Is no one even a little concerned about the intrusion and removal of freedoms?

[DoubleAction]

I know needs must and we're in a real crisis situation but it does make me a little uneasy to see how easy it has been to remove all freedoms.

The real shocker for me today was the text messages. I've spent the last year or so working on GDPR stuff and all the "threats" associated with that. Who gave the government all our numbers?!

I know it's insignificant in the scheme of things now but is it right that it's so easy?

TBH I don't think the Government had much choice.
The WHO said Governments were not doing enough.
Many parents were keeping their children off school, whether to self isolate or because they were vulnerbale in some way.
It is very hard to determine the actual 'death rate' of the infection, because it affects different age groups differently, and recording of deaths also play a part.
(This sounds callous to refer to a 'death rate', but cannot think of a better term).
As I understand it, the 'death rate' as a persentage of infections, may even be less than that of seasonal flu.
However, the infection will have a greater penetration (ie infect more people), because it is a new illness, and therefore the actual number of deaths will be higher, whereas with flu, a certain number are vaccinated against it, etc
In otherwords, if only one person in a billion died, then no country would be willing to crash the economy (it's just tough on the person who died).
The legislation, is for a maximum of 2 years, but they agreed to a review each 6 months, and this 'lockdown' is going to be reviewed in 3 weeks.
My own view is that I hope the Government re-evaluate some priorities; ie I certailny believe our farmers should be subsidised in some way, so we become a lot more self sufficient in food. I also hope we rely less on other countries for some medical supplies.

That’s one of the most embarrassing analogies I’ve ever read on here - well done!

It wasn't supposed to be a great analogy. I'm not some tinfoil hat person comparing a deliberate fire with a natural virus outbreak. I was trying to think of an example from history of how hastily creating laws that bypass parliamentary scrutiny is dangerous, as there is scope for misuse.

Perhaps instead of sneering at me you could provide an example of an emergency powers situation from history where everything went back to normal with no abuse of power? Or explain to me why parliament cannot continue to sit remotely online, was that also an embarrassing suggestion? If so, I'm genuinely interested to know why.

Like many other people I'm posting on here because I'm anxious about what is happening #bekind.

I'm nervous too, Tortoros. Someone should be forced to rationalise this lockdown on a continuous basis- maybe they are, maybe they're not.

Laura Kunsberg's face on a TV questioning Sunak with Johnson notably absent (now we know why) does not fill me with confidence and certainly the absence of PMQ doesn't - not that Corbyn is of any use whatsoever.

@MarginalGain.
PMQs happened on Wednesday, as it does each week.
Parliament has broken up for the Easter recess a week early.
The 'lockdown' is being reviewed in 3 weeks.
The legislation is lasting for 2 years, with a rveiew in 6 months.
I doubt social isolation will continue long, because people are flouting the rules anyway, (see other threads) and there has to be an end in sight, for this to work

I'm definitely concerned about the number of people with no common sense thinking the Police powers r.e CV mean they should overwhelm an already reduced force with reports of non-related kids playing together in the street or their neighbour going out too often, and thinking the Police are going to come out.

The amount of 'phone the Police' posts i've seen about neighbours on MN today is staggering.

Lol, if I phoned the police for every pair of kids I saw hanging out smoking weed today, they'd have to hire several new full-time officers.

Lockdown won't work indefinitely - we don't have enough police and people will get fed up and start civil unrest. Lockdown works as long as the vast majority follow it - it was never meant to be 100% compliance. A small minority of people are breaking rules not because they're all arseholes, but because they are finding this REALLY hard and actual isolation could spell mental disaster or suicide for many. If they bring the army in to police everything a-la Spain, then we will have mental health problems and suicides.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-northamptonshire-52052830

One force already saying people need to not be divs and call them to report their numbers. More will follow because no-one has any common sense any more apparently.

Report their neighbours not numbers 😂

Interesting article in The Spectator for those who like that sort of thing...

www.spectator.co.uk/article/derbyshire-police-should-leave-those-dog-walkers-alone

This link popped up on one of my feeds, and made me think of this thread ....

policing-the-corona-state.blog/about/

A joint collaboration by Netpol and the Undercover Research Group, this project aims to collect examples and publish them in daily diary entries, putting them in context by providing some background reading.

Now the government has announced a lockdown of the population backed by police enforcement, we intend to monitor the everyday impact of the new policing powers and whether they are used proportionately.

Stasiland for the next few weeks. Thankfully the new legislation has to be reviewed in 3 weeks.

I’ve noticed a lot of ex MPs and Barristers complaining about the legislation and saying that some police forces have misinterpreted it. The problem is, these police forces are alienating their support base - the law abiding majority. I think the police will have trouble ahead if they don’t back off.

I can’t say I’m happy about being monitored while running round my local park. Even though I haven’t done anything wrong I don’t like it when the police slow down and stare at me - I’m just not used to it.

