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Original poster

Is everyone else really confused by Boris/government mixed messages?

128 replies

annabel85 · 30/07/2020 16:54

One day it's everyone get back to the office and pack out rush hour trains again and back to Pret and Costa for your morning coffee and lunchtime sandwich. The next it's talk of lockdown and quarantines and 'let's be careful out there'. Why not just continue to advise to work from home then where it's possible and productive to do so?

One day it's 'it'll all be over by Christmas' the next it's 'second wave will be here in two weeks'.

One day it's all get back to the shops and let's support the retail industry, the next it's compulsory masks.

We could list a whole bunch of other conflicting advice from the government and cognitive dissonance from Boris Johnson.

It's a confusing time for everyone and Boris has an impossible job in many ways but they really aren't helping matters with such confusing mixed messages.

I understand they're blindsided by events and changes (I thought they were proactive for once with the Spain quarantine tbf) but their strategy is so confused. It veers between complacency and panic on a daily basis. People don't know whether they're coming or going.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 30/07/2020 16:55

It’s a shit show. I doubt anyone knows what’s really going on. Least of all part time PM Johnson.

Bluewavescrashing · 30/07/2020 16:59

They are spineless and desperate to be popular

They don't understand the science

They don't listen to the experts

They want their summer recess

They refuse to plan properly for long term education or spend any money

They have absolved themselves of responsibility and have left it up to chance if the public get sick or not

Economy wins over health every time.

PurpleDaisies · 30/07/2020 17:00

Their communication with the public has been appalling.

Original poster
annabel85 · 30/07/2020 17:08

Their communication with the public has been appalling.

It's been crying out for consistency and coherency with message and strategy and it's never been there.

It's got to the point where people have either stopped listening to them, or are so confused by their push and pull, make it up as they go along antics that they're completely confused about what they should be doing and how safe it is to do things.

OP posts:
Uhoh2020 · 30/07/2020 17:19

Its been full of mixed messages and a lot left open for interpretation. They are in a no win situation with a lot of things and have to balance the economy with lives in a very unprecedented time. I'm not saying they have done a grand job far from it but I don't think things would have been any better under Corbyn(or any other party leader) either

Janaih · 30/07/2020 17:24

I think Teresa May would have handled it much better. And I say that as a lifelong labour voter.
I'm sick of people defending this government. They had a practice scenario not long ago ffs, and chose to ignore the recommendations.
The only thing helping me keep it together is the strong possibility of Kier Starmer being the next prime minister.

Alsohuman · 30/07/2020 17:24

I’ve absolutely no idea what we should or shouldn’t be doing now. Not a clue. It feels like the government’s just got bored with it. They sure as hell have never heard of a communication strategy.

SleepingStandingUp · 30/07/2020 17:29

Well he's an idiot which doesn't help but

One day it's everyone get back to the office and pack out rush hour trains again and back to Pret and Costa for your morning coffee and lunchtime sandwich. The next it's talk of lockdown and quarantines and 'let's be careful out there' there was Def talk of working from home if you can and even when that changed no one ever said it had to be 9-5, there was talk of flexibility. So you can go back to work, pop to Pret so they can go back to, and still follow all the advice

Why not just continue to advise to work from home then where it's possible and productive to do so? Because that doesn't get support businesses like Pret back on their feet

One day it's 'it'll all be over by Christmas' the next it's 'second wave will be here in two weeks'. It's July, both are poasiblem. Second wave doesn't mean it'll be as high or as long as this although of course it all being over over is unlikely

One day it's all get back to the shops and let's support the retail industry, the next it's compulsory masks. That isn't contradictory.

Original poster
annabel85 · 30/07/2020 17:32

I think Teresa May would have handled it much better.

I think May would have been a lot more ideal.

Boris Johnson has no interest in detail and hard work, he just likes the power and the title. May was a terrible PM but her attention to detail and stubbornness would have worked better dealing with this pandemic than a gridlocked parliament over Brexit.

I've no idea if Corbyn would have done any better but he'd have been hounded out of office already if he'd been this bad.

They need a consistent message but like Trump in America you couldn't have picked a worse leader to deal with a pandemic. Populists have got no answers in a public health crisis.

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2016 · 30/07/2020 17:33

Yes, so many mixed messages which just cause confusion/anxiety/complacency.

I also feel like despite some local 'spikes' things are just continuing to open. For example, indoor shows can happen from August, gyms have opened etc. I know the economy is important but none of it seems to fit together.

I do feel like the government don't really know what to do so are just bumbling along.

Staplemaple · 30/07/2020 17:37

I think Teresa May would have handled it much better

I do sometimes wonder if TM is having a G&T at home, chortling about the fact that she was bullied out by a bunch of blokes, and now they've been dealt a shower of shit since. Probably not chortling about how badly they've handled it mind, nought funny about that.

