Simon Dolan seeking judicial Review of government’s lockdown - AIBU to think he is a selfish pr**k?

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A multi-millionaire is taking the government to court to challenge the lockdown restrictions. He is seeking judicial review of the decision to enforce lockdown.

Fair enough if he wanted to use his own multi-millions to find this. But no, he is actually crowdfunding. He is seeking to raise £125,000 from the public. At a time when he himself has already acknowledged the suffering economy.

AIBU to think this is total selfishness and that he is just another white, rich privileged man thinking he can play the hero and save us all when all the while he is only out for himself?

😡

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/law/2020/may/01/uk-government-faces-legal-challenge-coronavirus-lockdown-businessman-simon-dolan

www.crowdjustice.com/case/lockdownlegalchallenge/

Shades of Gina Miller

Agree with a PP that his skin colour is irrelevant.... Except that it could possibly be argued his actions are indirectly racist. Since it is the BAME communities in the UK that are being most affected by Covid and therefore ending lockdown would disproportionately impact them.

Breathtaking hypocrisy. Challenging the limited protections our half-hearted lockdown provides - from the safety of strictly locked-down Monaco.

One of the worst things about what he's doing is the terrible cost to the UK taxpayer. At a time when we need that money for far more pressing things. Supporting the fragile economy through the pandemic, helping small businesses, paying for furlough, NHS, keeping people from destitution, helping abuse victims, MH care, help for disabled children (and adults) and their families, and so on.

YANBU.

The way he's speaking, he's trying to bully the government into doing what he wants.

I think he's one of a lot of rich businessmen who object to being unable to make money. I don't believe he's acting in anything other than self interest.

I can't speak for the OP. But I think sex and race (and social class) are interesting because rich, white men aren't known for their championing of human rights generally. They are generally known for their utter contempt for the rights of the poor, female, people of colour doing the actual work to make them rich.

Maybe he's an exception though. Elon Musk's Tesla has been named in child mining human rights issues though. And he's ranting away about freedom.

It’s not really lockdown in this country though. I’m still working in a non essential role and going out on numerous walks a day which is allowed. They’ve just shut some shops

Yeah. I'm afraid you lost my interest in your argument when you mentioned his colour.

Good for him

His colour's relevant because BAME communities are being disproportionately affected by Covid. Therefore they will suffer more than others if there's a premature end to lockdown - with the consequent second wave that would bring about.

I expect he was thinking of this before it became known that BAME communities were disproportionately affected. I’d hope that people wouldn’t try and claim he’s racist for that reason.

I think his race is less important than his money and the fact he is removed from the issues facing everyone in the UK (both through money and location).

I think it's frustrating to waste government resources at this time. There is scrutiny of the government, we don't need a random wealthy person to do it for his own reasons.

I'm horrified if any country has deemed this a breach of human rights. If we were in a blitz, would we claim it breached our human rights to have enforced blackouts? The government has to be able to enforce rules that keep the population safe.

Nails well now he knows the affect on BAME communities he'd be making an informed (indirectly racist) choice to continue.

The right to life is the most basic human right.

I disagree that he’d be making a racist choice to continue. He’s not campaigning for people to die ffs.

I don't think he's selfish, the government should be able to prove quite easily that they enacted lock down as a proportionate means to a legitimate aim. This is curtailing our freedom and I absolutely think the government should be able to provide evidence that this is supported and held to account - good on him. It says the action is supported financially up to a court case so if they provide a satisfactory answer they won't need the additional finance. I agree the Government does need to be held to account.

I'm against it because of the cost to the UK tax payer.

I'm for it because we don't know what's coming next and restrictions on the over 50's, but certainly on the over 70's have been bandied about.

We need clear medical evidence before we are forced into masks and we need our public transport putting back to normal, right now. I had to get a bus today, was once again unable to go upstairs because of carrying shopping and it was packed.

You can't avoid supermarket staff, they are often unnecessarily flitting about. Yet people are being warned because they've dtiven to wish their Parents/GPs a happy birthday from a distance. Thugs can congregate and be ignored by the police, two pensioners sitting on a bench are threatened with arrest. The children handed fines should get compensation and heads should roll for it.

We need the government to get their shit together and their nodding dog Chris Whitty to not just support the government's rhetoric.

I just wanted to say after reading the comments, that I did not mean any racism by referring to him as another white rich man - this was merely to emphasize his privilege, (because white rich men are generally far more privileged) against the backdrop of those who are less privileged- either due to corona virus or otherwise.

Is it much different from what Gina Miller did? Theresa May wanted to use Henry VIII powers to push through Brexit and Miller's court cases meant that the government had to go through Parliament. I think it was right that it had to go through Parliament.

The Government curtailed people's freedom and it's not terrible that they may have to justify the extent of it.

I think if you really want to go and see your family, go outside more than once.... you absolutely can

Although I am all for governments being held to account, the other side of this is forcing people out when they may not feel ready too and is is not in a way just asking people to go out and spend money?

If he was really concerned about the human rights implications of lockdown, he would be contesting it in the tax haven of Monaco, where he lives.

The fact that he's taking the UK government to court instead, shows he's just bothered that while in lockdown, we're not funding his businesses.

OP yanbu. He's the epitome of selfishness.

I was about to say the same about Gina Miller. Apparently that was ok??

Could she have afforded the legal costs herself?

What I don't understand about Gina Miller is why an individual member of the public had to be the drive to achieve that.

Don't we have public sector legal bodies that work exactly in this area ensuring that Government adheres to the rules? Shouldn't it have been a matter of course?

Regarding the current case, surely the time for raising human rights regarding measures is later, when it appears we are out of the danger zone and if our government then delays opening up or doesn't stick to its confirmed plan and there is no obvious good reason (ie- the scientists say it is OK to open up).

This strikes me as an anti Government attack for the sake of being anti Government rather than anything else.

It would be interesting to know if he is attacked as Gina Miller was. He's causing the same unrest as she did. I wonder if people will threaten to rape and kill him?

I bet the government would be mightily relieved for the courts to take the decision making process away from them.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were behind this. As things stand, they are terrified to make any decision.

Again. He doesn't live in the UK. He lives in Monaco but is not challenging the lockdown there, just here where his businesses are registered.

He doesn't care about our rights, or our safety. He wants us out of lockdown, so the economy will grow and he can make money off his investments.