Boris saves Christmas

[User135644]

There's the headlines for tomorrow.

Plan your Christmas now. No restrictions.

Johnson hasn't "saved" anything. That crap is for pre-schoolers.

Christmas was always happening.

He is scared of his back benches so I think we have to ask at what cost.

@Franklin12

Honestly he really cannot win. The scientists want us in lockdown until they get enough stats. Labour would have us in lockdown time and time again and can you imagine Corbyn trying to run this.

The "but Corbyn" bleating is tiresome and utterly irrelevant.

On balance, from what I've seen of the data, there isn't much justification for further measures at the moment I don't think. We aren't seeing the sorts of increases that I think were expected.

Well I don't know your area of expertise but the head of the World Health Organisation thinks otherwise...

@Pixxie7

He is scared of his back benches so I think we have to ask at what cost.

Regardless of what people on here want, he's being a fool re his back benchers.

They want him out come what may. Nothing will change that and their knives will not be going away until he's gone.

He might as well put national interest first - and go out sticking two fingers up to his back benchers.

(I know he won't though - and, yes, of course he shouldn't have messed the public around and should've made the decision sooner).

Corbyn , Starmer or any other Labour leader past or present is not in charge of this.
They put their own position forwards and have a say , but can't do anything much about restrictions.
It is a big gamble for the government. The stats are obviously stable at the moment , but who knows what will happen after Christmas? It might go up a lot , or it might not?
They have listened to the experts and this is the outcome. I agree Boris Johnson is also saving his own job too , but it's not just backbenchers against a lock down, I'd say millions of people are as well to be honest , who would possibly obey any restrictions this late in the day re Christmas? ( especially after party gate )
Again it's the NHS workers who'll be at the coal face again battling on and trying their best. It's not great.
It is shit but we are where we are.

Starmer or any other Labour leader past or present is not in charge of this.

Starmer has already said he's prepared to support Boris (with any scientific expert recommended measures) for the sake of the national interest. A stronger leader than Boris imo. Willing to put country before politics.

@the80sweregreat

Corbyn , Starmer or any other Labour leader past or present is not in charge of this. They put their own position forwards and have a say , but can't do anything much about restrictions. It is a big gamble for the government. The stats are obviously stable at the moment , but who knows what will happen after Christmas? It might go up a lot , or it might not? They have listened to the experts and this is the outcome. I agree Boris Johnson is also saving his own job too , but it's not just backbenchers against a lock down, I'd say millions of people are as well to be honest , who would possibly obey any restrictions this late in the day re Christmas? ( especially after party gate ) Again it's the NHS workers who'll be at the coal face again battling on and trying their best. It's not great. It is shit but we are where we are.

It's an attempt to deflect criticism of Johnson. Fact is, the Tories own this. They won a substantial majority, having been in for nearly a decade before that, and it's a good long while until the next election. Talking about what current Labour leaders would do if in power now isn't particularly relevant and talking about what former ones would do is even less so.

Yes, I agree that Starmer is being the bigger person, but ultimately the buck stops with the government doesn't it?
This is their decision to make

@MollyQueenOfSocks

He didn't do anything except try and save his own arse?

Yep. He knew he couldn’t get any restrictions past his own party and wouldn’t want a defeat as that would mean him out of a job. He also knows that there is a massive group of the population who are so pissed off with his partying last year that they had no intention of missing a family Christmas again this year, so it’s better to just let us get on with it legally for now.

@Tealightsandd

On balance, from what I've seen of the data, there isn't much justification for further measures at the moment I don't think. We aren't seeing the sorts of increases that I think were expected.

Well I don't know your area of expertise but the head of the World Health Organisation thinks otherwise...

Was the director of the WHO talking specifically about the U.K.? Or the World generally?

Increases in hospitalisations are not there at the moment. Even in London where cases are very high and have been for some time, numbers in ICU are stable.

It's my view that no restrictions was the right call at present, obviously you're entitled to disagree.

