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!?

@justchecking1

* No one is stopping to think about whether they should be doing these things or whether it's in the spirit of the message of lockdown

In the spirit of lockdown fuck me!*

What? Why is that funny?

Everyone seems to have lost their minds over their human rights to buy a kettle being removed.

I've only ever owned 2 kettle's in my entire life, so the chance of suddenly needing one in the next 2 weeks is remote, and I've bought both of them on line anyway. Change to my behaviour pattern due to MDs rules: zero, but why let that get in the way of a good rant about my rights.

There's a pandemic, things obviously need to be different. No one likes it, but that's the way is it.

The fact that people are so unbelievably rigid in their thinking that they can't come up with a makeshift solution that doesn't involve going to a shop for the next 2 weeks is really worrying

Oh bore off. Spirit of lockdown. Jesus Christ anyone would think you're enjoying this. I could last for two weeks but this won't be two weeks don't kid yourself. Equally they've brought this rule in for a reason unrelated to covid. They're restricting you because they can, not because there is a good reason to and that's what I take issue with.

Is there evidence for this? Why would the people who go to Tesco for an afternoon out stop going because they are not selling non essentials? wouldn't they just go for an afternoon out for essentials?

Browsing the milk aisle is probably considerably less appealing than the clothes aisle though, if you don't actually need anything and were just looking for something to do

But it’s not to stop the spread of the virus.

“First Minister Mark Drakeford has said supermarkets should also stop selling items such as clothes as a matter of "fairness" until 9 November.”

But how is being able to shop online fair to small businesses? It makes no sense when you can’t buy in Tesco but you can order from Amazon!

Not on subject but can I remind people that stationery has an e for envelopes. With an a it means not moving.

Oh bore off. Spirit of lockdown. Jesus Christ anyone would think you're enjoying this. I could last for two weeks but this won't be two weeks don't kid yourself. Equally they've brought this rule in for a reason unrelated to covid. They're restricting you because they can, not because there is a good reason to and that's what I take issue with.

I'm a doctor in a very busy hospital. Really, really not enjoying this...

I think it will be 2 weeks this time. I also think there will be several other sets of 2 weeks in the future. Hopefully people will have armed themselves with spare kettles by the next one so won't need to worry so much.

@justchecking1

Well, the people still going out to work will need coats, shoes, etc.

It's been pissing down in Wales for weeks, I imagine most already have them.

Those that don't have a week to order on line.

Again, not really a huge issue?

So you can't imagine a situation where someone would have one pair of shoes, which might then get a hole in?

Hopefully people will have armed themselves with spare kettles by the next one so won't need to worry so much.

On your wage yes you probably can, who the fuck has spare kettles just in case, it's crazy people think that's the more rational solution.

@thevassal Annoyingly DH has just got back from the big shop so it's too late for me to ask him to pop his head in Wilko. Though I suspect it wouldn't have gone down too well anyway if I'd told him it was to win a debate on MN.

All of Wilko stayed open during the last lockdown, when all the non essential shops were shut and clothing aisles were roped off in supermarkets. I know they seem to be going further with this one so it could be different... but if you tried to rope off everything non-essential in Wilko you'd be left with very little. So I'm assuming for now till I can invent an excuse to send DH back out.

@justchecking1

Oh bore off. Spirit of lockdown. Jesus Christ anyone would think you're enjoying this. I could last for two weeks but this won't be two weeks don't kid yourself. Equally they've brought this rule in for a reason unrelated to covid. They're restricting you because they can, not because there is a good reason to and that's what I take issue with.

I'm a doctor in a very busy hospital. Really, really not enjoying this...

I think it will be 2 weeks this time. I also think there will be several other sets of 2 weeks in the future. Hopefully people will have armed themselves with spare kettles by the next one so won't need to worry so much.

I'm surprised as a doctor you don't realise how pointless this is.

Who buys spare kettles ffs this is exactly the issue.

But how is being able to shop online fair to small businesses? It makes no sense when you can’t buy in Tesco but you can order from Amazon!

Because it levels the playing field. There will always be people who shop on line, whether the shops are open or not.

For those who prefer to shop in store, why should they only be allowed to buy their items in Tesco and not in the little independent stores? It's not fair on the independents that have had to close

@justchecking1

But how is being able to shop online fair to small businesses? It makes no sense when you can’t buy in Tesco but you can order from Amazon!

