What were you doing on November 13th 2020

[TeaAndChoccie]

while the PM was partying.....?

Analysing different satellite intelligence and signals intelligence.

And lying about it

Exactly!
So they must have known they were in the wrong.
Otherwise why not be upfront in the first place?

We were celebrating DS2's 14th birthday just the 5 of us. He could have no friends or family around or go out and do all the things 14 y olds want to do 😡

Honestly, I can’t get exercised about what was happening at no 10. They were working under extreme conditions, having direct contact with each other every day. I think it is ridiculous to care about this and I am not even a Conservative voter. I am just grateful for what they did with getting vaccines. I think it is ridiculous that Labour cannot let this go and means I won’t vote for them.

First I'm not knowledgeable enough about the whole situation, but if they were already in direct contract daily with each other, then why was having the mini gathering unwise ? How is it any different than doing daily work related tasks and stopping for e.g. Lunch in canteen ect ?

I am not diminishing anyone else’s losses or sacrifices but I find it difficult to direct outrage at this. Their contribution to the spread of Covid was minimal and I think most people would do what they did in the same circumstances.

@Aaaabbbcccc
Their contribution to the spread of Covid was minimal

By having social gatherings and parties?

I think most people would do what they did in the same circumstances.

The same circumstances?
What, being in lockdown and not being able to meet up with anyone outside of your own household?
No.
Not all of us gathered.
I certainly didn't, and I'm sure lots of others didn't too.

Stuck at home, missing friends and family

Diary inconclusive, but almost certainly we were breaking the rules, which we had very little regard for

(No intention of voting Tory however ...)

Honestly, I can’t get exercised about what was happening at no 10. They were working under extreme conditions, having direct contact with each other every day. I think it is ridiculous to care about this and I am not even a Conservative voter

It's the fact it was OK for them to do it but fuck others having to work under extreme conditions.
Nurses and doctors on Covid wards? Nah, fuck 'em. Fine them if they have a party (sorry, social gathering) in the staff rooms.
Just as one example.

The minimal spread was because they were already in daily contact, as for other public I bet half to 3/4 at some point broke the rules as and when suited them, there were a few threads on mumsnet too after a while with people wanting to no follow the rules and disobeying them, people point at the pm and go omg 😲, yet then some people I'm guessing seemed to think they were different ?

Just check email. We were fucking self isolating because Ds2 had been coughing a bit. What a ball ache that was. All negative.

They were in close contact every day so parties would make zero difference?

But then what about other public members who broke the rules too, ?

Exactly, yes public relations perspectives, it does not do well, but otherwise how can it be any different than lunch in a canteen ?

No 10 was trying to deal with the biggest challenge of any govt since WW2 and were working in close confines around the clock. I do not begrudge them a glass of wine or a cake. It seems an entirely reasonable way to try to get through the experience. Front line workers were critical but central govt was more critical. From my perspective they could do what they like to keep going and get us through this.

Sorry @PickAChew that was a wrong quote. Not sure if my fault or the site

So why lie about it?

I'm guessing public relations, or other factors that the public may not be knowledgeable about.

Picked the kids up from school. We had a picnic in the park in the dark… because I was running out of exciting things to do.

Well it didn't. But every other profession had been told they weren't allowed to do it. School children weren't allowed to play together in the Park despite being at school all day.

If you're going to make rules you need to follow them.

Yes there is definitely the moral side of it and ‘optics’, and the obvious implication that they considered themselves exempt and beyond the rule of law.

But I can entirely see how they would make the calculation they did and how at the time it would have made sense: if you are not social distancing because of the nature of your work what is the point of keeping up the charade? (Coming from someone who abided by the rules to the letter including by refusing to go to outdoor parties that exceeded the gathering number - but can see why we, the populace, had to comply, because if we didn’t cases would multiply - whereas that logic doesn’t apply to people locked in a room all day anyway - I am sure they effectively functioned as a bubble from an epidemiological point of view).

Trying to figure out how to get treatment for my dads cancer

Yes but there are a lot more teachers and school children than no 10 advisers. I honestly cannot get excited about it - they we’re working in exceptional circumstances and I am grateful how they got us out of it (and I am a Labour voter)