To ask if your essential meetings involve sitting around in the garden with wine and cheese, with your spouse in attendance?

[AlexaShutUp]

So the justification for the pictures of Boris in lockdown is that they were essential work meetings and therefore allowed. The wine and cheese was apparently because people were working long hours. I have seen no explanation of why Carrie was present.

Do you have essential work meetings of this nature? I don't.

AIBU to think that, in the midst of a pandemic, I'd rather that our decision makers stayed off the booze while carrying out their essential functions? And that unelected individuals who are not employed by the government in an official capacity have no business sitting in on such meetings?

They are outside and spread out fgs

No they're not. Look at the couple sat on the grass. And look at the ones stood around. 2 metres is six and a half feet. That ain't that, errrrr fgs.

@Kennykenkencat

But that was the question.

I just answered the question. If you don’t like the answer because it doesn’t fit into your own view I can’t help that.

You have to realise that just because it isn’t your experience and your view that doesn’t mean it isn’t everyone else’s

Why would having drinks on someone’s yacht years ago mean I am part of the problem?

Why would having business meetings and drinks with plus ones be a problem in another job.

And there is me thinking we have followed nearly all the rules.

I can only be the problem if I have had Covid at any point since the lockdowns began.

Otherwise what was the problem.

What was your point then, if you weren't defending the Prime Minister's actions with your husband's boozy yacht meetings? You said you "can't see a problem" despite the problem of lack of compliance with necessary public health measures is the obvious problem right now.

The government issued clear clarifications that social gatherings at work were not permitted. The use of the "it was at work" is not a defence. It had to be necessary "for work". Wine and cheese and chit chat after a press conference is not a neccesary work activity.

This //\

You could work closely with a team of people for your job, but that doesn't mean it was acceptable to sit, chat and drink wine with them after work had finished.

I don't understand why they can't just own up to the fact that they were trying to stretch the rules. They make everyone feel stupid for following the rules at the time and now they are making us feel stupid again by treating us as though we are foolish enough to believe their lies.

Yeah I’ve attended loads of work meetings that involve alcohol and food…although usually pizza 🍕

I think given that we are looking at a bunch of people standing around in suits would indicate it’s work related…think it’s fair to say most people wouldn’t attend these sorts of things if they didn’t have to because of work….probably some sort of work catchup / breakout session after a meeting.

I think there's some memory loss going on, on this thread. Do people really not remember what May 2020 was like?
Between end March and 26 May, 45,000 fines were issued for breaking lockdown rules. One of the weeks in May there was 1,700 fines.
You could be outside with one other. Fines were issued for driving with others, having outside parties with those not in your household bubble, etc....
Yet this was 'work'.... yeah right...

If you look closely at the photo some people are wearing masks, they are in business suits and they work together so I am not sure what the fuss is about.

It seems to me the majority are in casual clothing or at least have removed jackets and ties, which is not something you would do in a business meeting. Some are wearing trainers. There is one person I can see who is definitely wearing a mask - the man sitting on the grass.

I thought they were all doing 'small group activities'

@CheshireKitten123

"who knows who else sits in on meetings because they are with Boris."

what a load of rubbish

Why is it rubbish? We know the American woman was involved in all sorts of foreign visits and getting grants, the now Mrs Johnson was just the one who happened to be living with him at the time.

I don't trust his judgement because he hasn't got any.

I am not allowed to drink alcohol at work, or even in my lunch break away from the premises.

This event without social distancing was only a few weeks after Mr Johnson had been in intensive care. You would have thought of all people someone who had been seriously ill with Covid would be taking sensible measures, law or not.

@VikingOnTheFridge

He really didn't. I was wondering what his agenda was as it didn't seem to be very clear

Adam Wagner said it made him rethink his previous view that the party was probably legal!

I did vaguely wonder if Raab was doing a deliberately shit job to undermine Johnson further, since he clearly wants the job and Boris is clinging on. But then maybe I'm just attributing malice where stupidity would be a more likely explanation.

I had the same dilemma but malice or stupidity it did seem strange.

The real question is who is leaking all this and why?

My guess is the Tory backbenchers. The party’s business donors are hugely opposed to new restrictions and so are they (partly because of the donors and partly because of their own business interests). They want to discredit Johnson in the hope that he won’t introduce new restrictions.

You weren't allowed people in your garden though were you?

Yes you were. By May 15th gatherings of more than two people were banned in outdoor public places in England. However, the photo shows a private garden (the public can't just wander into No.10 uninvited), so that restriction would not apply. Later in the pandemic, gatherings were banned in private gardens too, but not on May 15th.

The organisers and attendees of Boris' garden parties and Allegra wotsits Xmas bash etc etc should be nicked and fined like anyone else that broke the rules and got done for it. But pigs (Peppa? ) will fly before that happens. Even though the evidence is incontrovertible.
With idiots like this in charge, no wonder we are in such a mess.

@Chasingaftermidnight

The real question is who is leaking all this and why?

My guess is the Tory backbenchers. The party’s business donors are hugely opposed to new restrictions and so are they (partly because of the donors and partly because of their own business interests). They want to discredit Johnson in the hope that he won’t introduce new restrictions.

Yes also, why now?

@Clavinova

noblegiraffe if you think that hospital workers should stick to the rules, do you believe they the government should also stick to the rules?

I think hospital staff work in an environment where following the rules is important - not least to vulnerable patients.

So is there no risk from non hospital workers mixing? That should save a lot of hassle for the hospitality industry in the next few weeks.

@starfro, "For those that say Carrie is just a wife so should stay away and let the men do the Politics, shame on you!"

I must have missed the posters who said this. Can you point to them?

Because 'parties' are doubling every two days. Much like Ominicron

There'll be more

Yanbu. Inviting a partner to a 'work meeting' would be entirely inappropriate. Bollocks was this a work meeting.

@Clavinova

noblegiraffe So to clarify, you don’t think it is important for the government to follow its own rules?

The government say they were following the rules by having a meeting/refreshment break during a meeting - the same as Keir Starmer's team with his photo linked above (he drank beer, not wine).

Clav you are dodging the question.

You don't think it's important for the government to follow its own rules?

@Roussette

Because 'parties' are doubling every two days. Much like Ominicron

There'll be more

😂😂

countrygirl99
So is there no risk from non hospital workers mixing? That should save a lot of hassle for the hospitality industry in the next few weeks.

Are hospitality venues forcing everyone outside again? In the garden?

noblegiraffe
You don't think it's important for the government to follow its own rules?

They say they have in this instance. Where did teachers at your school eat their lunch last year? Not in the same room I hope.

Where did teachers at your school eat their lunch last year?

I can't speak for Noble, but we ate in our classrooms, the staffroom was closed.

"Where did teachers at your school eat their lunch last year?"

Everyone ate in their own classrooms, assuming the children weren't in them (if raining, for example). If so, I ate in my car.
That OK with you, @Clavinova?