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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to not understand the outrage over the government’s so-called Christmas party?

778 replies

OneRuleForThem · 07/12/2021 22:33

I feel like this is only an issue if people automatically followed guidelines like robots. We were “told” not to visit our own families over Christmas. Nobody tells me whether I can or can not visit my own family, so I did, and had a lovely and nice normal Christmas last year.

It seems people are up in arms over the fact that Downing Street allegedly (do I have to say allegedly?) had a Christmas party and flounced the “rules” without social distancing. My only reaction is…And? And so? So what? Did anyone expect the government NOT to do something like this? I don’t know why people are up in arms over it tbh. It’s not like this government is brand new to people and they didn’t have prior information that this government backtrack and “do as I say not as i do” ALL THE TIME.

I really don’t get why people are so outraged by this. My main reaction is…why did you listen to them in the first place expecting them to be some kind of moral leaders? AIBU?

OP posts:
StopGo · 08/12/2021 09:49

@OneRuleForThem

I feel like this is only an issue if people automatically followed guidelines like robots. We were “told” not to visit our own families over Christmas. Nobody tells me whether I can or can not visit my own family, so I did, and had a lovely and nice normal Christmas last year.

It seems people are up in arms over the fact that Downing Street allegedly (do I have to say allegedly?) had a Christmas party and flounced the “rules” without social distancing. My only reaction is…And? And so? So what? Did anyone expect the government NOT to do something like this? I don’t know why people are up in arms over it tbh. It’s not like this government is brand new to people and they didn’t have prior information that this government backtrack and “do as I say not as i do” ALL THE TIME.

I really don’t get why people are so outraged by this. My main reaction is…why did you listen to them in the first place expecting them to be some kind of moral leaders? AIBU?

Whilst you, by your own admission and ,allegedly, MPs were breaking the rules I was denied access to my own elderly very poorly mum.

She was in hospital and visiting was simply not allowed. YABU

supermoonrising · 08/12/2021 09:50

People are being unreasonable if they expected “Boris” and his cabal of corrupt bootlickers to give a shit about the vast majority of the 65 million people in this country or the sacrifices they were being asked to make.

StoneofDestiny · 08/12/2021 09:50

In a video published on the Guido website, Rees Mogg told the audience: "I see we're all here obeying regulations, aren't we?

"I mean, this party is not going to be investigated by the police in a year's time.

"You are all very carefully socially distanced... we have moved, I am pleased to tell you, from the metric back to the Imperial system: I notice you are all at least two inches away from each other which is, as I understand it, what the regulations require."

Practicebeingpatient · 08/12/2021 09:51

My BFF is a nurse. Her daughter gave birth to her first grandchild during lockdown. She only saw her daughter once during the pregnancy and she didn't get to meet or cuddle her grandchild until he was 10 weeks old because her and her family understood the risks and respected the rules.

She can no longer bring herself to speak to her next door neighbours who stood on the doorstep and clapped for carers every week whilst simultaneously hosting family Sunday lunches/birthday parties etc. Their hypocrisy infuriates her.

IamnotSethRogan · 08/12/2021 09:52

You have so massively missed the point. The governments advise to stay home was actually correct, I'm not annoyed that I listened to them and avoided spreading a possibly deadly virus to my loved ones.

I'm annoyed that they do not give a fuck. They set some rules and ignored them because they were inconvenient and then laughed about it.

If everyone behaved liked you And the government, more people would have died. It's as simple as that.

Ohmybod · 08/12/2021 09:53

FFS OP….we were not just told and you know that!

The lockdown happened because the NhS needed it to try and cope with the increasing level of admissions without completely falling to its knees.

Your post is so bloody patronising. We missed out on Xmas with the ILs because we were not supposed to drive outside of our tier…they live a 2hr drive away. And almost everyone around us was also complying with the rules and with the virus so prevalent at the time it was potentially risking ILs health to flout the rules. We trusted the info we were given. This is not the same as trusting that gvt ministers are following the rules.

As it happens it was FILs last Xmas. Am I now furious at seeing that bunch of smug twats at their mock press conference? Yes, I bloody am. So disrespectful and they are not worthy of their positions.

