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Original poster

Borris heading news conference tonight at 5, do we think new restrictions coming?

267 replies

Loveatthe5anddime · 04/01/2022 13:36

Just seen on Sky New there is a news conference tonight at 5, interested to know what will be said...

There hasn’t been the usual rumblings “leaked documents” etc so hopeful just an update, what do we all think?

OP posts:
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6
MarshaBradyo · 04/01/2022 18:56

It’s not going to play well with either side

But any wave peak is the worst time for polling for gov

It may change again when omicron wave is over

If you look at polling it fluctuates with freedoms / restrictions

MarshaBradyo · 04/01/2022 18:57

Actually probably sightly better for those who don’t want restrictions than do but when plan b lifts see what happens

rrhuth · 04/01/2022 18:58

The polling has been worst for Johnson just prior to him taking action. People generally like a politician when they are seen to be Doing Something About Bad Things.

VikingOnTheFridge · 04/01/2022 19:01

[quote rrhuth]@VikingOnTheFridge it is not nothing compared to 2019, but what Johnson announced today was... nothing.

Not an improvement but a worsening with no action.

In political terms it most certainly was... nothing.[/quote]
Nice reframing attempt, but really, portraying the significant restrictions Johnson has introduced and continues to maintain despite opposition from within the parliamentary party as simply CBA won't do. Quite apart from anything else, he probably can't add any more requirements and keep his job.

MarshaBradyo · 04/01/2022 19:02

@rrhuth

The polling has been worst for Johnson just prior to him taking action. People generally like a politician when they are seen to be Doing Something About Bad Things.
Not at all the closest it has been prior to now is last lockdown

That is doing a lot (even without caps).

Restricting freedoms is not welcomed at all

Borris heading news conference tonight at 5, do we think new restrictions coming?
Waxonwaxoff0 · 04/01/2022 19:04

@AnyFucker

I thought it was a PCR you weren’t supposed to repeat within 90 days

That has never been sugggested for LFTs Confused

T&T told me it was both when I had Covid in August.
VikingOnTheFridge · 04/01/2022 19:05

I read some really interesting analysis on Johnson's popularity from Rob Ford the other day, he was saying basically the ratings have been low for a while now. The thing that affects him worst is when he engages in or defends rule breaking. One rule for them etc. That's a bigger factor than what he's doing about restrictions.

rrhuth · 04/01/2022 19:07

@VikingOnTheFridge
My question is - how will this feel to voters?

He can't do more because of the party, he can't scale back because of the NHS situation.

I suppose he had to go out there and say something but that was a weirdly nothing press conference.

MarshaBradyo · 04/01/2022 19:07

I’d agree the recent downward turn is due to rule breaking and did DC situation cause that 2020 dip?

But that 2020 Christmas lockdown was mostly just lockdown

People don’t love something being done as said by pp

VikingOnTheFridge · 04/01/2022 19:10

[quote rrhuth]@VikingOnTheFridge
My question is - how will this feel to voters?

He can't do more because of the party, he can't scale back because of the NHS situation.

I suppose he had to go out there and say something but that was a weirdly nothing press conference.[/quote]
Honestly I doubt it'll have much impact, most of the electorate won't have watched. The most significant thing Johnson can do polling wise is be revealed to have broken/be breaking rules again. I wouldn't be surprised if there are more lockdown breach photos ready for use.

herecomesthsun · 04/01/2022 19:12

We often comment on here whether the restrictions in the Celtic nations are having any good effect. At this point, maybe their reduced hospitalisations are one benefit in the equation.

Borris heading news conference tonight at 5, do we think new restrictions coming?
neveradullmoment99 · 04/01/2022 19:13

@smilingthroughgrittedteeth

Im sure i read an article earlier that said the new variant in france wasnt considered to be concerning
I read that 12 had it double vaxed and hospitalised 😟
neveradullmoment99 · 04/01/2022 19:13

Some online news report. Sure you can find it if you google it.

herecomesthsun · 04/01/2022 19:14

sorry I meant to put that on the data thread

neveradullmoment99 · 04/01/2022 19:16

As for this new variant I'm not sure about the 12 being hospitalised as they are saying something different in other news articles!

rrhuth · 04/01/2022 19:17

The electorate don't have to watch things to pick up the vibe. He has seemingly lost his ability to do anything and after a while that starts to grind.

I am sure there is more in someone's locker about rule breaking, certainly.