0blio · 30/07/2020 17:38

twitter.com/i/status/1259566662791106569

Matt Lucas pretty much summed it up Grin

Original poster
annabel85 · 30/07/2020 17:43

@SleepingStandingUp

even when that changed no one ever said it had to be 9-5, there was talk of flexibility.

Yes, but for full time workers working full time hours at home that would naturally be expected to be replicated in the office; so even if it's more 8-4, or a bit earlier or later, the trains are still going to be packed out at rush hour if government advice is followed and it's back to the office. A lot of people work flexi anyway.

Because that doesn't get support businesses like Pret back on their feet

Neither does more and more local lockdowns if second waves are imminent. That's what I mean about mixed messages.

It's July, both are poasiblem. Second wave doesn't mean it'll be as high or as long as this although of course it all being over over is unlikely

It's August in a couple of days. The government have just said a second wave is imminent. Millions of Brits are holidaying abroad over the next month. The schools and colleges etc are all due back in September. The government are telling everyone to go back to the office etc and have introduced a timetable of getting things back to normal come October/Nobember time. (it'll all be over by Christmas).

OP posts:
Alsohuman · 30/07/2020 17:47

I loved Over by Christmas. Wasn’t that the line in 1914 and look what happened then.

BackInTime · 30/07/2020 17:49

Confusion is a deliberate Cummings government policy to distract from their own rubbish handling of the crisis or anything else for that matter. Today it was confirmed that England had the highest excess deaths in Europe but instead of having to answer to this Boris and Dom have created distraction by getting us to look at Spain and what's happening in Europe 'oh look over there, Spain is doing so badly and I am doing brilliantly telling people to be careful'. Tomorrow he will be telling everyone to get back to the office 🙄

ParisianLady · 30/07/2020 17:57

I don't think it's hugely mixed, it seems fairly clear:

  • go to work if it's safe for you to do so, WFH otherwise
  • wear a mask indoors where social distancing isn't an option or when travelling by public transport
  • meet up to 6 people outdoors
  • meet with one other household or bubble indoors
  • quarantine if coming back from certain countries
  • maintain social distance where possible
  • international travel isn't without its risks
  • the above rules can change at any time

Yes they've made many mistakes along the way, and changed their minds, but I can't say I'm hugely confused about the current rules and advice.

Notfeelinggreattoday · 30/07/2020 18:01

Maybe its because its a new virus qnd a new situation so they generally don't know
And we need the economy as well to pay for nhs etc , the rules are similar to other countries in lots of ways

Original poster
annabel85 · 30/07/2020 18:03

@BackInTime

Confusion is a deliberate Cummings government policy to distract from their own rubbish handling of the crisis or anything else for that matter. Today it was confirmed that England had the highest excess deaths in Europe but instead of having to answer to this Boris and Dom have created distraction by getting us to look at Spain and what's happening in Europe 'oh look over there, Spain is doing so badly and I am doing brilliantly telling people to be careful'. Tomorrow he will be telling everyone to get back to the office 🙄
Sad to be cynical but was the quick action over Spain the government being proactive for once in acting quickly (as I thought) or is it more spin from Cummings as you suggest?
OP posts:
NotGenerationAlpha · 30/07/2020 18:05

Completely agree with you.

Orangeblossom78 · 30/07/2020 18:06

I think Boris likes to be positive and is a bit of a libertarian too so that he struggles with this a bit but also his experience means he is a bit cautious too, and then there is lobbying by e.g. airline, fitness, industries too so it is tricky...they seem to try and start something and then change back, like with the holidays, which is stressful..

overall very reactionary rather than predicting ahead...the holidays could well have been predicted to cause spikes...but I suppose it is the balance with economy and risk and public opinion..

CuppaZa · 30/07/2020 18:06

I am so fucking fed up of the mystic mixed messages. The majority of the population apparently need to be told exactly what they can and can’t do, otherwise they twist things to suit them. It’s an absolute shit show

labyrinthloafer · 30/07/2020 18:07

@Bluewavescrashing

They are spineless and desperate to be popular

They don't understand the science

They don't listen to the experts

They want their summer recess

They refuse to plan properly for long term education or spend any money

They have absolved themselves of responsibility and have left it up to chance if the public get sick or not

Economy wins over health every time.

Can't argue with much here ⬆️
Orangeblossom78 · 30/07/2020 18:08

The way they originally did the gradual changes out of lockdown was positively commented upon by WHO...that did seem reasonable but since then it does seem more muddled.

beela · 30/07/2020 18:09

Have some cheap food, but also please also lose weight.

Tasje · 30/07/2020 18:11

Yep, it's confusing. I'm from NZ originally and have watched both responses side by side since the start of March and the UK communications are so much harder to follow.

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