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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

653 replies

AlexaShutUp · 20/12/2021 08:27

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?

OP posts:
Clavinova · 20/12/2021 21:14

You knocking NHS workers says all we need to know about you

I think my posts show that I have more common sense than you.

notimagain · 20/12/2021 21:15

@Clavinova

CurzonDax

As I posted earlier today:
I think the hospital gatherings are more concerning from a health point of view than the meeting in the Number 10 garden

Your obviously free to think that, others might think this is all about that unfashionable term “leadership”, something that appear to be alien to many at Westminster.

From a leadership of the country POV the gathering in the number 10 garden is of far more concern than any gathering at a hospital.

Reason being the example the leadership in Westminster sets feeds into people’s attitudes and willingness to comply with the measures taken to combat Covid.

Or are we simply meant to accept it is a case of “do what we say, not what we do.”?

Roussette · 20/12/2021 21:18

Whatever you say Clavinova , people will form their own opinions on your post bringing in donated food to NHS workers as a way to justify the Government on this thread.

noblegiraffe · 20/12/2021 21:22

What I can't forgive is Dominic Cummings driving hundreds of miles across the country with Covid, visiting hospital and going to beauty spots and then the PM backing him!!

Why are you treating them as separate events? This, Barnard Castle, the endless stream of Christmas parties are all part of the same story which is the people in charge of making the rules and ensuring they were enforced exempting themselves from following them. Are these incidents that we have seen snapshots of isolated, or merely examples of what was going on all the time?

We’re all in this together? Very clearly not.

noblegiraffe · 20/12/2021 21:26

On the one hand you have people seeing the immense hard work and strain the NHS workers were put under and gratefully donating them food, at a time when they might not have been able to buy their own (remember the empty shelves and the special priority hours for NHS staff?).

On the other hand you have Clav who doesn’t give a shit about NHS workers unless they sat close to each other to eat that gratefully donated food in which case they can be used to try to make some shitty point on the internet.

Peaseblossum22 · 20/12/2021 21:26

@noblegiraffe

What I can't forgive is Dominic Cummings driving hundreds of miles across the country with Covid, visiting hospital and going to beauty spots and then the PM backing him!!

Why are you treating them as separate events? This, Barnard Castle, the endless stream of Christmas parties are all part of the same story which is the people in charge of making the rules and ensuring they were enforced exempting themselves from following them. Are these incidents that we have seen snapshots of isolated, or merely examples of what was going on all the time?

We’re all in this together? Very clearly not.

This is absolutely right, it’s a pattern of behaviour.
Booklover3 · 20/12/2021 21:36

Agreed @noblegiraffe

Clavinova · 20/12/2021 21:43

notimagain
Or are we simply meant to accept it is a case of “do what we say, not what we do.”?

These photographs were taken the week before the No 10 meeting - the rules were relaxed somewhat on the 13th May (No 10 meeting 15th May);

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8303043/What-lockdown-Britains-parks-packed-sunworshippers-amid-79F-heat.html

Clavinova · 20/12/2021 21:50

Roussette
Whatever you say Clavinova , people will form their own opinions on your post bringing in donated food to NHS workers as a way to justify the Government on this thread.

I have no objections at all to the donated food, or the hospital workers eating it - I am concerned about the lack of social distancing in a hospital setting in March/April 2020 - but apparently everyone else thinks it's fine.

VikingOnTheFridge · 20/12/2021 21:53

[quote Clavinova]notimagain
Or are we simply meant to accept it is a case of “do what we say, not what we do.”?

These photographs were taken the week before the No 10 meeting - the rules were relaxed somewhat on the 13th May (No 10 meeting 15th May);

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8303043/What-lockdown-Britains-parks-packed-sunworshippers-amid-79F-heat.html[/quote]
Were the people in the photos telling others how to behave?

Roussette · 20/12/2021 21:59

I am concerned about the lack of social distancing in a hospital setting in March/April 2020 - but apparently everyone else thinks it's fine

Start a thread about it then.

noblegiraffe · 20/12/2021 22:04

Clav is trying to detract attention from the clear rule-breaking by the government and in the process has merely made everyone think that she's an arse, and also reminded everyone of how hard other sectors were working in nightmarish conditions while Boris was sipping wine with his missus in his work premises' private garden.

