Has the government got paid posters here to quash any dissenting voices?

[ssd]

There's always been robust discussions on politics on mn, but I've noticed lately when ever someone questions the government's track record on covid, certain posters pop up with very similar agendas, defending them to the hilt and trying to throw the discussion round to something else.

I'd like to see when posters actually joined mn, some newer posters must spend all their time on here defending the indefensible.

claig had a sense of humour!

Last couple of days I’m seeing sharing of posts on fb by pro Boris people about how the media doesn’t represent views of the majority, their tone is too negative, they don’t report the good news. I’m not sure how they are supposed to put a positive spin on the death rate 🤷🏻‍♀️.

If I read another post by a poster claiming to be 'devastated' that their child can't immediately dash back to school, or convinced that no vaccine will ever be found so it doesn't matter if the Government do nothing as we 're all going to catch the virus anyway, I will scream!

Seems to be about 50% of threads currently that have all the hallmarks of a bargain basement government propaganda drive.

We urgent need a shill bingo to make reading this tosh more bearable!

If I read another post by a poster claiming to be 'devastated' that their child can't immediately dash back to school, or convinced that no vaccine will ever be found so it doesn't matter if the Government do nothing as we 're all going to catch the virus anyway, I will scream!

Really? I am a very normal person and I broadly agree with both those points 😂

@effingterrified they are quite hyperbolic views but actually a more moderate statements:
I’m sad my child is missing her final year of Primary School and would like her to get some time at school before the summer holidays to say goodbye

And that there isn’t any guarantee of a vaccine and we cannot stay locked in and terrified or this virus for very much longer so a measured and controlled approach to this is needed

Are a valid and sensible viewpoint

You come across the same way but on the other end of the scale. The midway/central approach is needed. Whether we have the right Gvt in place to do this who knows.

Speaking of which I just saw David Miliband on TV who does speak in rational and logical terms. If only he has become labour leader 10 years ago

@effingterrified I agree. The mood on the board is so much at odds with my friends’, I honestly don’t know anyone IRL who is pushing their kids to go back to school. Everyone I know is mega worried. The ones with year 6 kids have accepted there won’t be an end of year party etc. Same for other ages.

I think it's more weird that the op thinks everyone thinks exactly the same and if they dont, they are being paid by the government. Weird, just weird.

I have dcs at critical stages of their secondary education. We are alright Jack because we privately educate and the provision has been excellent. But plenty of year 10/11/12 kids don't have that luxury and need to be back at school asap.

This thread deeply worries me. Some people are so blinkered to the fact that other people have opposing views that they believe they must be Paid by the government????

I’ve worked with various parts of government for years and I’m pretty sure they’re not co-ordinated enough to do that. Also it would be illegal no? And if they were found out it would bring down the government. And they risk this why? To annoy posters who don’t agree with the government?

And btw I was on one of the threads mentioned and had a different opinion to some users and was called a government ‘plant’. It’s quite ridiculous and easy way to dismiss someone else’s opinion instead of listening and understanding that your belief isn’t the one true belief out there

I agree. The mood on the board is so much at odds with my friends’, I honestly don’t know anyone IRL who is pushing their kids to go back to school

Do you not think that might be because you’re friends are people who think like you, that’s why you’re friends, rather than there are no other groups of friends who think differently? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to send their children back. Doesn’t mean I think you work For some Union to post that you don’t

A few weeks ago some of us pondered over the sudden water testing threads about schools opening. It also coincided with speculative articles in newspapers as lots of 'leaks' happened.
Very interesting that suddenly there's a push from the government to ignore their own criteria and rush to open schools.

It's already been pointed out that if people are being paid it won't be by the government. It would be payments from the extremely wealthy who can afford to take a gamble with other people's lives and economies from a safe tax and Covid haven distance. They live on private islands or places like more strictly locked down Monaco. They're protected from Covid and can also afford the financial hit of a bad second wave.

PP have also explained that, whilst government employees might not post, it's not implausible that party activists wouldn't.

Perhaps no one's being paid but it's certainly not far fetched to consider it might be happening.

@toffeeyoghurt you’ll need to invest in a tin hat soon!

A few weeks ago some of us pondered over the sudden water testing threads about schools opening

This made me laugh! They’re are so many anti school opening threads on here if they did do this they didn’t listen very well!!!

Why? I haven't said I believe anyone's being paid. I've pointed out it's plausible. I haven't made my mind up yet whether I think that's the case or not.

Perhaps I'll get one though. I could start a new fashion. I'm quite liking the idea of a fancy new tin hat. I love hats as it happens.

Do you not think that might be because you’re friends are people who think like you, that’s why you’re friends, rather than there are no other groups of friends who think differently?

81.3% of parents in this survey, over 16000 won't be sending their children back in school. I'll accept it isn't the most esteemed of sources and I'll accept any good information to the contrary but it is likely that there is more support for kids returning to school than in general.

httpss://www.childcare.co.uk/news/schools

In June...not, forever

And more support for kids returning to school on MN than in general.

Quartz2208 - no, the midway between utter bullshit and rational thought based on hard evidence is not the 'balanced view'.

As FourTeaFallOut points out, MN has had a huge spate recently of identikit posts that all trot out word for word the government's line on eg sending kids back to school and this does not reflect the views of actual parents according to any poll I've seen.

In RL, the vast majority of parents are very opposed to reopening schools before it's safe. Strangely enough.

That's because people lie in polls. Look at the GE!

I would imagine plenty will go back then when the infection rate doesn't rise more will join.

Of course the media will be like slavering dogs trying to find any statistic of doom that they can, but hopefully they won't find any.

For Christ’s sake. I want my child to go back to school because I am terrified at the effect that six months’ isolation from all other children would have on her mental health. I’m not a bloody government shill; I’m a Labour Party member of many years and used to work for labour MPs. I’ve also been on here since 2014 with this username.

Are you people so blinkered that anyone who disagrees with you must be being paid by the government? Get a grip.

Honestly, if you could hear how paranoid you sound, you’d be embarrassed. I’m embarrassed for you.

It's widely known that holiday company employees WFH are being told by their bosses to write positive reviews on eg TrustPilot and report negative ones and get them removed. If that is happening, why do we not believe that companies, sectors and leaders will also be using paid employees to post on MN/ FB/ Twitter? It might not be ethical, but it doesn't stop it from happening.

I comment on teaching, because it's what I know about not to start a row, but endless accounts have suddenly appeared on Twitter from 'Conservative teachers' (their own labelling) promoting the idea that only good teachers want to return, promoting a return to school, bashing unions etc. These accounts have not existed before and it is interesting how they tie them to the government, rather than saying it is a personal view. Those same people , or their followers, are on here : some of the posts are identical. It might not be for pay, but it is certainly with a view to self promotion and ,ironically , to pleasing party HQ , thereby assuring an early release from the dangers of the classroom, to conduct 'policy research' and tell the rest of us how to do our jobs!

Marketing companies trying to sell paint etc are completely different.

Doesn't the result of the GE tell you ANYTHING about Mumsnet?

I think schools need to go back asap. It's not fair that my own dcs are being educated as normal and so many others aren't - a third according to the news today.

Telling a whole generation to get in a cupboard for a year is crazy.