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!

No Macron is doing his job, looking after french interests and the concerns of the french people first. Like id expect him to do. Even if those decisions aren't ones i agree with or are particularly good for me.

I'm not sure about your logic here, RTB.

You were against closing the UK borders in March, but you also think it's OK for Macron to close them now.

No he’s not.

People were happy to turn our schools into Petri dishes. Happy to let it rip through schools with no concern for consequences if it mutated to adapt to the most available host.

A virus being a virus has now done that. It looks like this infects children more readily and no-on knows the long term
Implications of that.

He’s done the right thing.

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

No Macron is doing his job, looking after french interests and the concerns of the french people first. Like id expect him to do. Even if those decisions aren't ones i agree with or are particularly good for me.

I'm not sure about your logic here, RTB.

You were against closing the UK borders in March, but you also think it's OK for Macron to close them now.

Im howling at people who want to abolish human rights saying the french have breeched ours.

Seriously if these people were french and the British were saying 'mutant virus' theyd be the very first people to close the border.

I don't like whats happening. I think the virus is everywhere in Europe by now.

But in political terms our government have done the equivalent of shouting FIRE FIRE and smashing the fire alarm in a very crowded building and wondering why people are taking them seriously and evacuating even if they know the British are a bunch of bullshitters, they don't want to stay in the building just in case they do burn to death.

You were against closing the UK borders in March, but you also think it's OK for Macron to close them now.

Ha! Quel surprise, as the French would say.

Honestly its too late. But looking like you are doing something and trying to restriction things (even after the horse has bolted) to maintain internal social order and reduce internal fear is a real consideration.

Shrugs

Whole thing is a clusterfuck but the uk government certainly haven't helped the situation with their handling of either crisis.

I have got to the point of laughing manically over it.

Honestly its too late. But looking like you are doing something and trying to restriction things (even after the horse has bolted) to maintain internal social order and reduce internal fear is a real consideration.

So you think that using several thousand lorry drivers as pawns to “look like you’re doing something” even though (in your own words) “it’s too late” is a perfectly reasonable way to behave? Ok...

Quel surprise, as the French would say.

Not if they can write their own language.

I know it's convenient to blame Macron but your stupid government held a press conference to tell the world that Christmas is cancelled because a MUTANT CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING UNCONTROLLABLY.

WTF did they think other countries would do?!

Why is all this Macron’s fault?

@Dongdingdong

Honestly its too late. But looking like you are doing something and trying to restriction things (even after the horse has bolted) to maintain internal social order and reduce internal fear is a real consideration.

So you think that using several thousand lorry drivers as pawns to “look like you’re doing something” even though (in your own words) “it’s too late” is a perfectly reasonable way to behave? Ok...

Its about as reasonable as anything our government has done and was and remains actually long term policy.

Or was it my imagination we've been building huge carparks for lorries?

Its so farcical.

We are in this mess because we've facilitated it and encouraged it.

I have felt for the lorry drivers for a long time...

... Yeah whatever.

Its xenophobic bullshit. All of it.

We can dish it out but cant take it, pretty much sums it up.

FWIW, I think the likelihood is that (a) this strain is already in Europe (although French testing this week hasn't found it) and (b) it's not significantly different to other strains.

But Macron's first responsibility is to his own citizens, many of whom have read British headlines about a MUTANT VIRUS and are, not unreasonably, concerned.

It's in France's interests to get freight moving if this can be done safely (although I suspect that Brexit may have raised the "safely" bar somewhat: you're no longer one of the gang).

@Newgirls we are only 57% able to feed ourselves from this country. So it is our human rights.

@Elephant4

Why is all this Macron’s fault?

Cos hes French. Obviously.

Rule Brittania. And all that.

Macron planted the mutant virus.

@Dongdingdong

The UK has bought up over 600m doses of vaccines, the most by any country.

Well done us!

Panic buying! less for others!

@Mistigri

Quel surprise, as the French would say.

Not if they can write their own language.

I know it's convenient to blame Macron but your stupid government held a press conference to tell the world that Christmas is cancelled because a MUTANT CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING UNCONTROLLABLY.