Sparklingbrook · 04/01/2022 19:18

@neveradullmoment99

As for this new variant I'm not sure about the 12 being hospitalised as they are saying something different in other news articles!
Yes, I can't find anything that makes sense either.
MarshaBradyo · 04/01/2022 19:19

@rrhuth

The electorate don't have to watch things to pick up the vibe. He has seemingly lost his ability to do anything and after a while that starts to grind.

I am sure there is more in someone's locker about rule breaking, certainly.

Only if you want something to change

I’m relieved each time no restrictions happen and think we might get through without change, tg

VikingOnTheFridge · 04/01/2022 19:22

@MarshaBradyo

I’d agree the recent downward turn is due to rule breaking and did DC situation cause that 2020 dip?

But that 2020 Christmas lockdown was mostly just lockdown

People don’t love something being done as said by pp

Yeah would've been the Barnard Castle fiasco, there was nothing else going on in late May 2020 to explain that.

The sky high April 2020 ratings are around the time Johnson was hospitalised. You'd expect that, people tend to 'rally round the flag' in such situations. There will have been people who weren't fans but really didn't want a sitting PM to die or have to leave office due to ill health, and then there'd also be more reluctance to be critical of a seriously ill person. I'd have still said I thought he was a useless piece of shit if asked, but I loathe him more than most, and that would've been an extreme view at the time.

InCahootswithOrwell · 04/01/2022 19:23

Quite apart from anything else, he probably can't add any more requirements and keep his job.

I don't think he can not put in more restrictions and keep his job at this point. He's fucked whichever way he turns, I'm just not sure he knows it yet.

VikingOnTheFridge · 04/01/2022 19:28

@rrhuth

The electorate don't have to watch things to pick up the vibe. He has seemingly lost his ability to do anything and after a while that starts to grind.

I am sure there is more in someone's locker about rule breaking, certainly.

He has and it does, as PMs who are hamstrung by their backbenchers usually become viewed as weak by the public sooner or later. However it would be a big leap to think the inability to introduce more restrictions is going to be a problem, given that the public mood is very mixed to say the least.

There'll be millions of people who are relieved. You'd have to be making a very nuanced analysis to say while I don't actually want Johnson to implement new restrictions, I dislike that he's got himself into a situation where he can't, and that's more important to me than the fact that he's doing what I want.

Basically, being seen as an impotent leader will, if it carries on, get him sooner or later. But it could be in relation to any number of issues.

VikingOnTheFridge · 04/01/2022 19:30

@InCahootswithOrwell

Quite apart from anything else, he probably can't add any more requirements and keep his job.

I don't think he can not put in more restrictions and keep his job at this point. He's fucked whichever way he turns, I'm just not sure he knows it yet.

I suspect he probably does. Backbenchers talk. I also think he at minimum knows there could be more photos of lockdown parties and the like, which will potentially influence his decision making.
rrhuth · 04/01/2022 19:46

About 2:1 think he is doing a bad:good job on covid. This will have done nothing to improve that figure presumably.

I just do not see how ongoing local stories about NHS mess helps him when he is doing nothing about it. Not-London is about 10 days behind London so this has quite a long time to go.

It feels like he hopes Omicron will whip through in a couple of weeks. I am not sure the CMO/CSO agreed with that assessment in terms of NHS impacts.

MarshaBradyo · 04/01/2022 19:50

A bit of time to go but as far as holding nerve on plan b against the worst warnings from Nabarro, and Whitty even, plus SAGE and warnings not to talk about it being milder etc, if we do get to other side without lockdown we’ll see re mood of public.

This campaign re breaking rules may be too much but on Covid - there’s fear that we could end in lockdown and if that passes it could feel quite different.

VikingOnTheFridge · 04/01/2022 20:02

@rrhuth

About 2:1 think he is doing a bad:good job on covid. This will have done nothing to improve that figure presumably.

I just do not see how ongoing local stories about NHS mess helps him when he is doing nothing about it. Not-London is about 10 days behind London so this has quite a long time to go.

It feels like he hopes Omicron will whip through in a couple of weeks. I am not sure the CMO/CSO agreed with that assessment in terms of NHS impacts.

This just seems an assumption that people feel the same way as you do about more restrictions though? It's a way more mixed picture. His polling continued to decline when Plan B was introduced, as an example.

Johnson's probably in a no win situation at the moment. Couldn't happen to a more deserving bloke.