Original poster
OneRuleForThem · 08/12/2021 09:56

@doublemonkey

I agree with you OP. Obviously a very unpopular opinion. No one should be sacrificing their family and loved ones based on the information we have/had about covid.
Thank you. This is how I feel about it too. I am just quite confused as to why other people don’t see it in this way.
OP posts:
Sinthie · 08/12/2021 09:57

I have often made the “rules” work for me, so didn’t follow some of the most illogical ones. There are however people who have been terrified for their own health or have responsibilities for vulnerable people. They therefore followed the rules to the word and now the government are literally laughing in their faces. People died alone during these restrictions. The government’s behaviour (not just the alleged parties) is not a surprise, but it is disgraceful and people should be angry.

KrispyKale · 08/12/2021 09:58

Well now they've told you OP.

SueSaid · 08/12/2021 09:59

'I'm just watching and waiting for the opposition to bring him down, once and for all. Come on Sir Kier - do your thing!'

You'd think so but he hasn't got a 'thing' has he, just a bimbly nasally whine.

If other people were invited to this I get the outrage, but if it was employees in the workplace who work together wearing Christmas jumpers so what.

Why are people equating it to not visiting relatives in care homes which was to protect them?!

AssassinatedBeauty · 08/12/2021 10:00

Thank you. This is how I feel about it too. I am just quite confused as to why other people don’t see it in this way.

They've told you. Clearly and repeatedly on this thread. You seem incapable of reading and understanding what they are saying to you.

Parker231 · 08/12/2021 10:00

@OneRuleForThem - do you openly break other laws which risk other people or just make things up as you go along?

Orchid876 · 08/12/2021 10:00

Some people who chose not to follow the law at that time were fined thousands of pounds. I imagine those people had the same attitude as you OP before they were caught. I think now they'd want the people at the No. 10 party to face the same sanctions that they did. The police were coming down hard on illegal gatherings for normal people, so why is it OK that the rules don't apply to those in government and their friends? I don't think the government had the attitude of "we don't think anyone really needs to follow these rules, so let's have a party". They just thought that the rules didn't apply to them. If you were an 18 year old student throwing a house party, they threw the book at you.

tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz · 08/12/2021 10:03

Wow. What a goady thread.

OP instead of constantly reminding us of how cool you are and above following law why don't you actually try to acknowledge the real reasons - pages of them - other posters have given for why they did? Or are you going to continue to either a) just pick an occasional post and bleat "I just don't understand why you did what they told you" or b) high five the rare poster who agrees with you.

One of the patterns I've noticed throughout this mess is the people who are frothing the most about restrictions and refusing to do their bit as we should just "sock it to The Man", calling others mugs etc. are the same people who have never lifted a finger in their lives to actually campaign or fight for real, meaningful political/social change as that requires more that bullshit sound bites or being a cool rebel on social media.

vickyp0llard · 08/12/2021 10:04

Thank you. This is how I feel about it too. I am just quite confused as to why other people don’t see it in this way.

I agree. I think lockdown was a massive overstep and caused more harm than good, and thought that from the beginning. Some of the most vulnerable people in society (children, people with MH problems) being forced to sacrifice their livelihoods and everything that makes life worth living for others, without being asked or voting on it. My dad got severely ill with covid, at no time did he blame someone socialising for giving it to him. I know more people who have committed suicide over this period than people who died of Covid. I fundamentally believe it's not the government's place to dictate to people what to do in their own homes and to shut down businesses - it is an endemic virus, vaccines/new medication/hygiene measures are the best tools we have but at the end of the day we have to live with it, unless we are prepared to sacrifice every Xmas and gathering going forward. It is only on MN where everyone apparently followed the rules - IRL many people I know, from all walks of life, just quietly saw their families and friends over lockdown and over xmas. I suffered from severe depression and was suicidal over the winter lockdown, not seeing family/friends may have tipped me over the edge. think it's quite naive to expect the government to follow the rules - they have shown for absolute decades that they are hypocrites, liars, do not practise what they preach and only care about lining their own pockets.

mowglika · 08/12/2021 10:04

What do you want people to do OP? Roll their eyes affectionately and say ‘silly old government getting up to their old tricks again’

Whether or not it’s a surprise it’s still an outrage - while people were not able to attend loved ones funerals No 10 was having a good old knees up. They should be brought to account for it.