WTF did they think other countries would do?!

When a mutant strain was found in mink ( now culled) did they close the border then? The virology scientists on tv today are not sure where the mutant strain started to spike so it's probably already in France as it is. This is affecting people trying to get home.

Five million pounds a day will be lost just on seafood being shipped or rather not being shipped according to Sky news. They're not insured for delays - it's a disaster.

I don’t think he’s being ridiculous over this.

He’s somewhat between Boris at his own game over this. It’s not a game I approve it, but Boris did insist on playing it.

He’s turned Boris’s “new strain ate my Christmas” excuses and “Brexit Rules the Waves” bombast not a neat little hogtie for blondie.

If the name of the game is silly buggers, nbeat not to caught napping.

*beaten

The whole situation has arisen because the government ignored warnings throughout the autumn about needing stricter restrictions. Even at the start of December when faced with a reasonable worst case scenario of 700,000 cases a week by mid Feb they STILL wanted to plough on with the Christmas relaxation.

Then faced with rising numbers they totally panicked and realised that they hadn't got a grip on things and wondered how they could u-turn and get out of it.

There is an issue with this mutation. However they grossly inflated it - the evidence they have is only of medium quality (by their own admission). And instead of calming things decided on an approach which would lead to most concern.

And when other governments have also responded to what was only intended for domestic audiences the government has gone 'oh fuck'.

Its catastrophic. Its ridiculous. Its piss poor.

But yeah. Macron's fault.

Everything is the EUs fault. Especially the Germans and the French. And don't you forget it. Especially when we've taken back control and human rights are abolished.

When a mutant strain was found in mink ( now culled) did they close the border then?

If what you are asking is "would EU countries have closed borders so quickly if the U.K. was still an EU member state" then the answer is quite possibly "no".

Being a member state means being part of systems for communicating health and environmental risks.

If as an EU government the first you heard about the new strain affecting a third country was "MUTANT VIRUS CANCELS CHRISTMAS" - what would you do?

The funny bit about this is the assumption (that has also haunted Brexit negotiations) that those foreigns can't read English.

I'm sure most people would be shouting that the borders were closed if France had the mutant virus to people movement, but not to shut off the movement of our food supply, as that would be fricking suicidal.

Countries should absolutely stop people movement to contain a virus but not the food supply. However Macron is within his rights to pause it to ensure that measures are in place for freight to move back and forth safely for a short window. However if this stretches on as part of a political game then his position is less tenable.
The borders haven't been shut in response to Brexit, they've been shut in response to a public health emergency. If Brexit had never happened, our borders would still be shut right now!

If anything this highlights how pitifully reliant on a single trade route for our food supply we actually are, because in the event of a major crisis that closes the Dover route long-term we're fucked basically. And I say that as a Remain voter.

I’m just pointing our your double standards that’s all.

Not saying the U.K. did everything right, because they didn’t.

*He’s somewhat between Boris at his own game over this. It’s not a game I approve it, but Boris did insist on playing it.
*
I don't think the initial 48 hour closure was political games - it was a response to the MUTANT VIRUS headlines and other states closing their borders. France couldn't be seen to be exposing their citizens to risks when other countries were reacting.

I am however comfortable with the idea that Macron has spotted the potential for political gain and in particular a deal on fish. All is fair in love, war and trade negotiations.

'I'm sure most people would be shouting that the borders were closed if France had the mutant virus to people movement, but not to shut off the movement of our food supply, as that would be fricking suicidal.Countries should absolutely stop people movement to contain a virus but not the food supply.'

Yes why can't people understand this! Right from the beginning the bannings has been on unessential travel. Food and freight is essential. So yes, Macron is a dick for pulling this stunt.

I hope he's broken some kind of international food supply law.

Brexit was our countries biggest mistake, now we are one isolated lonely island. Thanks to all leavers,, they deserve everything that they get. We will just have to suffer but with a clear conscience.

There is no doubt that Brigitte was the biggest mistake the U.K. has made.

But the EU didn’t cover themselves in glory.