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

[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?

@OneRuleForThem

I think I’m most surprised that so many people actually listened to their advice and did what the government said As if I would watch and listen to Boris Johnson of all people(!) saying “do not visit your family at Christmas” and do what he said!!

Congratulations to you for your contribution to the resolution of this public health crisis we are in. YABVU, irresponsible and disrespectful to everyone who obeyed the law last Christmas. So is the government.

That wasn't because of people flouting the rules at Christmas (or not), it was because of the rise of the Alpha variant

@fakereview not quite. Yes the variant was a factor but peoples behaviour is another factor. There’s no one single thing that controls it all otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

We’ll never know how many infections and deaths could have been avoided in January if there had been better management or compliance but events like the World Cup show us that there is a clear influence from our behaviour on the spread of infection.

Aside from that this thread is a fascinating insight into what was going likely through the minds of members of staff at Downing Street and the mental gymnastics involved to absolve them of any responsibility. It’s not particularly pretty.

Maybe it’s just me and I’m not seeing it the way the majority of people are, I just don’t understand

“Waaaah, why am I so anarchic and independent, I just don’t understand waaaaah”

If you don’t understand that the number of COVID cases and COVID related deaths fell due to people socially distancing then you need to go back to school.

Do your bit or if you don’t want to, spare us the histrionics.

I stuck to the guidelines because I didn't want to get caught and fined. I wasn't too worried about passing it onto someone vulnerable because I'm not close to anyone vulnerable.

My mum got a couple of threatening notes stuck on her car from South Wales Police because she drove to the beach six miles from her house a few times to get out of the house for a walk and fresh air.

So it pisses me off hugely that they were partying in Number Ten and laughing about people sticking to the rules. It shows the contempt they have for the people they are governing.

I would be even more angry if I had had to watch someone I loved die via zoom. I can't think of anything worse actually.

@Cornettoninja

That wasn't because of people flouting the rules at Christmas (or not), it was because of the rise of the Alpha variant

@fakereview not quite. Yes the variant was a factor but peoples behaviour is another factor. There’s no one single thing that controls it all otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

We’ll never know how many infections and deaths could have been avoided in January if there had been better management or compliance but events like the World Cup show us that there is a clear influence from our behaviour on the spread of infection.

Aside from that this thread is a fascinating insight into what was going likely through the minds of members of staff at Downing Street and the mental gymnastics involved to absolve them of any responsibility. It’s not particularly pretty.

Is now a good time to point out that at about the same time the government was taking schools to court, yes really for wanting to close in order to keep pupils and staff safe.

In the meantime the Prime Minister let his staff have parties and joke about how they were going to lie about the parties to the public.

“Waaaah, why am I so anarchic and independent, I just don’t understand waaaaah”

And yes this is the impression I got from the OP.

Someone who is desperately trying to prove how cool and edgy they are, and how everyone else is a naive pitiful fool who doesn't understand the way the world works.

Just because the government has no standards it doesn't mean we shouldn't hold them to any standards.

@tallduckandhandsome

Maybe it’s just me and I’m not seeing it the way the majority of people are, I just don’t understand

“Waaaah, why am I so anarchic and independent, I just don’t understand waaaaah”

If you don’t understand that the number of COVID cases and COVID related deaths fell due to people socially distancing then you need to go back to school.

Do your bit or if you don’t want to, spare us the histrionics.

I wasn’t being histrionic. You typed waaaaah waaaaah in all seriousness though, that’s pretty histrionic if you ask me.

I wouldn't believe him if he told me it was raining and I was standing outside in the wet.

@HesterShaw1

“Waaaah, why am I so anarchic and independent, I just don’t understand waaaaah”

And yes this is the impression I got from the OP.

Someone who is desperately trying to prove how cool and edgy they are, and how everyone else is a naive pitiful fool who doesn't understand the way the world works.

Just because the government has no standards it doesn't mean we shouldn't hold them to any standards.

