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Original poster

The most astonishing thing about all this

51 replies

Inoneminute · 25/05/2020 09:31

Is that an apparently indispensable spin doctor has read the mood of the nation so badly.

They spent 6 hours yesterday putting the plan together and what they came up with (you'd have all done the same if you were good parents) has got people way madder than the original story.

OP posts:
MarginalGain · 25/05/2020 12:01

I cant put my finger on it (too tired, too emotional) but cant shake the feeling that the public outrage is exactly what they wanted.

This is what my husband thinks, that they're playing an end game.

MarginalGain · 25/05/2020 12:01

Not sure I agree.

Jaxhog · 25/05/2020 12:08

I can't believe they didn't see this coming.

This is what worries me. It should have been patently obvious what the public would read into his actions, regardless of whether they were justified or not. Now, even more people will think it's ok to flout the rules than they already do. An unbelievably cack-handed response.

PicsInRed · 25/05/2020 12:26

I wondered if it was part of a plot to get people to start coming out again, we've been starting to make plans to get back to normal at work and staff are very reluctant

Yes, it likely is.

but what they've done with the defense must surely be very risky?

It gets the left and unions wanting out of their houses, them being were the bulk of the lockdown remainers.

If it was a plan, it's brilliant, as it splits the opposition cleanly - they will bicker amongst themselves as to whether to remain inside to go out for the principle of it.

Meanwhile, safe to say lockdown is all but dust.

YeOldeTrout · 25/05/2020 12:36

They could easily have said 'Yes, he fucked up in a moment of panic, he's spoken to the police and paid the fine, very sorry' it would all have gone away. Instead, the gaslighting has become the story.

^ That. I never cared about DC particularly. but It's cabinet blood I'd like to see drawn now. How many hundreds (thousands?) of British families were in similar situations, where they would have hugely better support to look after their loved vulnerable members if they had travelled. But they didn't because official message was very explicit "Stay in your primary residence." The apology that Hancock et al. owe the nation is profound. Giving themselves such Draconian powers was always on trust -- they just blew the trust up.

The other scary thing is... why is DC so important? There is not a single other civil servant that Johnson's administration would expend 10% as much political capital on. What kind of nutty situation are we in that dozens of MPs bow to the spin doctor?

Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree · 25/05/2020 12:44

Part of me suspects it is a ploy to get people out of their houses again.
However I have seen many very right leaning friends appalled at DC, calling for his resignation and insisting people stick to the rules.

Somerville · 25/05/2020 12:47

Apparently Cummings is doing a press conference later. Answering questions and everything.

Somerville · 25/05/2020 12:52

(And no, I don't know why an unelected aide gets a platform to address the electorate.)

YeOldeTrout · 25/05/2020 12:52

link to press conf event, Somerville?

though It's not really about DC any more, is it? It's about DC having our elected representatives on a tight lead. Anyone else in the civil service must be gob-smacked.

YeOldeTrout · 25/05/2020 12:55

ooops, I have it, on Twitter.
I do love Twitter for breaking news.

Thescrewinthetuna · 25/05/2020 12:58

As many have said, if he had just been apologetic and said ‘look, my wife was ill, I was worried about my son and we panicked, in hindsight it was not a great idea, I am sorry’ then there wouldn’t have been so much anger towards him. But the arrogance displayed by DC and Downing Street has been quite shocking. The gaslighting. I’m truly baffled by it. They’ve either really misread how this would look to people or they’re being so arrogant because they want outrage and therefore people to think ‘fuck it, if DC can do this I can ignore the rules.’ I can’t work out which though?
Why is BoJo defending him? There has to be a reason - again either he wants this reaction or DC has mega dirt on them and he’s terrified of what will come out if they get rid of him. It is so bizarre.

Somerville · 25/05/2020 13:00

Why is BoJo defending him?
Weakness. He can barely do the job even with Cummings' help - fears not being able to do it at all without him.

WinterIsGone · 25/05/2020 13:08

Somerville Totally agree with you.

