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!?

Expectation is:

• non essential shops back open
• schools back in
• still no mixing of households
• still only go to bar/restaurant with your own household

This 17 day firebreak comes after many weeks of the stay in your own borough rule. The arbitrary way we were told what is and isn't essential is annoying, this is nothing compared to the complete lack of information as to when we might see our families again.
An exit plan has long been talked about but I'm pretty sure at the end of the 17 days it will be back to local lock down. With the promise of a Christmas visit from family if we behave.

As a Welsh person living in England, I feel envious of my loved ones united behind a government they can trust

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/27/wales-covid-competence-inspiring-independence-trust

Maybe her loved ones are united behind a government they can trust, but I have to say I've not seen a huge amount of that among people I know. I don't think England are either, mind.

Is it possible that her sample is not exactly representative of the people of Wales?

I think that article needs an additional headline ,saying there are other views available to Welsh people. A bit like cookery shows when they say other brands can be used.

Don't believe the 17 days stuff. Here in Scotland we were told no indoors alcohol for a 2 week circuit breaker only, then lo and behold at the end of 2 weeks St Nicola decides 2 weeks isn't long enough. They never shorten the time and always lengthen it. No other diseases seem to matter to politicians at the moment as no other diseases are counted daily.

@2Rebecca

Don't believe the 17 days stuff. Here in Scotland we were told no indoors alcohol for a 2 week circuit breaker only, then lo and behold at the end of 2 weeks St Nicola decides 2 weeks isn't long enough. They never shorten the time and always lengthen it. No other diseases seem to matter to politicians at the moment as no other diseases are counted daily.

Drakeford specifically said it would be two weeks only and he knows there will be no visible results at the end of it. If he's already not expecting to see results then he's not going to extend it to improve results. He seemed pretty adamant in the announcement and it would really be difficult to get public approval when he was so specific about the length of time.

It's at about 14 minutes in this video:

That article is the same old Welsh nationalism rebadged. I hate the rise in nationalism. We are all people and it would be nice to have a United political stance rather than confusion. I do think politics is more caring in Wales though.

So, this weekend I cleaned my big pan with some oven cleaner as my husband had managed to burn it to within an inch of it’s life making a cooked breakfast.
I use this pan for EVERYTHING; pasta sauces, curry’s, soups, stews, etc...but I somehow have managed to remove the Teflon coating and now all I have is a very small saucepan and frying pan.
I go to the supermarket and want to pick up a new pan and low and behold, it’s fucking non-essential.

Since then we’ve ordered a new pan from Amazon and it’s due today...but in the meantime, I’ve struggled to cook and given up a few times opting to order shit instead. I can’t believe cookware, which can break at any given time has been deemed non-essential. Welsh Government are as mad as a box of frogs and not only will this lockdown not work, it’s going to make life so much harder for many many people.

I thought this was fascinating, in the Guardian today.

"Covid-19 has given Wales a glimpse of what self-determination and autonomy could look like, and it’s inspiring"

OK. I think they seem mad. Can't work out whether the writer is being deliberately naive or actually believes this

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/27/wales-covid-competence-inspiring-independence-trust

Sorry just seen that was posted upthread. Maybe they like being locked up?

Would be interesting to see how they got on (and Scotland) if the did have control over their economies, and needed to take the responsibility for them, without getting doled out by Westminster.

[quote Orangeblossom7777]I thought this was fascinating, in the Guardian today.

"Covid-19 has given Wales a glimpse of what self-determination and autonomy could look like, and it’s inspiring"

OK. I think they seem mad. Can't work out whether the writer is being deliberately naive or actually believes this

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/oct/27/wales-covid-competence-inspiring-independence-trust[/quote]
I noticed that the writer doesn't actually live in Wales anymore so doesn't actually know what it's like here first hand. A straw poll of friends is hardly a representative sample. Likewise, if you ask someone from YesCymru how strong they think support for independence is, you're only going to get one answer.

