I know I should have "moved on" but Cummings...

[1stV45]

I do think the government's handling of that sorry business is, in large part, responsible for where we are now.

I know there were always rumblings of complaints about "others" not following the rules but ever since we were told people must do what's right for their families it seems widespread. Before that the majority were complying and there was a general feeling of at least wanting to be seen to do the right thing. Even now with tightening restrictions, lots of people just simply seem to be saying they're not prepared to do it. People who want to stick to things to the letter face derision.

I don't understand why he didn't just say "I made a poor decision, I was wrong" which would have enabled him to stay in his job and everyone to move on, instead of that ridiculous justification which lead everyone to question why they had been stupid enough to follow the rules.

I get the feeling, from taking to colleagues and what's going in on SM, that it doesn't matter what the restrictions are, there won't be enough people sticking to them to make a difference. And I do think Cummings was the turning point.

I agree about Cummings - the whole business was a total disgrace. It basically said to everyone - make your own risk assessment and do what you see fit, which is the wrong message. It also undermined the concept of all pulling together, which is the only thing that can sustain reasonable behaviour in this situation.

Nobody I know gives a single solitary fuck about Donald Cummings, no one ever talks about him, not even my politics graduate labour voting son. I expect most people would give me a blank look if I mentioned his name.

Another one here who hasn't "moved on." And isn't going to. Why the fuck should we?

The whole thing shone a very clear and damning light on the attitudes of Johnson and his government. That knowledge isn't going to go away.

You can't un-know the fact that Cummings selfishly and unnecessarily broke the rules and Johnson just told everyone to suck it up. They demonstrated their contempt for their own rules and for the British public. Of course people were less likely to stick to the rules themselves after that (and still are). And of course Covid case numbers are increased because of that lack of compliance.

Who can respect a government which sends that message?

@feelingverylazytoday

Nobody I know gives a single solitary fuck about Donald Cummings, no one ever talks about him, not even my politics graduate labour voting son. I expect most people would give me a blank look if I mentioned his name.

They wouldn't. Most people you know might, there are always people with unrepresentative circles, but he's extremely well known and influential.

He wrote the rules.

He broke the rules

So they changed the rules.

The series of ministers defending him on tv, repeating the exact same speech undermined any faith in their judgement. They valued their jobs more than the health and safety of the country.

I was surprised at how angry the whole situation made me and still does. I shouldn't be surprised at their actions. I am somewhat surprised at how blatant it was.

I absolutely agree, and have posted similarly on another thread. I'm in a tier 3 area with additional restrictions in place. People by and large have not been adhering to "the rules". These aren't people who just totally don't give a fuck, but they are "doing their own risk assessment and using common sense", which is exactly the line that the government was forced to peddle so as not to sack Cummings.

And while on a micro level the effect Cummings' and others' individual risk assessments and applications of common sense might seem negliable, when multiplied up by millions of people they undoubtedly make a difference.

Still following the rules here but yes same as pp just thinking back to it makes me cross

All those defending him on air. Unbelievable

Still going strong judging by what came up on Facebook

I do get annoyed with all of this sometimes. It’s the unfairness. One rule for the politicians and Cummings and then another rule for us.

They should be leading by example. I’ve heard a lot of people mention they feel the same my neighbours, family etc

No, I just don't think most people obsess over him in real life like they do online. I mean my son has certainly heard of him but he's never mentioned him, even though we discuss the covid situation every day.

Sorry, my last post was to Orcus. Forgot to quote.

Yep. The government lost any authority it had when they ordered their MPs to come out in support and Johnson didn't sack him.

Families weren't attending the funerals of their children for christ sake.

People might not say it but I think there’s still a lot of anger and bitterness about it. Just my perspective

@feelingverylazytoday

Nobody I know gives a single solitary fuck about Donald Cummings, no one ever talks about him, not even my politics graduate labour voting son. I expect most people would give me a blank look if I mentioned his name.

Either this is a joke or no wonder the people you know wouldn't know who the hell you're talking about.