WidowTwonky · 08/12/2021 10:08

@Mojoj

I couldn't agree more. I still can't believe all the people who didn't see their parents/friends/families etc because the Government told them not to. WTF?. Mind you, these are probably the same people that are happy for the Government to tell you what you have to put into your bodies. Wake up!!
errr because hospitals/funeral homes/other institutions wouldn't let people in

Glad you were unaffected though Sad

Thatsplentyjack · 08/12/2021 10:08

I think you are confused did you mean to use the word shocked? Because I'm bloody annoyed that they think they are beyond the law but I'm not shocked, and I'm not sure why anyone would be shocked.

thevassal · 08/12/2021 10:11

@OneRuleForThem

I just feel like people are angry because they feel personally cheated out of a Christmas last year when the people setting the rules had a nice one and my only response is…WHY did you listen to them expecting moral high ground from the government, and Boris Johnson, of all people!
Stop asking people why they didn't break the law ffs! Just because you personally are so cool and rebellious there's no need to roll your eyes at others.

People presumably didn't see family for the same reason they dont drive at 100 down motorways or steal from shops - because at the time it was illegal and the police had very publicly been dishing out fines for doing so for the last 9 months, the amount of which had recently increased. Plus for lots of people if they live far away its not as easy as just thinking "fuck it" and seeing family anyway - friends booked to see their family in Ireland for example were not allowed to travel.

People didn't see family for lots of reasons- they were physically reliant on others bringing them to a different location, they chose not to for the greater good, they couldn't afford a fine if they were caught, they were worried about making vulnerable family members ill if they had great granny over while their 18 y/o came home from uni, hospitals wouldn't let them in to be with seriously ill family members etc. Its not a case of just making your own decision independent of government advice.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 08/12/2021 10:11

Why did they lie about it if it didn't matter?

Perception
Politicians don't generally mind something happening that's wrong, providing they can't be seen to have had anything to do with it

As so many have said, what beats me is why anyone's surprised - also why they've been quite so quick to surrender their own judgement to diktat

vickyp0llard · 08/12/2021 10:11

Politicians have constantly lied about everything, WMDs in Iraq, paedophile scandals, 350 million a week for the NHS, if you vote for us we'll scrap tuition fees, e.t.c. It's not a surprise anymore, sadly it's just what we can come to expect.

Amberflames · 08/12/2021 10:15

I really can’t get too excited about a bunch of people who were working together anyway having a bit of cheese and wine. And no, I didn’t break the rules and see my family. I was too concerned about the risk of giving them covid.

What I’m wondering is why it’s come out now, after all this time. What’s it really covering up?

Port1aCastis · 08/12/2021 10:15

While bojo and his band of incompetents were partying the night away with complete disregard to the rules they made someone very close to me died YABVVU and you know it

Ang69 · 08/12/2021 10:16

Thank you. This is how I feel about it too. I am just quite confused as to why other people don’t see it in this way.

Confused?? Are you really that stupid? The rules where in place, no actually a law was passed to stop us mixing to help prevent further spread of the infection and minimise lives being lost. When you experience like I did OP - a grandmother, her daughter and granddaughter, all side by side on ventilators in ICU the first week of January because apparently they also did as they liked then maybe you'd be saying something else. That family were just like you and those fuckers we have as a government. You should be ashamed of yourself and thanks very much for helping protect the NHS, I hope to god you didn't go out and clap on Thursdays, that would make you a massive hypocrite.

AndreaC67 · 08/12/2021 10:19

@vickyp0llard

Politicians have constantly lied about everything, WMDs in Iraq, paedophile scandals, 350 million a week for the NHS, if you vote for us we'll scrap tuition fees, e.t.c. It's not a surprise anymore, sadly it's just what we can come to expect.
I don't feel i was lied to over WMDs, Sadam used them on the Kurds, killing 1000s, he boasted of them. What if the west hadn't acted against him and he'd set off a nerve agent in London?

350m per wekk for the NHS Yes a bit fat lie.

Scrapping tuition fees? easily achievable, UK has the highest fees in the world, why is that?

But we didn't vote for that, we voted to keep our skilled young workers in 50k of debt instead.