Where is the opposition and media?

[lockedown]

I live in London, moved here two years back from outside UK. I really want to understand why is there no criticism of the government here? Why aren't hard questions being asked from the government? I don't understand why the opposition is not speaking out.
I think the entire coronavirus situation has not been handled well by the government at all. First with the herd immunity stance which they went back on but not soon enough, then the schools being shut down so late, low testing, lax lockdown. NHS is trying to do it's best but it not being equipped properly. With the lack of protective gear people in nhs are dying. Lockdown isn't being imposed strictly. In a densely populated city like London, people are out everywhere!
But where is the opposition? Why isn't the media asking tough questions? Why hasn't the government apologised for the mistakes that it has made. I don't understand the system. Can someone please explain? The press conferences are just mostly one way - ask the tough questions someone! Is it how it is culturally? I will really like to know. Thanks.

[Bool]

I just watching Matt Hancock on BBC now fielding a shit load of questions. Daily briefings they field a shit load of questions.

[SquishySquirmy]

"But right now unless the politicians are medically trained they offer no help"

Utter bollocks.

[SquishySquirmy]

As for "the science being the same" no matter who's in charge... The response varies wildly between countries, even between countries which are quite similar in many ways. So different leaders do act on the "The Science" in different ways.

Also managing a crisis is not just reliant on "The Science". (Although science and evidence is crucial). Organisation, logistics, problem solving, balancing risks, setting priorities, the ability to foster cooperation and effective communication is all important too. There is no point in having A Great Idea without the ability to coordinate it (no matter how great the slogan).

There are a lot of big sounding actions announced by the gov, but then it all goes very quiet and when you dig deeper very little happens. Eg the NHS volunteer response - I would like to know whether the people who need the help have been able to access it, and wether anything is being done to check how well it is working (maybe it is all going brilliantly, but without verification how can they know?)

Mobilising clothing manufacturers to make PPE sounds super (famous British Brands play even better) but there is evidence to suggest this has been shambolically managed.
Badges are super duper, but missing out on contracts for ventilators and PPE due to not replying in time is unforgivable.

Saying that "we will reduce the risk of infection in care homes" sounds great, but means nothing when Covid-free care homes are being forced to accept infectious patients.

Lockdown is not a binary on/off situation. I hope the transition out of lockdown will be phased and sensible, and the timing will depend on key criteria being met. I accept we may not be able to know the exact plans, but I would like to have the confidence that plans are being carefully made. In all honesty I don't have that confidence right now (and not without reason).

There are so many other issues which need to be looked at more closely, and not every issue requires a degree in epidemiology to ask questions about.

And I don't care "what Labour would have done". They are not in power and it's all hypothetical. If they were in power I would not trust them blindly either and I would absolutely want their actions to be scrutinized!

That's a very long way of saying that sound bites are not enough for me and I amazed they satisfy others so easily.
When did the bar we set for our leaders fall so low?

[Walkaround]

lockedown - I don’t know what media you are consuming, but you haven’t asked a single question on this thread yet that has not already been asked of the Government in press briefings. So I’m struggling to understand what questions you think haven’t been asked.

[MarshaBradyo]

This morning on R4 it was mentioned that KS said the government was in limbo due to Johnson out of action.

I didn’t hear KS say it but sounds unfounded and thought it would be unlike him to draw speculative conclusions.

It was dismissed and I was inclined to agree the government wouldn’t be sitting around waiting.

[mummmy2017]

But right now unless the politicians are medically trained they offer no help.
What is it you think they should all be in a room arguing about?
I am also sure that if KS the Labour leader asked to be briefed and had any ideas that he wanted passed to Boris that would already be in place.

[Grasspigeons]

Its not the idea that opposition would do it differently. The whole purpose of opposition is to hold government to account - its part of a functioning democracy. Eg the corona bill had amendments made to it as the first draft wasnt right (no review periods)

[onanothertrain]

What makes people think the opposition would be doing anything differently? It's not as though Boris is making all the decisions on his own. Those giving the expert advice would still be giving it to the Labour Party. The situation is unprecedented and changing continuously. This is not the time to be scoring political points. People are dying.

[mummmy2017]

The exit strategy, your all scream for details on , has been given you several times, if you didn't take it in perhaps it is because you don't like the answer.
There are two ways.
Stop lockdown and hope the illness doesn't kill too many more people. Which we can watch happening as there are several countries doing this right now.
Or continue the lockdown for at least 3 more weeks and try to find a treatment that works, while also finding a cure.
The second one means hospitals can cope.

[HeddaGarbled]

The Conservative Party have been gunning for the BBC before they were in government, and now that they are, the BBC are on the brink of having public funding removed. So they are treading very carefully.