The head of WHO was talking about the world generally, not the UK. And he said consider your plans in the context of them cancelling a party for journalists. Watch the tape.
I’m happy Christmas has been rubber stamped. Just wish the 5m idiots refusing a single vaccine would get one and stop taking up hospital beds

I know people are saying they’d meet anyway or perhaps those against this decision won’t see others during Christmas as they don’t think it should happen, but if it had gone the other way I think there’d be a lot of sadness and anger on here, and generally.

@DSGR

The head of WHO was talking about the world generally, not the UK. And he said consider your plans in the context of them cancelling a party for journalists. Watch the tape. I’m happy Christmas has been rubber stamped. Just wish the 5m idiots refusing a single vaccine would get one and stop taking up hospital beds

Last time I checked, the UK was part of the world, so I am sure the WHO's message was as much for the UK as any other country with similar vaccine rates and universal healthcare

The issue is whether healthcare will get overwhelmed.

@MarshaBradyo

I know people are saying they’d meet anyway or perhaps those against this decision won’t see others during Christmas as they don’t think it should happen, but if it had gone the other way I think there’d be a lot of sadness and anger on here, and generally.

Definitely. There are lots of us who can and would ignore any restrictions, but there are also posters who practically would struggle to do so. And of course people worry about getting stuck away from home if restrictions are implemented while they're away, especially if taking public transport.

Even in London where cases are very high and have been for some time, numbers in ICU are stable.

A) The UK's numbers of dead of between 100-200 a day have been a 'stable' high.

But

B) You're wrong. Cases in London - hospitalisations are rising.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fears-nhs-could-be-overwhelmed-by-london-omicron-surge-50358rl26

Covid hospital admissions have doubled in three weeks in London, leaving ministers worried about a surge of Omicron variant infections.

Boris Johnson said that hospital admissions were “rising quite steeply in London” after a 37 per cent rise in the past week that has alarmed government and NHS leaders.

@Tealightsandd

Even in London where cases are very high and have been for some time, numbers in ICU are stable.

A) The UK's numbers of dead of between 100-200 a day have been a 'stable' high.

But

B) You're wrong. Cases in London - hospitalisations are rising.

Looks reasonably stable to me...

We also have an issue that as ever the first group affected by a wave are younger people - they have more contacts, out at work, at university, at parties etc.

Omicron has not yet really got into older age groups - but cases are rising now in 60+ people. Until we see the effect of that, we don't know what is going to happen with hospitalisations with regards to the vaccine escape/severity concerns.

@Franklin12

Honestly he really cannot win. The scientists want us in lockdown until they get enough stats. Labour would have us in lockdown time and time again and can you imagine Corbyn trying to run this.

Because there is no win.

The lockdowns we've had have been longer because we waited too long. I back him this time in holding out but if the scientists are right then we'll pay for it in January.

@Sunshinegirl82

Mechanical ventilation is not the same as hospitalisations, it takes a while to move from one to the other.

You may turn out to be right, but it is early to be deciding it is all OK.

In every wave people have posted similar graphs to that at the outset.

[quote rrhuth]@Sunshinegirl82

Mechanical ventilation is not the same as hospitalisations, it takes a while to move from one to the other.

You may turn out to be right, but it is early to be deciding it is all OK.

In every wave people have posted similar graphs to that at the outset.[/quote]
I know, that's why I referenced ICU in my original post and not "hospitalisations".

I’m glad for people who have plans to see loved ones. But Boris has not “saved” my Christmas. It was going ahead regardless, because I already live with the people I’ll be spending it with. Restrictions would have made no difference. But, like I say, for other people I am pleased. I just hope they don’t implement restrictions immediately after, for the sake of all those who have to work over Christmas.

@PieMistee

Fuck off had he saved it. He is a useless, lying twat who wouldn't dare do anything that affected his tattered support. I would want him to get Omicron and feel shit but he has a new born so can't.

Grim. Imagine wishing a potentially deadly virus onto someone.

And I'm not deciding everything is ok, I said it could well change. However, as things stand I think it's the correct decision not to increase restrictions now.