Now this (a lot of mumsnetters will be very pleased about this and I can see reporting will be a full time job for them, like I said - Stasiland):

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8162725/Police-urge-Britons-spill-beans-neighbours-suspected-breaching-coronavirus-lockdown.html

a lot of mumsnetters will be very pleased about this and I can see reporting will be a full time job for them, like I said - Stasiland

Yes, yes, yes. I have been on here almost 20 years, and would never have guessed that it was harbouring so many snoopers and quasi-Stasi officers.

People will get fed up and start civil unrest
This.

There has to be an end in sight, for this to work
And this.

Why civil unrest here if not in Europe?
Or do you think it will happen there too

@DParse

I’ve been pretty horrified at the Stasi attitude. It’s really made me wonder what kind of society we are. Thankfully it seems to be mostly on mumsnet and twitter etc seem to be more balanced.

Btw I’m not sure if I’m right in thinking the new legislation has to be reviewed in 3 weeks, it may be longer. The way the police are behaving (in my nice suburb of a large city) is intimidating. It’s probably worse in less nice areas.

That was to Wanderings I’m interested to know why here particularly

No I'm not overlybworried. We knew it was coming like the virus was. If it was just us, then I'd be a little concerned but other European countries have done this, well more actually. We have alot more freedom in our lockdown compared to Italy, France and Spain.

Sadly it is because we are livingbin times where selfiahbtwats just cannot do what they've been asked to do.
Last week all the twats were saying " they can't make me" because it wasn't law and as a result last weekend made me embarrassed to the British when I saw thebpicsnics, beach days, Snowden and supermarkets all rammed.

The Twats showed that requests just don't work. We needed to be told. Thanks Twats.

I am not naive enough to think that after 3 weeks the current measures will be lifted (nice if they are) but again lookingbayvour European neighbours, it's unlikely. It is more probable an extension of another 2 to 3 weeks will be added.

It is a bizarre time we are livingbin and nothing is normal. We had a council vehicle go by earlier today with a tannoy shouting out the Stay Home message. Bizarre!

Not worried though.

I think it's clear that a lot of police are revelling in the opportunity to bully and intimidate people. All I can say is I'm glad we're now 20,000 officers down on 2010, so at least less people will suffer.

It's interesting that the police supposedly have no resources to attend burglaries but can send drones to monitor innocent people.

I for one think we could do with 20,000 more officers gone. They are going to lose the trust and support of a lot of the public after this.

Even though I haven’t done anything wrong I don’t like it when the police slow down and stare at me - I’m just not used to it

It's a bit of a mystery to me why the police would slow down and stare at a woman running on her own in a park. You're alone, presumably away from others, and clearly exercising. Can't they tell that in the millisecond it takes to look at you once?

It's interesting that the police supposedly have no resources to attend burglaries but can send drones to monitor innocent people

Definitely this.

"I for one think we could do with 20,000 more officers gone. They are going to lose the trust and support of a lot of the public after this."

Where I live, we are annoyed with them for not doing more. There are groups of teenagers congregating and nothing is done about it.

Young Children where I live are now scared of the police as they’ve been aggressive towards parents during their daily exercise (family walk) local to home (no car).

Reminding a family of government guidelines is ok. Being aggressive while standing too close to the family - is not ok.

Young children being scared of the police is not good!

@MarshaBradyo I didn't specify whether I meant in UK, or Europe. I think civil unrest could happen in either place. It's often been commented that the Chinese are more of a compliant society that we are in the west; I'm not sure if there's a difference between the UK and Europe on this. Boris mentioned that in 12 weeks, it could be turned round. He probably said "reviewed in three weeks" to give people a grain of hope. I do think that if the restrictions continue beyond twelve weeks, especially if the death figures start going down but no restrictions are eased, people really will think "fuck this, I'm not staying put any longer" and take matters into their own hands, especially if there is no end in sight.

Restrictions on our freedom is a small price to pay to prevent huge numbers of deaths

What happened to the adage of old-

When a few sacrificed their lives for the freedoms of the many.

Governments with totalitarian control are more deadly than any virus.

@cologne4711

“Even though I haven’t done anything wrong I don’t like it when the police slow down and stare at me - I’m just not used to it

It's a bit of a mystery to me why the police would slow down and stare at a woman running on her own in a park. You're alone, presumably away from others, and clearly exercising. Can't they tell that in the millisecond it takes to look at you once?”

Mystery to me too but it happened today.

Dparse: I've been here a long time too and just knew a lot of MNetters would love it. Some have always loved a good old 'report', be it e.g suspicions their neighbour shouldn't be claiming benefits, HCPs not doing exactly what the poster wants, teachers being frustrated about something and complaining on a FB group or the classic 'call 101' because someone knocked on your door after 8pm (which you didn't respond to anyway) or because you saw a chalked 'message' on a wall outside your house or someones been sat in a car up the road for a while.