@Orcus

It's interesting, because apparently the leading non-Boris Tories mostly despised him even before this.

Just as Cummings despises them. An interdependent pyramid of hate.

And here's Clavinova yet again spending time writing supportive messages for a man she says she doesn't even particularly like. What a surprise.

Also on the thread we have the return of the mythical politics graduate labour voting son who last appeared to say Boris is doing a good job.

Cummings will forever be a skidmark on the pants of this Government.

@feelingverylazytoday

Nobody I know gives a single solitary fuck about Donald Cummings, no one ever talks about him, not even my politics graduate labour voting son. I expect most people would give me a blank look if I mentioned his name.

They might know who Dominic Cummings is though!

@CoffeeCreamandSugar

People might not say it but I think there’s still a lot of anger and bitterness about it. Just my perspective

I'd virtually forgotten about it. Life goes on.

How does Cummings manage to keep out of the spotlight now?

There's never any photos of him ... no mention of him ... you wouldn't know that he was still there as the puppet master behind Johnson.

Yet everyone assumes that he is. How do people know?

GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly
And here's Clavinova yet again spending time writing supportive messages for a man she says she doesn't even particularly like.

No, I'm not overly keen on him - funny looking man - but clearly there was significant media interest in Dominic Cummings in the days immediately prior to his Durham trip - despite what some "neighbours" supposedly claim.

A former prosecutor Nazir Afzal sends file to police and CPS.

Nazir Afzal is a Birmingham lawyer and his brother died from coronavirus in Birmingham on the 8th April. Can this Labour MP [Birmingham Green] blame Dominic Cummings for his flouting the rules?

"3rd April - Tahir Ali, who represents Birmingham Green, reportedly was among some 100 guests at a funeral on Wednesday, which his area’s crime commissioner said undermined the work of police;"

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/tahir-ali-birmingham-lockdown-funeral-social-distancing-a4406676.html

[quote Clavinova]A former prosecutor Nazir Afzal sends file to police and CPS.

Nazir Afzal is a Birmingham lawyer and his brother died from coronavirus in Birmingham on the 8th April. Can this Labour MP [Birmingham Green] blame Dominic Cummings for his flouting the rules?

"3rd April - Tahir Ali, who represents Birmingham Green, reportedly was among some 100 guests at a funeral on Wednesday, which his area’s crime commissioner said undermined the work of police;"

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/tahir-ali-birmingham-lockdown-funeral-social-distancing-a4406676.html[/quote]
More to the point, what does that have to do with anything?

@Dustballs oh he's still in the engine room of No 10 pulling BoJo's strings & sticking his Covidiot oar in

But what does his future hold? With his skills set he has many options to look forward to. Perhaps a job for the Barnard Castle tourist board to launch their new slogan 'Northern EyeTest Powerhouse'? Then on to retirement in their own family's castle?

I'm with OP. It was a turning point because it clearly showed that the rules don't apply to special people. We can't have social cohesion and keeping each other safe if our PM is happy to drivel about why Cummings didn't do anything wrong.

FWIW there is also a much wider issue here IMO about how much responsibility for rule-following falls to government vs individuals. Countries with good covid outcomes have had massive government support for those self-isolating - either full government-funded quarantine, or meals delivered, financial support, welfare calls, etc. Government that made it easy to comply without losing out.

We've got the opposite - make your own way to your own quarantine location and do whatever you want once you're there - and by the way if you lose out financially tough luck!

It's really ideological and it's a massive reason why our approach has failed compared to so many countries with far fewer deaths.

More to the point, what does that have to do with anything?

I read the previous poster's link;

"Afzal, whose brother Umar died from coronavirus when he was self-isolating at home on 8 April when Cummings was in Durham, said he wanted to get to the truth."

The connection is Birmingham of course - the Labour MP's actions probably had far more influence over the ethnic communities in Birmingham than Dominic Cummings.

Just give up @Clavinova. Stop trying to defend the indefensible.