AIBU to feel gaslighted by the government and BBC?

[Bavarois]

Another photo has appeared, showing the Tories having a 'work meeting' (garden party) on 15th May 2020. The BBC report states 'The 15 May photograph shows a gathering of staff in the Downing Street garden... At that time, gatherings of more than two people were banned in outdoor public places in England. However, because the picture appears to show a private garden, that restriction would not apply. Later on in the pandemic, gatherings were banned in private gardens too.'

We were in LOCKDOWN. We weren't allowed to leave our house for anything other than work, medical supplies, or exercise. Now I'm in Scotland so I might be remembering things slightly differently as our rules were slightly different, so I looked it up. Guardian article from 28th May - 'Johnson said: “We will now allow people to meet in gardens, and other private outdoor spaces'

How can they just lie and lie? And even the BBC?! Shouldn't we be able to trust at least them? It's despicable.

Of course we all have cheese, wine and our spouses at work meetings don’t we 🙄

@Redcrayons

I get people being annoyed for parties, but now we have to be outraged for people going to work? You can’t seriously think this is a work meeting. They are having a drink after work RaaB said to Kay Burley it was after the daily press conference. It’s a social activity.

Of course, we know now that this is a low risk activity however the fact remains that this was not allowed at the time.

This is why people won’t comply. Won’t wear masks, won’t reduce contact over Christmas, won’t get boosters.

This is why people won’t comply. Won’t wear masks, won’t reduce contact over Christmas, won’t get boosters.

They'd risk their lives because Boris Johnson had a drink outside with co-workers?

Not allowed more than 6 people at Granddad's funeral, even if held outdoors with social distancing.

Drinks party in the garden of number 10 with twenty people and no social distancing - no problem.

Can't believe people are defending this.

@DockOTheBay

Not allowed more than 6 people at Granddad's funeral, even if held outdoors with social distancing.

Drinks party in the garden of number 10 with twenty people and no social distancing - no problem.

Can't believe people are defending this.

Exactly. And I feel for you.

I really don't understand people worrying about what happened a year ago. Worry about the here and now. Worry about Omicron, worry about catching COVID.
I would LOVE to know how many of the people objecting to "parties in Downing Street" bent the rules themselves.

@bakingbernie but the point is we didn't set the rules we then broke. Effing hypocrites.

And it does make me worry about them setting the rules now, that it'll be politically driven not science driven. It also shows them to be shifty lying idiots...last week it wasn't a party because there was no alcohol, this week it wasn't a party as there was alcohol but they were wearing suits.

What happened a year ago is relevant to what happens now and in the future though.

I've worked out of the home throughout the pandemic, and actually I don't think masks/social distancing were mandatory at work until later in the pandemic? So they could possibly justify it. My issue is with the BBC saying it was fine to meet in private gardens throughout lockdown, as per OP. If anyone can provide a link to say it was fine, I'll accept I'm wrong. As I say, it might be a Scotland/England discrepancy.

@DockOTheBay

Not allowed more than 6 people at Granddad's funeral, even if held outdoors with social distancing.

Drinks party in the garden of number 10 with twenty people and no social distancing - no problem.

Can't believe people are defending this.

I feel very sorry for you over this. Reading on here the decisions that had to be made for who couldn't go to funerals was heartbreaking. So very, very wrong and sad.

@Bavarois

What happened a year ago is relevant to what happens now and in the future though.

I've worked out of the home throughout the pandemic, and actually I don't think masks/social distancing were mandatory at work until later in the pandemic? So they could possibly justify it. My issue is with the BBC saying it was fine to meet in private gardens throughout lockdown, as per OP. If anyone can provide a link to say it was fine, I'll accept I'm wrong. As I say, it might be a Scotland/England discrepancy.

Boris explains for England in the video I posted.

@DrManhattan

Cant believe there is anyone left still defending this set of muppets

Exactly - how bad would they have to get for the Tory automata to pack it in?

If it’s a meeting then why are they drinking alcohol?
It’s relevant because they made the laws. People abided by them and some were fined for not doing so. Most people followed th rules because they believed in doing the right thing.
This govt wouldn’t know what doing the right thing was if it hit them in the face. They are laughing at you and I whilst quaffing on their Claret.

It’s sick and disgusting.
These people should gets sack immediately..
I don’t understand how you still defending them!!!!
I clearly remember that time when my and my little daughter went for a walk into huge open park and I needed desperately to go to the Post office but we were so scared to be close other people we did not go..
I still remember passing that Postoffice even now and me saying my daughter if we shall go in- we did not.
And look at those sitting comfortably around each other, having a opened wine , food… happily chitchatting, laughing…
Absolutely disgusting!

I don't understand people who say, "focus on the here and now, focus on omicron, not what happened in the past."

If the PM has broken he rules he set, it calls into question his values. And there is a problem with his values, how can he be trusted to run the country.

Wasn't Carrie Symonds part of the Conservative HQ?

Indeed she once was, but there is a difference between the Tory Party and Government. Carrie Symonds Johnson has never been part of the Government and has no business insinuating herself into the heart of Government.

Previous Prime Ministers' spouses understood this and knew where the line was between having a private discussion with their spouse and interfering with Government policy. Evidence suggests Carrie Johnson does not wish to understand this key difference, and that is a problem for the UK quite frankly given her susceptibility to lobbyists.

To me, the more I think about it, that's why this photo matters.

Who has been sat on this photo for 7 months. Why wasn't it released at the time?

Interesting, isn't it? They've terrified an entire nation into not seeing family and friends, and yet they don't seem in the slightest bit scared of social contact.

Talk about playing into the hands of conspiracy theorists.

@OnAWinterMorningFarAway. I think Alistair Campbell said that Cherie Blair was involved in Blairs govt. And she definitely was involved in trying to get Brown sacked. And do you think if Neil Kinnock had been elected, Glenys wouldn't have been involved. Both Cherie and Glenys were heavily involved in the labour party. So I don't think it's at all out of the ordinary that, in these days of women being more prominent, they wouldn't be around discussing politics.

@MmeSosostris

I think a bigger issue is drone footage over a secure area, no?

No, it’s apparently taken from a window in number 11.

Someone wants him out. It's going to work. Everything is a political game to benefit some corrupt cronies.

I'm not investing headspace in it.

Politicians lie. So it ever was and will be but this lot seem super corrupt. I'm preserving my mental health by not getting enraged.

I can see why the conspiracy theories explode and there is so much distrust of the establishment more as time goes on.

@senua

Who has been sat on this photo for 7 months. Why wasn't it released at the time?

19 months! And good questions

One rule for those cunts and another for the rest of us. Every single one of them that were at all these parties are scum, all the way down to the most junior, they all knew it was wrong. Fuck them all.

Why are people still defending these muppets? No laptops, but wine, partners & babies. At the same time Priti Patel was asking you to dob in your neighbours.

@madisonbridges - hairdressers weren't open in May 2020. And when they did reopen refreshments were not allowed.

Is there any of the rules that they set, that they have actually stuck to?
I can’t understand people defending this shower of shites. They’re taking the piss out of us!
I haven’t seen my elderly mother properly since February 2020, yet here they are!

@echt

YABU because you clearly don't know what gaslighting means.

Maybe they'd have got away with the cheese if they'd put it in their coffee rather than with wine.

The hypocrisy stinks. They inflicted lockdown on us for too long and didn't have the courage of their convictions to abide by it. While at that point there was still room for caution about indoor spread, it took far, far too long to ease restrictions about outdoor activities.

At least I was never a grass on your neighbours type, and didn't have much moral faith in the government.