Rishi Sunak - Moving Goalposts for Lockdown

[LucilleTheVampireBat]

So it is in the news that Rishi Sunak has said he is concerned that government scientific advisers are moving the goalposts in a bid to extend the lockdown.

He is said to have stated that the justification is being shifted from the original and boakworthy "Protect the NHS" narrative, and is now not focusing on hospitalisations, but rather on the number of cases.

This was my concern all along. That they would try to change the narrative in order to justify extending this hideous lockdown even longer.

This quote is from the Telegraph article: "He (Rishi) has told allies that Britain is approaching a "fat lady sings moment" when lockdown must be lifted, never to return". I truly hope that this is the case!

I agree user - I did always assume they did have financial backgrounds. Was shocked in my twenties when I realised it wasn't so. Seems like a basic requirement really.

Cornetto you’ll still see more pressure from private to re open. Whether some SD is in place or not. Many are struggling to survive.

We’ve seen pressure from sectors already - hospitality / airline / gyms

@herecomesthsun

Also, people don't pay taxes when they are ill. Or dead.

Do they pay Taxes when in care homes?

@MarshaBradyo

Cornetto you’ll still see more pressure from private to re open. Whether some SD is in place or not. Many are struggling to survive.

We’ve seen pressure from sectors already - hospitality / airline / gyms

I agree that the pressure is increasingly urgent but imho we’ve seen what happens when we try to enforce fixed timescales (the reopening after lockdown 2), we aren’t in a position yet to manage covid effectively enough to take gambles with the integrity of our infrastructure and all decisions at the moment are gambling something that will negatively impact a portion of society. If we don’t learn from what has already happened how can we expect to make progress?

The choice comes down to short term health or short term economic relief. I’m in favour of a sustainable economic reopening which means prioritising health for a short period. I don’t see the value in sacrificing health for short periods open that won’t save peoples jobs in the long term and cause longer periods making it harder for individuals to rebuild. Lockdown and restrictions have a huge cost and I think our leadership have a responsibility to make sure that the nations sacrifices (economic and health) aren’t wasted.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers
Do they pay Taxes when in care homes?

If their income is sufficient to warrant it, of course they do (not to mention paying out substantial care home fees which find their way back into the economy one way or another).

Cornetto unfortunately it is too early atm cases are too high, and I prefer adaptive reaction rather than fixed dates. Although I am glad Feb 22 is cited as date for plan.

So I’m not disagreeing entirely, just on the idea that private and public face same pressures. A business failing, or losing job / home is particularly being felt in private.

Although of course public sector has challenges. But I’m really aware of that, it’s part of why were staying home.

I don’t disagree with any of your points either @MarshaBradyo, it’s a really complex situation and there are few who will escape this pandemic unscathed.

My household has (had - I’m done with the NHS and have found a position commercially) a foot in both private and public sector along with dc and elderly vulnerable parents who don’t live locally who have been alternatively terrified and shafted by circumstances this past year. I’d like to think I’m not ignorant of the many consequences of this pandemic but I also can’t ignore calls for actions I believe will result in more hardships. We’re in for a rough ride regardless and I think any steps out of this hole need to be with a nod of confidence from all sides that there will be minimal risk of it contributing to us being forced back in. Something lockdown 2 conditions didn’t have from health and science advisors.

[quote MrsFezziwig]**@OnlyFoolsnMothers
Do they pay Taxes when in care homes?

If their income is sufficient to warrant it, of course they do (not to mention paying out substantial care home fees which find their way back into the economy one way or another).[/quote]
Well if it’s a tax issue look at everyone who’s lost an income- the dead don’t cost us anything

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/05/rishi-sunak-government-pandemic-chancellor?

It's a stupid headline but a reasonable article (article authors usually don't choose the headlines, the newspapers sub editors do). Also to pre-empt any comments about the Guardian, it's in the opinion section (aka 'comment is free') so it's not necessarily the views of the Guardian (that would be the editorial section) and the author is not someone who anyone would describe as left wing.

Thanks for that @CoffeeandCroissant, obviously I’m reading an opinion piece with a favourable bias but that’s a pretty damning list of reasons why SR’s judgement isn’t to be trusted.

This paragraph struck me in particular:

“This has led to Sunak attempting to end furlough last summer, before reintroducing it, leading some businesses to lay off staff unnecessarily. He now opposes payments for people self-isolating and unable to work”

I don’t have any confidence that he has any viable plan for a sustainable economic recovery.

[quote FizzyPepsi]@User133847

Eat out to help out certainly wasn't a disaster for the tens of thousands of hospitality businesses that are still here as a result.

And therefore the millions of people who still have jobs, so still have homes and can pay the bills. Or the millions of DC who still have working parents.

Or for that matter HMRC who will have raised millions of pounds in the tax we need to pay doctors and nurses.[/quote]
Maybe, maybe not. But remember that the govt paid half the money in the first place, so the tax they got back on the profits etc may well not actually have been enough to cover the half they had to pay. But anyway, the costs of the subsequent lockdowns will be way more than any tax revenue earned during that month.