Because it levels the playing field. There will always be people who shop on line, whether the shops are open or not.

For those who prefer to shop in store, why should they only be allowed to buy their items in Tesco and not in the little independent stores? It's not fair on the independents that have had to close

It doesn't level the playing field. Small shops gain nothing by stopping supermarkets selling stuff. The only winner is Amazon.

Oh for gods sake ... its only 2 weeks! People had 5 days notice. God knows how people like you would have managed in the war. He has done it to level the playing field for small businesses. He is about as far from a power hungry dictator as you can get!
Suck it up for another 14 days 😡

@justchecking1 I would find more joy browsing the sweet section than I would in the F&F bit.

So you can't imagine a situation where someone would have one pair of shoes, which might then get a hole in?

That they absolutely had to replace right this minute and couldn't wait for an online delivery? If they were going out to the shop in the holely shoes, I imagine they could suffer wearing them another 24 hours whilst their delivery arrived?

@Funkypolar

But it’s not to stop the spread of the virus.

“First Minister Mark Drakeford has said supermarkets should also stop selling items such as clothes as a matter of "fairness" until 9 November.”

But how is being able to shop online fair to small businesses? It makes no sense when you can’t buy in Tesco but you can order from Amazon!

Closing of all non-essential shops is to stop the spread of the virus.

Preventing the big supermarkets which are still allowed to be open from profiteering off the sudden market advantage that they have is a matter of fairness.

Being able to shop online is the same whether the small businesses are open or closed. If you prefer to shop online, you will do so regardless. Pushing some of Tesco's profits towards Amazon has zero effect on small businesses.

Hope this helps clarify.

@Tootyfilou

Oh for gods sake ... its only 2 weeks! People had 5 days notice. God knows how people like you would have managed in the war. He has done it to level the playing field for small businesses. He is about as far from a power hungry dictator as you can get! Suck it up for another 14 days 😡

How is this at all comparable to the war?

@Tootyfilou how does it level the playing field? Have they reduced or paused business rates or rents?

Has the power-mad dictator sworn on his mother's grave that this lockdown will end when he says it will?

On your wage yes you probably can, who the fuck has spare kettles just in case, it's crazy people think that's the more rational solution.

I don't think that's the most rational solution at all. I just think there are other solutions, besides having to buy one in Tesco

@Tootyfilou

Oh for gods sake ... its only 2 weeks! People had 5 days notice. God knows how people like you would have managed in the war. He has done it to level the playing field for small businesses. He is about as far from a power hungry dictator as you can get! Suck it up for another 14 days 😡

We had less than 24 hours notice of this, and I was on a 12 hour shift.

People seem to think there's some perfect pandemic lockdown scenario in which Absolutely Everybody Wins. Sadly, there just isn't.

If by some stroke of horrendously bad luck you found yourself at the helm (because I honestly don't think any of the people in charge are enjoying this), and implemented your Fucking Awesome Lockdown Solution TM, within minutes people would be picking it apart online, calling you a callous power-mad stupid out-of-touch fascist privileged corrupt scumbag, making hilarious puns on your name, all the rest of it.

@LittleLapwing that wasn't directed at you specifically!

Pushing some of Tesco's profits towards Amazon has zero effect on small businesses.

In the last 20 yrs Amazon paid a total of £61.7 million in corporation tax despite making a total UK turnover of around £7 billion. In 2019 alone Tesco paid £176 million in corporation tax

Thing is that people don’t just walk straight into the clothes aisle or the kettle aisle and pick up the first one they come to, they pick up every box until they have found the one which appeals, so probably spend an extra 20/30 minutes doing so.

I’m not saying it’s right but that may be the thinking behind it.

But maybe those clammering for a “circuit breaker” (god i hate that term) in England will think twice when they realise what that actually means. Not being able to meet someone from another household pales into insignificance by comparison.

As much as people hate this government, the damage this is going to do to the Welsh economy will be far greater than the impact from the virus. Do people in England really want to follow suit?

@LittleLapwing whereabouts are you roughly and what stuff do you need? Don't worry, I'm not going to turn up at yours with a van full of fake spiders, but if you give us some idea people may be able to come up with suggestions.