So. Predictions for tomorrow? Boris's speech.

[BabyLlamaZen]

I'm pretty sure we're going to get told we can't see any other households for 2 weeks and a curfew on pubs.

Although a part of me thinks they'll just say no to seeing any other households and leave it at that with no limit. I'm hoping they'll keep the support bubbles though.

@Stinkyguineapig

One thing I'm really struggling with is a lot of people seem not to want to comply (with stricter rules) because the Government are a shower of shit. I think we should comply despite the gov being a complete shambles.

I am no government sympathiser. I cant bear BJ bumbling and waffling his BS at PMQs, and have complete disdain for JRM .They have absolutely made a complete cock up of multiple certain things, namely test and trace, which should be their top priority, and have not given meaningful clear guidance when most needed.

HOWEVER even when they have laid out guidelines, some people have huffily said "well I'm not doing that for this pathetic government," or " if you think I'm going to stick to the rules after that twat Dominic Cummings..." thinking they are sticking 2 fingers up at them.

If the only consequence of masses of people not following guidelines was pissing off the government, I would completely break the rules, see my family, invite lots of my kids friends round, go out to dinner parties etc. But it isnt. I dont try to follow the guidelines to please BJ and co (they dont really give a shit anyway) I do it because I hope that it might be effective against minimising the spread of the virus....

THIS!

A thousand times this.

Thank you, @Stinkyguineapig

I think the Brexit ref vote went the way it did partly because it was a 'protest vote' from disenfranchised folk who'd been led to believe it was all the 'big bad EU's fault' for many years but knee jerk reactions don't end well.

If 'breaking the rules because DC did' gets fixed in enough people's heads then it is US who will suffer. BJ, DC, JRM etc are all rich enough not to suffer from this (indeed JRM and co will gain from disaster capitalism) and the stupid Cabinet probably believe they are exempt from Covid 19 now as they've mostly all 'had it already'.

I am being careful, not because I live in the NE and am under local 'lockdown' anyway but because it is the right thing to do. We all have to do the right thing, ESPECIALLY because we are 'led by Donkeys'.

Boris speaking in Parliament now

Boris is speaking to the House.

Everything for at least six months

What does 'rule of six for indoor adult sports' mean? Closing gyms/swimming /fitness??

Guidelines for retail, hospitality etc are now becoming law

@Morfin I assume you can only have 6 people in the room at a time

I did not like the use of the word ‘firepower’ when talking about possible further restrictions.

I know that retail and hospitality staff have to wear face masks, but will that include office staff?

Good point from KS, I also live a local lockdown area, it has been like this for about 2 months and the cases are STILL rising

I do not think these new measures are going anywhere near far enough

I agree with you

I was a big critic of the "closing at 10pm" thing...

but the media has interviewed several owners of big chains in the NW, and all have said that they'll halve revenue having to close then, and that their busiest period starts at 10pm. So perhaps it will make a big difference. I can definitely say that since the uni students moved back where I live, in the Midlands, you can hear them walk past on their way out at 10:30ish, and home at 2/3am, in pretty big groups...

I assume this is to break us in gently. This won't be the end of restrictions

@ineedaholidaynow

I assume this is to break us in gently. This won't be the end of restrictions

The word 'army' should be the one ringing alarm bells

Yes I picked up on his reference to the “military” being called in if necessary

I wonder if they are banking on the weather forcing people to be inside more after today?

It seems cold and windy in more places for the rest of the week, sunny at the weekends but much cooler.

What does 'rule of six for indoor adult sports' mean? Closing gyms/swimming /fitness??

That's what I would like to know.

A string of exemptions to the rule of six were abolished, including allowing bigger groups to gather for indoor sports. It means five-a-side football will not be possible indoors.

is how it's being reported!

One thing you can take from today's announcement is that the rule of six will be in place at Christmas, given current restrictions are anticipated to last for six months.

No mention of the 'no households mixing' that everyone was convinced was going to come in.

It seems to be a wait and see now. The R rate is crucial the next few weeks,
The economy and keeping schools open do matter so much as well.
It's a balancing act and they need to get this test and trace up and running properly.
I think it'll be this way for a while then if it goes up then it'll be lockdown again I guess? Christmas will be very different for many this year.

Re indoor team sports my guess is that it may affect the max size of group fitness classes but not general gyms or swimming etc as those are supposed to be covid safe anyway. Arguably fitness classes are not team sports though so may not be captured.

I wonder how long they’ll give things to see if the R rate comes down?

is how it's being reported!

Can I ask you to link where you found that?

One thing you can take from today's announcement is that the rule of six will be in place at Christmas, given current restrictions are anticipated to last for six months.

Yes, he seemed to subtly make it clear that it will be a rule of six for Christmas. The BBC have picked up on it on their live text:
"The PM’s admission that the new restrictions are likely to stay in place for six months is a clear shift from Boris Johnson’s optimistic tone of this summer, when he spoke of his hope about a significant return to reality by Christmas."