(Perhaps the PR people hope to take out BJ and DC in one fell swoop...)

Daffodil101 · 25/05/2020 13:13

I dont think that, unless you have a small child with autism, a wife with covid, and you’re a senior government advisor during a national emergency, that there’s a single person here who has walked in his shoes

Helmetbymidnight · 25/05/2020 13:14

I agree it is astonishing.

I can't agree with the theory its deliberate to get people to break lock down although certainly they might or might not be pleased if it has that affect. Boris doesn't want to be hated, he just wants to be the good guy, there's no way he'd put himself through that - although maybe he didn't think that would happen.

Agree appealing to parents was absolutely dumb-arsed. I know they are parents, but I do wonder how many people doing any parenting they know. I suppose in their world everyone has someone else to look after their kids, so the appeal was: we couldn't possibly look after our own kids, right!?

Agree with Somerville. There's no Brexit without Cummings, and worse, there's no response to Covid 19. Cummings is the man in charge.

MarginalGain · 25/05/2020 13:15

I’m seeing some deep-state brexity-related comments around the comments sections of various papers.

Who knows but it is weird that these two astute operators (regardless of how you feel about them) seem to not have seen it coming.

SorrelBlackbeak · 25/05/2020 13:16

Do you think BJ has cottoned on yet to how personally damaged he will be if it turns out that Cummings was having a lovely holiday wandering freely around County Durham?

SorrelBlackbeak · 25/05/2020 13:17

@Daffodil101 - apparently the autism thing wasn't true. It was on twitter as a justification and has now been removed.

The80sweregreat · 25/05/2020 13:18

The daily mail comments section was full of conspiracy theories about this and Brexit.
The leavers were very upset. Labour voters got the blame and the editor is a remainer!
DC is seen as a bit of ' hero' among some.

Helmetbymidnight · 25/05/2020 13:20

I hope Boris tries that line: "None of you could possibly understand what it is like to work, with a small child and a partner who is ill?!'
That would be just awesome.

Helmetbymidnight · 25/05/2020 13:22

It seems Brexiteers do love unelected bureaucrats and the metropolitan elite Confused

slipperywhensparticus · 25/05/2020 13:28

Autism is no excuse I'm a single parent two kids with sen my only real support is my daughter currently stuck in a welsh university I wanted to go get her really I did guess what? She is still there I'm still here me and the younger two kids had symptoms we survived on our own with a bit of help from a neighbour or two

so why am I single currently not working parent of three more capable than a man who is helping run the country

It's not inspiring much confidence is it

If he had said something along the lines of I messed up I'm sorry I would have been what a twat and done

Troubledmummy3 · 25/05/2020 13:36

It's the arrogance of Cummings and then Boris that has really infuriated me when so many have tried so hard and sacrificed or even lost so much...do they think we're stupid? Any one of us could have travelled unreasonably and extensively during lockdown with a weak excuse based on what Boris said in defence of the brains behind the operation! So long as we felt it was in our instinct and how can that be reasonably disproven? It's subjective. If he had an ounce of decency Cummings would resign. As for Boris...where has he been? Why has he not been doing the daily briefings during a time like this?

1forsorrow · 25/05/2020 13:44

I dont think that, unless you have a small child with autism, a wife with covid, and you’re a senior government advisor during a national emergency, that there’s a single person here who has walked in his shoes So bloody what, he's never walked in my shoes, I've never walked in your shoes, in fact I've only ever walked in my own shoes.

Shoes were never mentioned in the guidelines.

slipperywhensparticus · 25/05/2020 15:00

He has the privilege of a two parent family and support apparently he has a nanny which if she lives in should have been staying with them anyway I would've to walk in his shoes my feet are currently bare and fucking tired my one child refused sleep until nearly 6am my other got up just after 7 how am I to function on an hours sleep? I dont know but I did and i do on my own once child with special needs is bad imagine two imagine balancing their needs with your own and the needs of your eldest child who even at 19 needs her mom occasionally

Actually I dont need to imagine because I'm living it and I've done it with a full time job two jobs no job 🥱