Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the Government have done a reasonable job of handling this pandemic?

366 replies

EmbarrassedButIAdmitIt · 06/05/2021 22:49

I’ve actually just voted Conservative in my local elections because of it Blush. Not for Boris I might add who I cannot stand but the people actually doing the work behind him.

Considering we have not had a worldwide pandemic in over a hundred years, and the world has changed beyond recognition in terms of people movement since then, obviously it has been a massive learning curve, but I think on the whole we have been pretty well looked after with furlough, self employed support. top up benefits, vaccine production and rollout, etc.

I know there’s been ‘jobs for the boys’ but I don’t think any other political party would have been any different sadly.

We have had a higher death rate than other European countries but TBF we are a small overcrowded island populated by people who don’t like following rules and are stupid enough to believe hysterical conspiracy theories.

I am so grateful that I live in the UK and not somewhere like India, Brazil or even the US.

So AIBU?

OP posts:
Mooloolabababy · 07/05/2021 17:12

....and by roll out, I mean securing the number of vaccines and the speed at which they did it. I don't with the lack of prioritisation for police or teachers.

newnortherner111 · 07/05/2021 17:21

The vaccines developed by scientists in Oxford and elsewhere have been a success. Also the rollout has been the only instance where scientific advice has been followed to the letter.

Everything else has been very bad. Especially the Prime Minister and his inactions or late actions in March 2020, September 2020 and in December 2020. I maintain that if any of the other ten Tory leadership candidates had been chosen and was Prime Minister, at least 10,000 fewer people would have died from Covid 19.

CarrieAntoinette · 07/05/2021 17:28

@Mooloolabababy

Nope. Total shit show. The ONLY thing they got right was the vaccine roll out.
I'm not even a fan of that. I think making the most vulnerable wait three months for their second jab is part of why U.K. covid deaths are so high in 2021 already.

And why do many hospitals are still deferring outpatients appointments and operations.

And it's also why we didn't see a vaccine effect for ages. The second dose is the kicker.

Figgygal · 07/05/2021 17:34

It seems the decision to leave the responsibility for vaccine with the nhs rather than selling the whole project to their mates Is saving their arses
Everything else has been calamitous and people have died because of it
How short peoples memories are

mustlovegin · 07/05/2021 17:37

I agree OP. They've done a good job considering the difficult task at hand and compared to other countries

CarrieAntoinette · 07/05/2021 18:06

@mustlovegin

I agree OP. They've done a good job considering the difficult task at hand and compared to other countries
I'd be prepared to consider adopting the covid strategy of any country with 100,000 covid deaths less than us.

Which is most of them.

flyingtartar · 07/05/2021 18:45

Anyone with children in eduaction, especially those aged 15-21ish, should be absolutely raging at this government. They have been treated like shit and the DfE is an absolute disgrace. I have no idea how they are allowed to get away with being just absent throughout this crisis.

LemonRoses · 07/05/2021 18:50

@mustlovegin

I agree OP. They've done a good job considering the difficult task at hand and compared to other countries
Compared to which countries? You must be on a different planet to the rest of us.
beguilingeyes · 07/05/2021 18:50

The government have voted against an amendment to protect leaseholders from having to pay for the removal of the cladding. My friend lives in Greenwich Millennium Village, which is still in progress and apartments there are still being advertised for sale.

UrAWizHarry · 07/05/2021 18:54

@mustlovegin

I agree OP. They've done a good job considering the difficult task at hand and compared to other countries
One of the highest death tolls in the world is good now?
Bearnecessity · 07/05/2021 19:17

The UK has been honest and accurate in its reporting of covid deaths unlike an awful lot of other countries.

The death rate is not the responsibility of the tories, there was a pandemic which they responded to with care and energy and commitment to look after everyone in the UK.

If Labour had been in power, I expect the death rate would have been far worse.

littlepattilou · 07/05/2021 19:20

Not sure, so I can't vote.

On the one hand I don't think they've handled it brilliantly, but on the other hand, it was all new to them, it's never happened before (in anyone's lifetime,) and I doubt any other government would have done any better.

Imagine if Labour had won the last election, and Jeremy Corbyn had been in charge. Shock

LagunaBubbles · 07/05/2021 19:31

Haha smoke and mirrors when people think they've actually done a good job...seriously? Sadly England us going more and more far right, thank fuck I'm Scottish and we have a chance at getting away from the Tories some day. You reap what you sow.

LemonRoses · 07/05/2021 19:31

@Bearnecessity

The UK has been honest and accurate in its reporting of covid deaths unlike an awful lot of other countries.

The death rate is not the responsibility of the tories, there was a pandemic which they responded to with care and energy and commitment to look after everyone in the UK.

If Labour had been in power, I expect the death rate would have been far worse.

