Government can't win

[Greysparkles]

In a nutshell

Government criticized for moving too slowly in initial lockdown

Government criticised for locking down to fast with holiday quarantine, rules on weddings etc

What do people want 😂

They were way too slow at the start - the build up was painful. It felt like a horror movie, we were staying open and not protecting our vulnerable. It was horrible.

And I can see why they are getting the criticism now as no notice, it was going to be over by Christmas a couple of weeks ago. It’s unsettling how they seem to have no handle on what is happening.

So yes, they’re definitely not winning in any shape or form in my eyes.

The government strategy is incoherent. They could win if they had a sensible consistent approach that was clearly communicated. R values anyone? Anyone know which Covid level are we at now? World beating Track and trace app? Highest deaths in Europe though. Its a complete mess.

@GrannyBags

A bit more notice wouldn’t have gone a miss. My parents travelled over 200 miles to see us yesterday (when that was allowed) Today they have had to go home as they are now not allowed to be in our home. Having more than two hours notice would have helped us make an informed choice

😥 that’s so rubbish, I hope you have fun times together very soon.

Maybe the plan was to go back to work and to open up more, but the infection rate increased.

He's still advising people to go back to the office though.

I don’t think the government strategy has been incoherent. They got off to a slow start but they are learning lessons and taking the virus very seriously. Other governments are doing the same.

*Then he publishes a status update on twitter confirming the NW lockdown and with a line at the bottom saying 'this will apply to City of Leicester too'.

Twitter and Facebook are up in arms, swearing everywhere, people are fucked right off.*

I don't think the government would have treated another city with the contempt it's shown Leicester if it wasn't a Labour city and they had Tory MPs.

I approve of swift action but I find it hard to believe that it couldn't have been announced say at 6pm or 7pm so people not on Twitter might have heard it on the evening news or had time to receive phone calls from people who saw the announcement. 90% of households have internet access but there's 10% who don't so need other ways to hear these sort of announcements. Many people would have been at work or asleep when the announcement was made.

I think it's very typical of Johnson to give businesses that expected to reopen tomorrow more notice than ordinary people.

I can’t believe people are evicting their family due to this latest flip flop, or that anyone thinks this government is still credible. Someone upthread said their parents had travelled 200 miles and were now going home without seeing them. But you could meet them in the pub? I’m afraid it’s time to make your own decisions and admit the government is no such thing - yet still Boris Johnson has the highest approval ratings. Highest death rate in Europe, vulnerable people discharged into care homes, and still popular support for this government. There’s no helping some people. It makes me very sad as we ricochet towards more failings and mismanagement. You’re right OP, THIS government can’t win, because THIS government is not fit for purpose.

I can't get on board with this latest local revision of the guidelines when you can do literally everything apart from see your family in their home. My very mentally unwell sister has been in hysterics all day as none of us are allowed to see her. I'm in a social bubble with our parents due to my disability and my need for help and care with my 3 year old so they can't bubble with her too. But I've said we'll have to just take each day as it comes and if we need to break the rules to care for her too then we will. But The idea of having to break the rules in order to do so what has sent her over the edge in the first place. The advice is not consistent at all, and entirely driven by th e economy while families are suffering. But again we're back to being able to have workmen, nannies, estate agents etc in our homes but not family. It doesn't make sense. I simply cannot support it, I will go along with it, I will happily cancel all friends visitations etc and wear my mask, adhere to all other rules but family needs have to come first.

it was going to be over by Christmas a couple of weeks ago.

Not exactly what he said;

"It is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November at the earliest - possibly in time for Christmas,"

"the prime minister said the plan "remains conditional" on continued progress in controlling the virus and preventing a second wave of infections that could overwhelm the NHS."

"Mr Johnson added he was "hoping for the best and planning for the worst"."

I just think it's different people complaining so whatever the GOV do, different interest groups complain - so it looks like everyone complains all the time when really it is just a different group making a lot of noise, all egged on by social media and the news
So today, we get loads of interviews on BBC radio full of people complaining about local lockdown, yesterday it was the Spainish holiday people complaining, last week it was the anti-mask people taking to the airwaves and the week before that the pro-mask people.

Whatever the GOV does, the media will rush around trying to find the people most negatively affected by the change and we have to spend all day listening to them moaning and whinging on every radio/ news broadcast.
It's never the people who say "it's fine whatever."

oh and misrepresentating and exaggerating and faking "confusion" over every thing Boris or any other minister says while simultanously telling us how clear Nicola Sturgeon messaging is by comparison

I can listen to a GOV briefing, be totally clear on what has been said - and then have to listen to the BBC/ ITV etc pretend they have lost all their comprenshion skills when trying to explain the new rules or whatever - and actually causing the confusion (deliberately I assume for
mischeif making purposes but so disingenous and very irresponsibly and annoying) It has put me off quite a few presenters I used to like.