Westminstenders: No pubs till Christmas?

[RedToothBrush]

Today the news has moved towards acknowledging covid-19 reality: Nicola Sturgeon has explicitly stated that some social distancing will carry on until the new year in all likelihood.

When Matt Hancock asked if this was true for England too, he refused to say yes but he said that Scotland was working from the same framework as England.

In case anyone does still need this spelling out, this means the outlook for the hospitality and leisure industries is bleak.

There are extremely unlikely to be many enjoying a holiday in the sun any time soon, whether it be in Devon or Spain.

We won't be celebrating birthdays in restaurants nor having a pint in the pub.

Conversations on the doorstep from a couple of metres away is as good as it gets.

That means if you can't adapt you may not survive.

To add into the mix changes to customs to those companies who are operating seems insanity. But that's a political not a scientific decision to be made.

Whether reality in this will kick in, in the next six weeks or so before EU budgetary decisions relating to an extension have to be made remains to be seen.

Until then, there is no news but covid-19.

I thought this headline in the Telegraph was irresponsible.

Government tells UK businesses: time to get back to work

It’s interesting and disappointing how the Telegraph has changed in the last few years. Not that I’ve ever been a reader, but I think some might take it more seriously than the right wing tabloids. Even though their stories often seem just as sensationalist these days.

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/04/24/government-tells-uk-businesses-time-get-back-work/

It’s interesting and disappointing how the Telegraph has changed in the last few years. Not that I’ve ever been a reader, but I think some might take it more seriously than the right wing tabloids. Even though their stories often seem just as sensationalist these days.

Has it changed, or have you ?

It's been the "Torygraph" since I've been reading Private Eye ... so 1981ish ?

Aren't they calling it the Borisgraph now?

Oh, who told businesses to furlough their staff? Did they just all stage walkouts? Did Tim Mr Wetherspoon shut his pubs voluntarily? I think we should be told.

DGR
The Torygraph turned into the Hellograph and is now the Borisgraph
Since the Barclay twins bought it in 2004 its editorial policy has become lighter and lighter.
Apart from MPs expenses they have not broken any major story in years.

My town is still extremely quiet. And there is probably no virus transmission here, so we could all go out with little risk.

I haven't been to the shops in weeks, but you can book a click and collect shopping delivery very easily now. I happened to check the app at 7am today and I could have had a 9am slot if I'd needed one.

I've decided that if he wants to, my son can go back to school in late May, even though I am theoretically in an at-risk group. It would be ridiculous to refuse to send him now and allow him to attend the autumn term, when the risk of a second wave (actually a first wave, for our bit of France) will be much greater.

It’s always been stuffy conservative and obsessed with the royal family. Since Brexit it’s been full on batshit.

AM I right in thinking we are the only country in EU (just) not fully protecting our frontline medical staff due to lack of PPE? I personally think all keyworkers (anyone being made to work) should be provided with PPE by the govt. I just watched Hancock say they haven't seen direct proof of the fact NHS workers caught the virus at work so they effectively won't take the blame for deaths. Surely legally the best way would be to say "we protected them at work so it is far more likely they came in contact with the virus outside of work". Does anyone here thing there will be a case for medical negligence for keyworkers?

You mean, like this one, JeSuis?

Husband-and-pregnant-wife sue government

(who are both doctors, I meant to add)

DGR, I plead guilty. We went to Sainsbury's AND B&Q yesterday. In my defence, DH had been doing a job using existing supplies, and was short of about 1/2 litre of something, which stopped him finishing it. I made his day when I told him B&Q had re-opened. (He was having withdrawal symptoms as it was).

Social distancing measures were in place in both stores. B&Q had the busier car park, the longer queue and was much busier inside than Sainsbury's.

But now have stocked up, we can stay at home and get on with those essential garden jobs - and stay away from the shops for a while.

Saturday

Saturday!

Saturday is Tiswas PP Day!

And she's gonna nick the lot of youse unless you stay home.

(Unless you're a Tory MP off to your 'main home' for the weekend.)

Deaths exceed 20k. Which was a number the "experts" hoped we wouldn't see. Of course, we actually reached that figure ages ago. The 20k who have died in hospital are a subset of all deaths. We just don't know the true number yet.

The peak of the curve is turning out to be a plateau. Only when it starts to fall will we be able to mark the top of the curve and double the deaths from that point on.

Fuck me ... I'll be honest here ... I seem to be 100% in agreement with David Davies. Mr thick mince himself.

Can anyone hear trumpets ?

(Actually, that's a tad unfair - he was always spot on about ID cards too)

In the country of the blind, DGR.....

Meanwhile, PP has spoken: There have been no mixed messages. We have been very clear: Stay home unless you have to go out, and do not go to work unless you are going to work, etc. Oh, and Dominic Who?

Meanwhile, PP has spoken

Can she ? I keep imagining something akin to Janet Street Porter as she tries to force the glottals past that smirk.

(You can tell I don't watch anything live anymore ...)

Related to PP (whose considered answer to a forensic case against the death penalty by Ian Hislop on QT ages ago was "DNA innit ?") I notice a fascinating article in Fortean Times this month about the medical mysteries of people changing DNA after transplants. Apparently it's a thing. (I already knew you can change blood types ...). Which is a bit of bad news for the "DNA is infallible" crowd ...)

Gosh DGR I've not bought the Fortean Times in years - was a subscriber for a couple of decades.

And yes, the DNA of chimeric people is "interesting" - and there are far more than many realise ....

She can speak.

But someone's bin stealin her G's.

And yes, the DNA of chimeric people is "interesting" - and there are far more than many realise

I first "learned" about in an episode of CSI

But my point stands. Anyone who blithely assumes DNA evidence is good enough to start offing criminals again is dangerously dim.

Interesting that Boris superfan David Davies seems willing to go head to head with the government on this ....

I notice a fascinating article in Fortean Times this month about the medical mysteries of people changing DNA after transplants.

I read an article about this, where people who hated curries for example, woke up saying "I could murder a curry right now."

Who would have thought it with Mr David Davis Mince? Well, give credit where it's due. I think that's twice in the last 3 months that I have agreed with him.

I think that's twice in the last 3 months that I have agreed with him.

Well, he's still a long way off stopped clock frequency.

Jesuispoulet I just watched Hancock say they haven't seen direct proof of the fact NHS workers caught the virus at work

Hmmm. The likelihood of NHS staff contracting Covid at work must surely be greater than at home. Of course you could never prove where you caught it, I suppose. Are they worried about future lawsuits?

More or Less, the BBC Radio statistics programme, dealt with the proportional risk to NHS staff last week.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000hfqq

At 17:17 in.

Re the Torygraph - I was surprised to see an article from them very recently saying HS2 should be scrapped, so they don't always agree with the government.

David Davis is also surprisingly hot on women's rights and supporting women's spaces.