To think Macron is ridiculous

[Dongdingdong]

These poor lorry drivers are very isolated anyway due to the nature of their jobs. The chances of them catching this new super strain and transmitting it are even slimmer than most people’s very slim chances. Macron’s decision to close the border is a hysterical overreaction and no doubt politically (Brexit) motivated. Open the borders and let them through!

@Coffeeeeandcake

Brexit is ridiculous and we deserve everything that Europe throw at us.

But you and I are not being directly affected by this as yet. We are not sat in a line on a motorway a few days before Christmas unable to get home and see families or move on to our next essential delivery thus losing money. It's utter bullshit and as ever hurting the people with no money or power the most. I read yesterday that some of them have even been given parking tickets while sat there!

Brexit is ridiculous and we deserve everything that Europe throw at us.

I agree it was a stupid thing to do, but why do we deserve everything Europe can throw at us?

It was a vote, whether we like the results or not.

Grow up.

I'm sure the French public support his decision to take stock of the situation. He doesn't get voted in by Brits.

What, like we all support Boris and his greedy party, having voted them in?

@frumpety

Why are you only blaming the French Government ? what about all the other countries and their leaders and Governments ?

This. Because in the U.K. we are horribly xenophobic against the French and this is never discussed. The casual comments, very conscious comments that I hear at work, on the television, here in mumsnet etc would never be acceptable if said about any other 'group' of people including religious groups.

As someone who lives on the European continent I don't want the new strain of Covid here.
The UK has been a shitstorm, waited too long to lockdown, waited too long to mandate mask wearing.

It’s not the travel ban people are objecting to. It’s the freight ban. Lorry drivers mostly bringing fresh produce from France and other European nations to the U.K..
That is political.

Unaccompanied freight can still travel. It is the people they are not letting into the country until a safe travel protocol can be established.

I really doubt there are many French people who disagree with his position on this.

I agree OP.

As someone who lives on the European continent I don't want the new strain of Covid here.
The UK has been a shitstorm, waited too long to lockdown, waited too long to mandate mask wearing.

Well, too bad, you already have it.

@MajorMujer

As someone who lives on the European continent I don't want the new strain of Covid here. The UK has been a shitstorm, waited too long to lockdown, waited too long to mandate mask wearing.

The new strain is everywhere!

Iceland, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands and that's just Europe.

@badpuma

That would be fine if those lorry drivers didn't need to stop for fuel or food or for toilet breaks and could stay in their cabs until they're home.

As it is, anyone who has visited a tier 4 area in the last week is now being told by the public health officers in the West Midlands that they should self isolate. Why should Macron be less careful than Andy street?

Agree

@Coffeeeeandcake You should be on trial for treason.

It's not in my location. I work with frail vulnerable people, where I am based the laws ( yes, laws) around social distancing, mask wearing and movement of people are clear & enforced.

Splodgetastic you’re as ridiculous as Brexit

The somewhat laissez faire approach along the lines of "it's everywhere" or "it's here already", so why bother with serious restrictions (e.g;.checks at airports) is in a way what got the original strain endemic in the UK in the Spring...

You'd hope politicians would learn from previous mistakes or lack of action.

@notimagain

Can you imagine how the French population would react if they, the closest country, didn't do the same just to keep British people happy?

I think I can, given the French coverage of Mr Johnson's and Mr Hancock's comments at the weekend (e.g. Virus "out of control")I suspect a lot of people would be quite unhappy.

Problem is I can sense some exceptionalism kicking in, fuelled by the UK medias - Many in the UK want to be able to close our borders at the drop of the hat for various reasons - including Covid...( witness many threads in this place over the last few months)..then some get "the rage" when somebody else to inconveniences us by closing theirs..

Agree wholeheartedly.

Uk exceptionalism.

I’m afraid the blame sits very squarely with the U.K. government. POOr drivers but not Macrons fault.
Our government has not put proper testing at points of entry and exit, not even temperature checks. Even tiny places like Barbados manage it in all restaurants etc.
Out government refused to respond to the mutation in Mid November when they were made aware of it. Instead they let it continue to spread and have killed a significant number of people because of their political stance.
They are now using the virus and hyping it up to cover the Brexit shambles/catastrophe and the rest of the world has responded to Johnson’s posturing by shutting us out.
We wanted to be a little England and that’s what we’re getting.

I hope the government makes provision for the drivers, but they won’t. I rather suspect many European providers won’t bother with the shrinking U.K. market and will sell elsewhere.

Good thing all those farm labouring jobs are now available to English workforce. None of those nasty furriners stealing our jobs and our benefits. Any unemployed Brexit voters should be required to pick up the pieces and get out there potato picking. It’s turning out exactly as predicted.

Meanwhile Johnson’s cronies become much richer.

@CoffeeeeandcakeYou should be on trial for treason.

I think this might be my favourite post of all time 😂😂

@MajorMujer

It's not in my location. I work with frail vulnerable people, where I am based the laws ( yes, laws) around social distancing, mask wearing and movement of people are clear & enforced.

Sorry, but you won't avoid the new strain. No one will.

Australia has it, and Italy.

@MrsMiaWallis They might avoid it until their vulnerable are vaccinated though, if they act with care.

Macron is a tosser
I'm no fan of Brexit but his "I want my cake and to eat it" comment whilst lolling about casually made me want to slap the smug off his face
It's dick moves like that that give ground to Farage to say they lack respect this is why we are leaving.

I did not vote for Brexit or for this government...so why do I 'deserve' to suffer exactly?

Macron is being an ass. And I say that as someone who has dual British/French nationality.

To cut a big part of our food supply is criminal, no more, no less.

EU countries are kidding themselves if they believe that the new strain (that has been around for THREE MONTHS) is not already circulating on the mainland.

A lesson for us in the future not to be so reliant on imports through the tunnel/lorries.

And I won't set another foot in France ever again or spend my money on their products a I will always remember what they did to us when things got tough.

*11notimagain

The somewhat laissez faire approach along the lines of "it's everywhere" or "it's here already", so why bother with serious restrictions (e.g;.checks at airports) is in a way what got the original strain endemic in the UK in the Spring...

You'd hope politicians would learn from previous mistakes or lack of action.*

Exactly this.