One rule for them ...

[TheLadyAnneNeville]

Well, we have a Communities Secretary who has stood on podium at the 5pm Press Brief and urged us to Stay Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives. He has been found to have visited his parents in Shropshire (an 80+ mile round trip) to take them some groceries. The man, Robert Jenrick, has demonstrated the “it doesn’t apply to me/I’m different” attitude that will see BBQ’s/parties/picnics happening up and down the UK, this weekend.

How are people to get the message above when those in Govt. don’t get it? It’s the “Ive visited hospitals today and shaken hands with COVID19 patents” from Boris. And look where that got him.

And we ordinary folk are being vilified for not shopping essential items only. Police waiting to rummage through our shopping baskets to check we haven’t put contraband in there alongside the bread and milk. I don’t get it.

I’ve struck to the rules ridgidly. Haven’t shopped for a week now but will need to go to Boots tomorrow to collect DH’s diabetic meds. What’s the point if Mr Jenrick just “nips” to visit mum and dad?

Also, he is the minister in charge of distribution of food and supplies to the elderly and vulnerable. You're not telling me he couldn't access help.

You mean he should have pulled strings?

@TheLadyAnneNeville Well no. If the prescription for medication had been sent through to their son, only he could collect it.

Maybe there are no volunteers in the area, maybe they are private people, maybe they are shielding and didn't trust anyone other than their son to do the deliveries. Presumably he left the things on the doorstep and stood back, so he did social distancing as advised.

He did nothing wrong. And neither are many other people doing this safely.

Your political bias is talking here. The Scottish minister who went to a holiday cottage is a clear case of flouting the rules because they feel entitled to.

Your post is ridiculous and incorrect, and simply your incorrect opinion

The local community were supporting his parents. That is being reported as direct from that community.

Why would a prescription be sent to their son?

And being private people or not trusting others are not on the list of reasons.

OK - I am going to go slightly against the grain here.

It depends on where his "home base" is. He has been working in London out of a London base. He then goes "home" to where his wife and children are, and will now stay there and "wfh". Many, many, people have work bases and home bases, and have been moving back over time, including people who work abroad, and are now getting home.

Separately, he then visits his parents to drop off supplies, without going into the community, or over their doorstep. This is allowed.

If he then goes back and forth to London, then this is potentially an issue, as he CAN wfh. But also, and here is the rub, is he a "key worker", those that are still commuting in and out of London for work.

Jenrick's Website states that he lives in Newark and London.

His Register of Interests entry lists his Herefordshire property as a financial interest and not a family home.

His letter today states that he "considers" the Herefordshire property to be his family home.

Well spotted Mockers.
He does not 'live' in Newark by any stretch of the imagination, he and his family live in London. So his family have decamped to their second home.

My husbands parents are a good 60+ miles round trip. Is for his sister too. Their only other relations are their various siblings who all live between 30 and 180 miles away from them. So what do people like that (and Jenricks parents) do? There are no supermarket slots to be had, my MIL is in the extremely vulnerable/shielding group but still can’t get a delivery. My mum and dad live a mile away so it would be easy if they needed shopping... that’s not the case for everyone.

I would say he will get away with this but I would respect him more if he had stayed in London and liased with the local community to ensure his parents were looked after via social media and phone.

I am not saying he should have pulled strings, just that in all likelihood he has information and help readily available. Although actually pulling strings might have been preferable to decamping from London at this point.

@goldpartyhat I can't agree because the issue here is not simply the drop off to the parents. He has done that on top of doing pretty much the same as the Scottish adviser.

I don't think this is about political bias. I spoke this morning to someone in his local constituency who is a lifelong Tory voter, they can clearly see he did the wrong thing.

Also, this is partly about optics. He must know how damaging it could be to public messaging to even be perceived to be flouting the rules.

I wonder how many times he has done it before he was caught.

@AllTheWhoresOfMalta

Unless the whole family have just decamped to their second home his wife was already so his parents were not isolated in that way. I think it is fine to drive to help vulnerable relatives if you need to, no problem. We don't know whether he needed to or not, but I have more of an issue with the much longer trip to the second home. Or third/fourth/financial interest property or whatever.

All the people giving him the benefit of the doubt as perhaps there were no friends, neighbours or volunteers to help the parents: it has been widely reported, including in the article I linked to earlier, that the local community were already supporting them with shopping.

Furthermore, this hasn’t been denied by Jenrick or his spokespeople.

@goldpartyhat... maybe they are private people? Really? That’s a good reason?

Heard them all.

And @goldpartyhat, I’m not making it up ie. it’s just my opinion.

He did the trip.
He decamped his family.
His parents have support.

He is standing in a podium advising/telling us what to do.

Not my “opinion”. Facts.

And no, to be fair, I am not a Tory supporter (pleeeease, no “we’d be in a worse state if Corbyn were in charge, FFS). However, I think if the rule givers cannot stick to their own rules, when they are possibly in a better position to do so than some ordinary folk, then they ought not to be telling us what to do.

It's so careless. Now, on the brink of a critical Easter weekend in lockdown we don't have a strong message from govt about following guidance. It has been undermined by this distraction which will also give certain types of people the excuse they need to shrug off the govt advice.

@bigbluebus... nail on the head, there!

@FaFoutis If you are collecting meds for a vulnerable person you arrange for the prescription to be sent to your local pharmacy. It's pretty normal for carers to do this.

When I say private people, I mean self sufficient as a family. maybe they want to leave the volunteers to help more vulnerable people?

The rules say you can go out for medication, for caring duties and for food. Not some jolly in your second home 🤦‍♀️.

And if you can't see the difference in that you have some serious perception issues.

@Maryann1975 😂😂😂 It’s hilarious. Again, one rule for them ...

@GrimSisters... funny that...political candidates promising the Earth “if” they’re elected and then it doesn’t happen. I think he’s done very well, hasn’t he? MP of a safe seat, a Secretary, pleasing himself, bending the rules, must be great.

@How2Help ... because unless it’s for exceptional circumstances, we’re supposed to live, shop, exercise and function within a 2 kilometre area. I guess it boils down to “do I really believe no one else could help this couple?” And for me, as an individual, I do not. People are not allowed to be with their loved ones receiving end of life care now. Never mind delivering supplies.

I can’t get worked up over it, my SIL has had to drop supplies to her PILs who live in a very rural community, don’t drive and had their village shop closed down after the floods in February. What else were they to do?

I don't really see what the issue was with him bringing groceries to his parents. My mum did that for me today. She then stood at the end of my driveway for about half an hour and I sat on my doorstep and we had a natter. Well over 2 metres away.

@TheLadyAnneNeville 'Decamped his family? Nowhere does it say he took his family on this trip.

It is your opinion that he was breaking rules. The facts don't support this.

The facts are that you can take medicines and essential food to people who are self isolating, if you maintain social distancing. Carers can travel if it's essential for the well being of a vulnerable person.

It's is your incorrect opinion motivated by political bias that he broke rules. He didn't, that's a fact.

because unless it’s for exceptional circumstances, we’re supposed to live, shop, exercise and function within a 2 kilometre area

Genuine question, but is that part of the UK government official advice, because I haven't seen it?

Oh and the police are NOT rummaging through shopping baskets ffs.

But any excuse to bash the Tories, moan about Brexit etc.....

@TheLadyAnneNeville And your political rant demonstrates your obvious bias.

The Scottish health minister really did decamp her family on several occasions. But then it's fine for her to have a holiday home, one rule for her etc etc.