to think Keir Starmer just wants to tell Boris Johnson to fuck off

[chomalungma]

I know it wouldn't be professional. But in Parliament, Boris gets to give his statement, Keir replied to it - and Boris then attacked that reply and the Labour party.

Keir isn't allowed to reply to that. He just has to sit there whilst Boris gets to make more replies.

I think Keir just wants to wipe that smug grin off Boris's face and tell him what he thinks of the reply Boris gave. But he can't.

I think Johnson will protest he wants to 'spend more time with the family' and bog off into media land. He's not up to the job, never has been, and useful idiot is the only role he can perform (though I don't think that was intended. The Tories really put him up as PM as the best they had - beggars belief what the rest must be like.

@LovelyLovelyMe

But what would Keir Starmer-or anyone-do that would be better?

It seems that no-body anywhere in the world knows the best way forward-so depressing.

This is true. It's not just Boris, not just the UK. Worldwide, there are leaders really struggling. I don't think any country has found a solution. If they had, all the others would be following their lead.

But what would Keir Starmer-or anyone-do that would be better?

I think looking back, a half-competent leader might have:

• cancelled Cheltenham?
• locked down faster?
• not come out of lockdown on London numbers aline?
• not given loads of cash to dodgy PPE providers?
• not given £12billion to private companies with no track record in public health?
• not told the whole country that what Cummings did was A-OK?
• not encouraged 'bustle' and 'eat out to spread the virus'?
• worked with teaching unions to make school openings more effective?
• not been a big bumbling, bluffing, joke?

Any of those would have helped.

Looking forwards, sort out test and trace by ditching serco, sort out wages lost due to isolating and TELL THE TRUTH. That'd be a good start.

@Aquarius15

Bet Keir would take him out in a fight

I imagine quite a few people want to tell that cunt to fuck off.

I don't think any country has found a solution

Well, apart from NZ, Germany, S Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Greece.... I am loathe to add China due to the fact the are totalitarian but the testing efforts do warrant consideration.

There are loads of examples of countries that haven't fucked up as much.

Don't we all.

In some ways it doesn't matter if Keir gave exactly the same guidance to the public as Johnson if he proved to be trustworthy. If a population trusts the government they are more likely to follow the guidance so the results will be better.

You missed discharging people into care homes en masse without testing them @PracticingPerson. That was a shocker.

I am loathe to add China due to the fact the are totalitarian
You might consider that the “right” thing to say, but in fact the vast majority of people in China are delighted with their government.
When they look at the US by contrast they see the economy tanking, 200,000+ dead, a lunatic president, race riots, etc. They are perfectly happy with the West doing its thing and China doing its thing.

@VinylDetective

You missed discharging people into care homes en masse without testing them *@PracticingPerson*. That was a shocker.

Spot on!

@Cam77

I am loathe to add China due to the fact the are totalitarian You might consider that the “right” thing to say, but in fact the vast majority of people in China are delighted with their government. When they look at the US by contrast they see the economy tanking, 200,000+ dead, a lunatic president, race riots, etc. They are perfectly happy with the West doing its thing and China doing its thing.

I don't consider it the 'right' thing to say, I consider it the right thing to say.

I am loathe to add China to any positive list as they are totalitarian.

@VinylDetective

You missed discharging people into care homes en masse without testing them *@PracticingPerson*. That was a shocker.

Of course - how did I miss that

Remember this is all still to come thanks to the Tory Party:
(Report, Sep 23rd)
“The economic cost of a no-deal Brexit is likely to be two or three times as bad as the impact of Covid, a report has concluded.

Analysis by the London School of Economics and UK in a Changing Europe says “a no-deal Brexit would represent a further major shock to a UK economy” with a “major set of changes” to the economic relationship with the country’s largest trading partner.

“Our modelling with LSE of the impact of a no-deal Brexit suggests that the total cost to the UK economy over the longer term will be two to three times as large as that implied by the Bank of England’s forecast for the impact of Covid-19,” says the report.

LSE modelling puts the long-term economic hit from a no-deal Brexit at 8% of GDP, similar to that of the government’s own forecast in 2018 of 7.6%, which amounts to £160bn in today’s money, or £2,400 per person.”

I am waiting for Starmer to leap over the despatch box and do something like this with Johnson and Hancock.

To be fair, Johnson is very competent by the only measure that matters: lining as many of his cronies pockets as possible.

I think everyone wants to tell Boris to fuck off. Even my mother wants to tell Boris to fuck off and she’s the very definition of a Conservative, middle England, Daily Fail reading, Brexit voting (yes, I know) Tory voter. She doesn’t trust him as far as she could throw him, and she’s freakishly strong.

Its not as if KS as articulated any detailed alternative though, and I say this as a Labour voter

I thought the same.
I didnt vote Tory. I had some sympathy at the start as it was a completely new and overwhelming situation (sadly it still is overwhelming) but after the gas lighting about DC and test and trace , they have lost any trace of sympathy.
However, much as KS says the PM has lost control of the virus, its deafening how he hasnt said what he would do differently NOW. We can go back to Cheltenham and crufts etc but no one can change that. what would Labour (or anyone else) suggest doing differently and pay for right now to turn the tide or regain control....?

" what would Labour (or anyone else) suggest doing differently"

Not running track and trace off a spreadsheet would be a start.

Its not as if KS as articulated any detailed alternative though, and I say this as a Labour voter

I think they've laid out some basic things actually:

• decent sick pay
• extend furlough for specific sectors
• no evictions
• local NHS/council teams in charge of test and trace
• Nightingale schools to get extra space
• introduce proper quarantine

The real question is why the fuck the government hasn't already done most of this?

@PracticingPerson
Fair enough, that’s a fairly blinkered approach though. The US is perpetually at war, has a gigantic per capita carbon footprint which is literally destroying the planet, a staggering prison population, etc ... Still plenty to applaud though.

@PracticingPerson & @VinylDetective - I agree with both of you.

[quote Cam77]@PracticingPerson
Fair enough, that’s a fairly blinkered approach though. The US is perpetually at war, has a gigantic per capita carbon footprint which is literally destroying the planet, a staggering prison population, etc ... Still plenty to applaud though.[/quote]
I don't think being opposed to totalitarianism is blinkered

At no point have I said anything about the US.

But China's response to covid has been effective in part because their citizens have no rights.

It must just be frustrating for any MP in Parliament.

Boris Johnson leads the debate - or the statement. People reply to it - then Boris gives his answer - and they can't reply back.

Imagine being on AIBU. Someone says something. A question is asked, the person then replies with lies, misleads, attacks and criticism - and the person asking the question doesn't get to respond.

@PracticingPerson

Its not as if KS as articulated any detailed alternative though, and I say this as a Labour voter

I think they've laid out some basic things actually:

• decent sick pay
• extend furlough for specific sectors
• no evictions
• local NHS/council teams in charge of test and trace
• Nightingale schools to get extra space
• introduce proper quarantine

The real question is why the fuck the government hasn't already done most of this?

And when Keir mentions this - he gets told by Boris he should be supporting NHS Test and Trace and shouldn't criticise the Government.

And when the Government does change its mind and introduces them, Johnson says that Labour have no ideas.

If it was MN, the person would be posting previous threads pointing out what they said with quotes.