The BBC are not the only media outlet in the U.K.

You need to read newspapers to get a better flavour of the tone of coverage. Newspapers were campaigning for lockdown before it happened, were critical of the herd immunity strategy, have been constantly highlighting the lack of PPE and testing, have exposed the care home situation and are currently pushing for information about the exit strategy.

[letmeinthroughyourwindow]

The WHO warned of a worldwide shortage of PPE on 3rd March here

They were alarmed because the supply chain 'could take months.'

Indeed, a conglomerate of - I think - 20 EU countries ordered PPE mid-March, but the order failed.

With hindsight, they should have been ordering and stockpiling in February but I doubt they're intentionally twiddling their thumbs about it now.

[Bool]

Yes seems as if Germany were able to scale up testing because they have the local companies able to do it that we lack. But I cannot help falling into cultural stereotypes here and thinking that Germans are generally just very well organised and structured so really doesn’t surprise me at all they were all over it.

For me the big failings are PPE and testing. Everything else I am not sure what they could have done better.

[thatgingergirl]

Singapore may have PPE sorted, but Japan hasn't. www.news18.com/news/world/japan-city-seeks-raincoats-as-emergency-protection-for-staff-fighting-coronavirus-2578687.html

[Polly02]

The opposition has no voice at the moment due to parliament being suspended.

They are trying to restart things now for the reasons you are giving. But government is being somewhat resistant.

[PicsInRed]

I consider that a form of "wartime censorship" is in place, whether that is by law or voluntary is unclear.

[SquishySquirmy]

mummy2017 did you read the op or are you confusing this with another thread?

And btw, it is not remotely true that masks "are not available anywhere in the world"
Not all countries are struggling to provide care and medical staff with PPE. Some (Singapore for eg) have even handed them out to every household. Do some research, or in the very least read the op instead of making stuff up.

[mummmy2017]

Oh, so the Government has been doing something. So OP got that wrong, as well

[SquishySquirmy]

Again another poster who just wants people to SHUT UP but cannot engage properly.

Much of the needed PPE is not that complicated to make. We are making it now (at last!) In a "herculean effort". Better late than never I guess.

[mummmy2017]

These tests your saying about, the ones that are in short supply, which magic hat are they in.
The masks that are not available, anywhere in the world, yet you can source them. Wow.
I am sure if Labour have any great ideas on how to do better they have a pipeline into the govenment, to hand over the info.
Also how come... know it alls.... like the OP have not been locked down since the first news came from China.
I mean if your so clever you must have understood this virus and taken action.

[SquishySquirmy]

OP I've thought of another reason:
We have no parliament currently. So no debates or questioning of the government from other MPs. The normal methods of challenging the government has been interrupted and ministers (like Patel) can just ignore emails and phone calls.

Hopefully a virtual parliament will be up and running soon although it will be fascinating to see how it works: will the speaker be able to "mute" ministers instead of shouting "order"? How to ensure that all sides get as fair amount of speaking time? Will we see a less shouty combative style? Will debates be interrupted by children and pets? Will JRM call in from a chaise loungue or from his bed? Which MP will turn themselves into a potato first? 😁

[letmeinthroughyourwindow]

"The main criticism I have with the government is level of testing for front line e workers"

We didn't have a huge diagnostics industry already in place like, for example, Germany. Our problem is scaling up the operation.

[letmeinthroughyourwindow]

"They need to be asked if they plan to announce the number of deaths from outside hospitals and when. They need to be asked why aren't they able to increase testing like some of the other countries (US, Germany for example). They also need to be asked what THEY are doing to protect the NHS."

They've been asked these questions every day this week, at least, at the daily briefing.

And answered them.

[Bool]

*brakes !

[Bool]

@lockedown yes I agree Germany have done very well with slowing the virus down. But please don’t confuse that with herd immunity. Angela Merkel herself said that 70% of Germans would get the virus. She herself was referencing herd immunity. Germany have kept the spread slower by contact tracing etc. But now they are taking the breaks off again and it will spread again. We cannot confuse the end game of 70% of us needing to be immune (naturally or through a vaccine) and the rate at which we allow that to happen. Germany’s rate was very low. However even thought the UK rate has been higher it hasn’t been so high that it has crashed the NHS yet. Until a vaccine we are going to have to be in and out of lockdown and social distancing to keep the spread under control. But rest assured it will spread.

The main criticism I have with the government is level of testing for front line e workers and to we know if we have had it or not plus PPE provision. That is indeed weird they didn’t prepare for both.

[lockedown]

Thanks @SquishySquirmy and @LilacTree1.
@RishiSunakFanClub, we should all be free to ask questions from the government. I think discussion boards like these are meant for having discussions and that's exactly what I am doing. I am not going to engage with you further on this.