I did not say any of this though. I asked if people were really surprised that the government adopted a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude, especially when there are loads of threads on here most weeks about the government doing just that, and also how this government has no standards. I’m not trying to prove how cool or edgy I am?? I don’t think people are fools, but I did wonder why people are so surprised by what has come out. I didn’t realise asking the question would get such a strong negative reaction from people. But as someone pointed out earlier in thread and I agree with, I think mostly it stems from people being angry at themselves for being taken for mugs (Im NOT calling people mugs, but think that is how people are feeling generally at this ‘revelation’). It’s just my opinion on the whole matter. I’m sorry if people don’t like or agree with it.

Well of course people don't like being made fools of.
So you DO understand the outrage.🤷

Watch BBC news channel, a woman talking now about.her father dying alone.

@OneRuleForThem I don't think I am a mug, but the government treats us like mugs.

You must be a troll.

@KrispyKale

You must be a troll.

Quite a good one, fair play.

If you don’t understand that the number of COVID cases and COVID related deaths fell due to people socially distancing then you need to go back to school.

But these people were around each other all the time.

I mean fair enough if you were working from home you shouldn’t rock up to a works party but people you see all day?

If someone had been allowed in care home or an extra person at a funeral, fair enough. If they’d invited partners or friends for a party Yep throw the book at them. I can’t get worked about this.

@lightisnotwhite

If you don’t understand that the number of COVID cases and COVID related deaths fell due to people socially distancing then you need to go back to school.

But these people were around each other all the time.

I mean fair enough if you were working from home you shouldn’t rock up to a works party but people you see all day?

If someone had been allowed in care home or an extra person at a funeral, fair enough. If they’d invited partners or friends for a party Yep throw the book at them. I can’t get worked about this.

You can't get wound up about the Prime Minister defending people breaking the law?

What would the Prime Minister have to do to get you wound up?

I'm only surprised by the outrage, because however foolish it was to hold a Christmas party, break the law & guffaw about it, the current establishment have done far, far worse & I'm alway shocked by the lack of outrage froM the voting public.

@OneRuleForThem no, you said you couldn't understand the outrage. Not that you couldn't understand why people were surprised.

People have explained that they aren't surprised, and how it is still possible to be pissed off with Johnson and his government whilst also not being surprised by their behaviour.

People are angry because the government have lived up to their low expectations. There might be a handful of people who for some reason still thought Johnson et al are honest and trustworthy and are genuinely surprised by this revelation. Not sure there's many of them though.

The tearful resignation speech from Ms Stratton just made me more angry. Have the guts to go and apologise in person to some of those people who weren't allowed to comfort loved ones when they were dying.

I think you are forgetting about the amount of fines that were being dished out for people not conforming to the rules. Some received fines of £10,000. So yeah people have a right to be very upset.

Try saying 'No one makes a member of my family terminally ill,' to the virus and see where it gets you. It's morons like you who are spreading this damn thing.

The covid laws weren’t always perfect - they didn’t do a risk assessment on each and every activity undertaken in the UK, they were one size fits all. This makes them simple to communicate and understand albeit probably overkill in some circumstances (what is the additional risk from colleagues who work together meeting for a social event?). But the public cannot be trusted to do such a risk assessment and get it right or worse not to come out with the answer they want. So there are blanket rules and these apply to everyone, including the government, like it or not.

If you don’t get it it’s because you’re like them 🤷‍♀️

@bakebeans

I think you are forgetting about the amount of fines that were being dished out for people not conforming to the rules. Some received fines of £10,000. So yeah people have a right to be very upset.

I believe some of those cases are still working their way the courts now if I heard rightly on the radio earlier.

I am not Being goady as suggested by others, but I honestly can’t understand why people don’t see it like how you’ve said it in your post, it doesn’t make sense to me either.

I can't see how you seem goady at all tbh.
It's like when the Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick went to visit his parents during lockdown and there was an outrage. People were saying he should resign and so on. Like I'm not being funny did people actually think members of the Government were going to follow the rules they were giving to us?

In a perfect world they absolutely should but in reality these people really don't care. So OP I agree with you in terms of why are people surprised about the Downing Street staff. It's hardly scandal of the year. Just a right piss take but not one that's surprising