VikingOnTheFridge · 20/12/2021 22:17

I was joking about it upthread, but I do wonder how long it'll be until news of the next illegal party emerges. It's evidently systemic, as noble giraffe alludes to, and someone or some faction has been sitting on the various pieces of evidence before leaking to the press for a reason.

ancientgran · 20/12/2021 22:21

@Hugoslavia

Tbh, I feel as though, if they had all been working together all day, then it probably didn't matter if they had a glass of wine. The whole point of the rules was to stop the spread. And if they'd been working for hours on end and were still discussing work, then so be it. And I feel as though it's a little different Carrie attending because it was her home. What I can't forgive is Dominic Cummings driving hundreds of miles across the country with Covid, visiting hospital and going to beauty spots and then the PM backing him!! That was far far worse imo. Neither can I forgive Boris's flip flopping chaotic last minute approach to everything. It's pretty certain that he is going to impose greater restrictions after the 26th. So why not tell us what those are likely to be and actually give us a little head's up! It will be like last year when he let half the schools back for 1 day and the other half had put their kids to bed expectIng to go to school the next day, having ironed uniforms and made packed lunches, only to wake up to no school. Everything that he does seems to be slapdash, last minute and ill judged.
But why should Carrie be at govt meetings? She isn't elected, she isn't employed in a govt role she just happened to be the partner of the PM. She has no more right to take part in meetings than me or you. It's a big garden, if she wanted to sit outside she could have done that without involving herself in a meeting. Of course it doesn't look like a meeting, or quack like a meeting so maybe it wasn't a meeting.
ancientgran · 20/12/2021 22:22

@VikingOnTheFridge

I was joking about it upthread, but I do wonder how long it'll be until news of the next illegal party emerges. It's evidently systemic, as noble giraffe alludes to, and someone or some faction has been sitting on the various pieces of evidence before leaking to the press for a reason.
It is like someone tormenting an animal isn't it, no quick kill just the steady release. First we hear about a party but Boris said it didn't happen and he wasn't there, then we hear about a party and we get a photo, now we move on to a garden party and a photo of Boris right in the thick of it. So what is next and when is it coming? I bet there are some sleepless nights.
Clavinova · 20/12/2021 22:24

noblegiraffe
while Boris was sipping wine with his missus in his work premises' private garden

So far I've seen 2 'leaked' photos of Boris - in both photos he has a serious expression on his face and he's wearing a suit - hardly the 'party' photos I was expecting.

noblegiraffe · 20/12/2021 22:25

he has a serious expression on his face and he's wearing a suit

You’ve basically given up now, haven’t you? I hope they aren’t paying you much.

ancientgran · 20/12/2021 22:25

@pigsinblanketsrule

Civil service here - no alcohol but we have had a few meetings outside on a sunny and very hot day, we've got a few picnic tables on a piece of grass outside which can be shady depending on the time of day.
So were there girlfriends and babies? Cheese?
Clavinova · 20/12/2021 22:29

noblegiraffe
You’ve basically given up now, haven’t you? I hope they aren’t paying you much.

They're not paying me anything. How much are they paying you? Too much I expect.

Roussette · 20/12/2021 22:30

But it's not just Johnson is it? I've said this on here before. Others are equally guilty of the party culture, look at the Conservative HQ pic with 20 crammed together and partying alongside an organised hot and cold buffet, and Shaun Bailey resigning. All when restrict were in force
It's the accepted culture from the top

The fish rots from the head.

Roussette · 20/12/2021 22:30

*restrictions

headintheproverbial · 20/12/2021 22:31

So the Christmas party I'm pissed about.

This I care less about. They're all there in person, presumably working long hours, together, in close quarters. I can't really give a shit if they have a glass of wine at the end of the day, outside, before going home.

There is so much incompetence, lying and dickheadedness to care about - the camel's back is already broken but if it wasn't I don't think this would have done it.

ancientgran · 20/12/2021 22:33

@JaniieJones

'What part of "it wasn't allowed" do you not understand?'

What part of they were work colleagues at work don't you?

Can you tell us what job Carrie has, or Wilf for that matter.
Roussette · 20/12/2021 22:37

headintheproverbial. I agree up to a point but - for me - sometimes it's just one step too far.

No idea why Johnson has a 'serious expression on his face' when he's quizmaster in the other pic.

Clavinova · 20/12/2021 22:40

No idea why Johnson has a 'serious expression on his face' when he's quizmaster in the other pic.

A quizmaster for one round of a zoom quiz - we had loads of those organised by my dcs' school. Several teachers in the same room together.