To think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator?

[LittleLapwing]

Half the shops covered in plastic. Can’t buy clothes, duvets, books, DVDs, tins but not tin openers.
All the Halloween and bonfire night stuff that’s just been stocked is behind a cordon. Presumably now destined for landfill.

Autumn half term after a shitty year and I can’t even do a few seasonal treats for the kids.

AIBU to think that Mark Drakeford is a power mad dictator, and that his ridiculous game of Covid oneupmanship with Nicola and Boris needs to stop!?

Shut all the places in Central Scotland I mean, not every region is affected.

Surely all the Halloween/bonfire products will only be rolled out again next year.

They've already said that with regards to students. It's on 14 days isolation - it's fine for them to be locked up in their tiny rooms.

It's not fine in my book. Far from it.

It isn't just so called frivolous shit that is the issue. Clothing, bedding and other household items can be pretty essential like bloody lightbulbs.

You can still buy lightbulbs.

[quote RoxytheRexy]@Burnout101Well a pumpkin and cream tea isn’t a great substitute for birthday cards and some drawing paper but thanks for the tip[/quote]
I was referring to the 'bits for tea' you needed and someone else mentioning getting a pumpkin for Halloween, just throwing out that there's many businesses offering delivery on there, I also mentioned I wasn't trawling through to do all your specific shopping for you.

So a bookshop has to close to stop spreading covid but then all the people that would have gone there for books should be able go congregate in Tesco's book aisle and magically not spread covid there?

Imo no shops should be closed at all!

They've told supermarkets to stop selling non essentials because it's not fair on the shops that have had to close. Shite all to do with spreading covid.

MD’s thinking was, if one sector is disadvantaged, instead of helping them to recover we should pull everyone else down to their level

Hmmm this is a bit of a left wing Labour thing isn't it - we drag everyone down to the same level. A bit like the argument around "not every child has a computer at home so we can't do online lessons". We drag everyone down to the lowest common denominator.

It's a good job that the likes of Schindler didn't think "oh I can only save a few Jews so I won't save any of them because it's not fair on the ones I can't save".

Ridiculous argument for MD to run.

[quote JesusInTheCabbageVan]**@JesusInTheCabbageVan why are you assuming wilko, homebargains etc. will be able to stock these items if supermarkets can't?

Because they just said so.[/quote]
a)They didn't "just" say so - that article is 4 days old. 4 days ago asda, tesco etc. weren't blocking off their stationery and homeware aisles either - that's why they are complaining because they had hardly any notice.

b) It doesn't confirm they are selling non-essentials, just that they are open. Even that article says ""From groceries to household cleaning, over 70 per cent of what we sell are the everyday essentials our customers need." Same applies to the supermarkets - thus suggesting poundland etc. will ALSO have to block off the non essential (other 30%) aisles

@TrustTheGeneGenie

So a bookshop has to close to stop spreading covid but then all the people that would have gone there for books should be able go congregate in Tesco's book aisle and magically not spread covid there?

Imo no shops should be closed at all!

They've told supermarkets to stop selling non essentials because it's not fair on the shops that have had to close. Shite all to do with spreading covid.

So just why did those shops have to close? (whether you agree with the reason or not)

They ought to tell the supermarkets then because I've seen pics of the lightbulbs closed off. Little wonder that there's so much confusion if they aren't able to specify exactly what constitutes a "non-essential".

So just why did those shops have to close?

Because lockdown, obvs. But that's not why the supermarkets have to stop selling non essentials.

I do think calling a democratically elected leader a dictator is ridiculous

There are levels of dictatorship. It's not like pregnancy, where you can't be a "little bit" pregnant. You can have levels of dictatorship. Yes Mark D is at the less offensive end, but he's not behaving like a democratically elected leader and he doesn't like being challenged.

I do think calling a democratically elected leader a dictator is ridiculous

But he isn't. He's never faced the Welsh electorate as FM.

And yes - he is behaving as a dictator so if the cap fits.

Different shops have different definitions of essentials so some have lightbulbs on sale, others don’t. I probably could go around the supermarkets and find a pumpkin but it completely defeats the object of a lockdown if I do that so I won’t. And no. I can’t get a single pumpkin delivered! I don’t know anywhere local delivering cards and I’m in Cardiff.

I don't know whether the supermarkets have the storage space for that, but I would guess not, given the nature of modern supply chains.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

So just why did those shops have to close?

Because lockdown, obvs. But that's not why the supermarkets have to stop selling non essentials.

Which leads us full circle to why a bookshop has to shut to stop covid spread but that covid then wouldn't be spread in the book aisle of a supermarket instead???

I really give up, logic has no chance if it means people can't buy kettles in Asda apparently!

It's a good job that the likes of Schindler didn't think "oh I can only save a few Jews so I won't save any of them because it's not fair on the ones I can't save"

Godwin's! Do I win?

There are indeed levels of dictatorship, I don't know why people leap straight to Hitler and Stalin.
I lived in Gulf country for a year. The obscure, petty, arbitrary and ever changing rules would have gladden Drakeford's heart.

The bottom line is we're not supposed to leave the house unless for essential reasons. If something is available on line then it's not essential to leave your house to get it, is it?

Do online packages magic themselves onto people's doorsteps? Or is there a logistics chain that means more uneccessary actions, contact with people through the process than just picking something up when you've gone out for food anyway

Hitler was originally appointed by democratic means.

Some of the responses here are classic Mumsnet. "Who doesn't have spare bedding/a travel hairdryer/plenty of spare pairs of shoes for the children? Who hasn't already bought all the children's winter clothes by the end of the summer?" Total lack of understanding of other people's circumstances.

Which leads us full circle to why a bookshop has to shut to stop covid spread but that covid then wouldn't be spread in the book aisle of a supermarket instead???

People are in the shop anyway, retail hasn't been shown to be a big spreader, and yes, local shops should also be allowed to remain open because it's ridiculous, but as they aren't, it's better people can access stuff in a store than further line Amazon's pockets.

@110APiccadilly

I don't know whether the supermarkets have the storage space for that, but I would guess not, given the nature of modern supply chains.

This was in reply to flowerbombVR.

Totally disgusted ! It’s corrupt and history will not go well with him

The whole point of this is to keep people away from each other for two weeks. We all know that if the clothes section is open in Asda then people will go there to shop - so many people push the rules as far as they can that you can't just ask people to comply because they don't!
If fireworks are available to buy then people will organise gatherings!!!
I would rather have a strict lockdown for a short period now and have a hope of meeting up at Christmas.
Just get on with making the best of the next few weeks. (and I say that as someone who is stuck at home with a severely autistic teenager!)