderful the NHS is, but I honestly feel like he needs to make a public apology for everything he's done to break the NHS. People are literally dying because of him.

As part of this, I think he needs to give citizenship to all the key workers who have supported us in this crisis. And scrap the ridiculous application fees for them too. If you have risked everything for a country that doesn't even like you, the least you deserve is the rights of one of their citizens.

RibenaMonsoon · 16/04/2020 12:45

You'll never get a sensible answer here op. People are too blindsided by their own personal politics to be able to think in an unbiased manner.

This.

irregularegular · 16/04/2020 12:52

He just can’t catch a break!

This is hilarious! Boris Johnson's life has pretty much one long break as far as I can tell... (very recent events excepted)

I do think that being a senior member of government must be incredibly stressful right now though, however much you dislike and blame them. Particularly with Mr Johnson being out of action and clearly having intentionally constructed a government that cannot function well without him.

FliesandPies · 16/04/2020 14:47

I expect an enquiry will show that the Govt has been negligent. The lack of PPE has almost certainly resulted in unneccessary deaths. The unspeakable tragedy of a baby delivered by c section from their death mother.

But we're supposed to feel sorry for Boris Johnson? He sickens me.

TheLadyAnneNeville · 16/04/2020 14:51

@FliesandPies... agreed. I don’t feel any pity for BJ. Nor any of the Tories who have brought the country to this situation.

1forsorrow · 16/04/2020 14:59

There is more managers than doctors and nurses combined In the NHS but let’s let them off Rubbish, there are almost 500,000 nurses and doctors in the NHS, managers are about one tenth of that. How about HCAs, physios, radiographers, cleaners, cooks, etc, etc.

CendrillonSings · 16/04/2020 16:13

Nor any of the Tories who have brought the country to this situation.

Who knew that the Chinese Communist Party was full of Tories? They really do get everywhere Wink

PigletJohn · 16/04/2020 18:27

We should praise our Dear Leader for bravely going round a ward full of infectious people and shaking everybody's hand.

No surprise he got ill.

Does that make him a hero?

Port1aCastis · 16/04/2020 18:33

No PigletJohn it doesn't make him a hero it makes him a dim fucknugget !

Peregrina · 16/04/2020 18:59

Cendrillon - who knew that the Chinese Communist Party was running the UK?