I was always broadly in favour of devolution but unfortunately this debacle has shown us that our politicians cannot be trusted with power.

As for caring - well the biggest NHS trust in Wales that covers 20% of the Welsh population is in special measures and has been for years. We are denied cancer drugs that are routinely prescribed in England.

In fact one of the women who for years had been denying women access to a breast cancer treatment developed the disease herself. She moved in with her son in England so she could receive the drug herself.

My father has been waiting for 3 years for surgery. He's given up and it'll be done privately next week. My mother's endoscopy has been cancelled twice despite her GP marking it as urgent.

Wales now has tax raising powers. Many of us are expecting that to be invoked next year to pay for all this so we'll be paying additional tax over and above what is set by Westminster. I've now moved my Ltd company to an English address to protect it and me from this. I'm not the only one by a long chalk.

My daughter was referred to an ENT consultant at 13 months. 18 months later and still no appointment. The last time my 80 year old grandmother was in A&E she was sat on a bench for 12 hours. My grandparents now use private consultants then go through the NHS for further necessary treatment.

I'm not sure our NHS has been performing particularly well for a while now.

@froggygoneonakillingspree

Personally I just keep an entire fully furnished second house as a backup, doesn't everyone?

Is it in Abersoch?

Wouldn't want Abersoch - much too crowded now.

Llys Helyg Drive in Llandudno is the only place to own a second property

Is it in Abersoch?

😂😂 ‘Caer Bach’

@LittleLapwing

Is it in Abersoch?

😂😂 ‘Caer Bach’

Arglwydd goc!

Since then we’ve ordered a new pan from Amazon and it’s due today...but in the meantime, I’ve struggled to cook and given up a few times opting to order shit instead. I can’t believe cookware, which can break at any given time has been deemed non-essential. Welsh Government are as mad as a box of frogs and not only will this lockdown not work, it’s going to make life so much harder for many many people

Why are you ordering from Amazon? Argos is open. Most stores can sell you items as long as you pay for them and then collect, either through click and collect or online delivery. It’s to prevent people browsing in shops and spreading the virus. In exactly the same way as we cannot sit around in cafes but we can collect take aways from cafes.

Some people are totally missing the point about the reason the firebreak is needed.

If you decide to buy from a mega tax avoiding company you can hardly blame Drakeford for your choice. There are plenty of alternatives open to you.

YANBU

@AllPlayedOut

You don't make things fairer by making things worse for others. It's like addressing the needs of people with sight loss by blinding everyone else too instead of providing support and making accommodations to make things easier for the visually impaired.

And we live in 2020, not 1920, many people will just shop online. How is that going to help small shops? So those who can access online shopping and can afford it will just buy online while those who can't have to go without. What's fair about that?

This.

I can't help wondering what people are doing if they need a pair of gloves or a new warm winter coat, what with this being Timed to coincide with winter weather starting.

I only have one pair of gloves and then tend to lose them over the summer, because I know I can nip in to any supermarket to get a new pair.

Do the Welsh now just have freezing hands or are they unusually well organised?

And do Welsh people all automatically order the correct size of clothes when online shopping and not go out in the cold for a couple of days til it arrives?

I told my Dutch friends about the Welsh rules and they refused to believe me! They think im exaggerating or making it upl

Why are you ordering from Amazon? Argos is open.... If you decide to buy from a mega tax avoiding company you can hardly blame Drakeford for your choice. There are plenty of alternatives open to you.

Ha!
Argos is over an hour from me.
Any other suggestions?

And before you say, there are many many people in Wales in my position, living rurally without a wide range of click and collect stores next door. I would always get my —non— essentials at the supermarket or Wilkinson’s.

Neither option is open to me. So yeah, for next day when you really need something, Amazon IS pretty much the only option for too many people now. Entirely thanks to Mark Drakeford and the Senedd.

JamRolyPolyAnyone - this is just for your info. May be helpful before you start writing rubbish on the Internet.