But that isn’t true is it? The UK early death reporting wasn’t accurate. It still only reflects deaths to 28 days. However, most developed countries are reporting as accurately. Those where there are similar reporting systems show we as a nation have done far, far worse. The government didn’t respond with care or energy, did it? What are you basing that on? Missed Cobra? Weekends at Chequers? Completely disregarding the expert advice?
Where was the commitment to care home residents, the elderly, NHS staff? To social care staff? To teachers?
Neonprint · 07/05/2021 19:32

How embarrassing for you

Kazzyhoward · 07/05/2021 19:34

@DynamoKev

on the whole we have been pretty well looked after with furlough, self employed support. top up benefits, vaccine production and rollout, etc. My sister and I are (were) self employed when this started. Neither of us has had a penny of support. My micro-business has been closed. Rishi has deliberately avoided helping some of us. I didn't vote Tory anyway, so he hasn't lost my vote but a lot of Tory people I know in similar circumstances say they won't vote Tory again.
Yep, agree with that. There are 3 million excluded self employed, and very few of them will vote for Boris/Rishi. I'm an accountant and have lost loads of self employed clients who've had no covid grants and have had to close their businesses, sell belongings to survive, lose their businesses, some have had to sell their homes. It's an absolute travesty that Rishi continues to refuse to listen/understand the legitimate concerns of the 3 million excluded by his crazy and illogical scattergun approach to covid support.
Kazzyhoward · 07/05/2021 19:36

And Boris won't be forgiven by Uni students who the Tories have consistently ignored throughout. Uni's have conned students into signing contracts for courses and accommodation without telling them the truth about how little teaching would be in person. The Govt have completely forgotten about Uni students more recently when they re-opened schools but didn't say a single word about Unis.

Bearnecessity · 07/05/2021 19:37

Lemon....yer post is cobblers....the government found themselves in a pandemic....the notion Labour would have made perfect decisions under the same circumstances is ridiculous.

Havenholidayhelp · 07/05/2021 19:49

@Bearnecessity the Conservative Government did find themselves in a pandemic. Johnson’s decision-making & actions have been terrible as PM. I would rather have a more considered, joined up & transparent approach by having the Government led by another Conservative MP.

User135644 · 07/05/2021 19:53

It's all a bit Life Of Brian on MN with 'what have the Tories ever done for us' when the average person on the street knows it's an awful lot.

This site is massively out of step with the general public and the Tory mania in England right now.

littlepattilou · 07/05/2021 19:56

@User135644

It's all a bit Life Of Brian on MN with 'what have the Tories ever done for us' when the average person on the street knows it's an awful lot.

This site is massively out of step with the general public and the Tory mania in England right now.

This. ^
littlepattilou · 07/05/2021 19:56

@User135644

It's all a bit Life Of Brian on MN with 'what have the Tories ever done for us' when the average person on the street knows it's an awful lot.

This site is massively out of step with the general public and the Tory mania in England right now.

This.. ^
CarrieAntoinette · 07/05/2021 19:59

"Found themselves in a pandemic"

We watched it coming for ten or eleven weeks, tutting over the terrible situation in first China, then Italy.

We saw their hazmat suits and the nurses crying over people dying for lack of oxygen or hospital beds.

Then in March our government told us to carry on as normal and just wash our hands.

littlepattilou · 07/05/2021 19:59

@LagunaBubbles

Haha smoke and mirrors when people think they've actually done a good job...seriously? Sadly England us going more and more far right, thank fuck I'm Scottish and we have a chance at getting away from the Tories some day. You reap what you sow.
Trust me, you Scottish are not the only ones looking forward to your second chance at leaving the UK. Wink

Just remember your own words when you're gone. You reap what you sow......' Wink

@Bearnecessity

@LemonRoses .... yer post is cobblers... the government found themselves in a pandemic. The notion Labour would have made perfect decisions under the same circumstances is ridiculous.

This. ^ You have to be a special kind of obtuse, with rocks for brains, to think Corbyn would have handled the pandemic better than Johnson...

And fuck knows what kind of state the UK would be in (with the pandemic) if Corbyn had got into power. The death toll would have been WAAAAY higher, and only about 500 people would have been vaccinated by now, because the soft headed nitwit would have given all our vaccinations to other more 'needy' countries. Hmm

Thank FUCK Corbyn didn't win the election, and thank FUCK that we left the EU! Their constant examples of appalling behaviour (bullying, controlling, gaslighting, stamping their feet when they can't get their own way etc....) shows we made the correct decision leaving the EU.

Labour lost millions of votes with that clown Corbyn at the helm, and they are losing even more with Starmer at the helm. They keep getting it wrong, and the liberal left wokies, are just too obtuse and narrow minded to see it.

They act all affronted and angry, and shocked at the Tories winning hands-down every time, (and scream and rant at people for voting the Tories in over and over,) but they can NOT see why it's happening.

I can't decide whether it's funny or downright fucking scary! Shock