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Brexit

Westminstenders: Political vacuums are very bad things

987 replies

RedToothBrush · 09/05/2020 23:18

Johnson has been notible (once again) but his absence.

Whilst we appreciate he has been ill and has a new baby, we are in the midst of a national crisis and a sense of leadership and guidance from our prime minister has been lacking.

And its not gone unnoticed.

Not just by the press. And not just by opposition. Nor NHS and care managers. But on the ground where it matters.

The lack of the sense of seriousness has dissipated. The sense of duty to country to behave. The idea that it will some how be all over this week when it doesn't appear to be the government strategy. The total lack of policy for a week whilst it's become clear bit by bit that these things have been under discussion and decided upon prior to the supposed key meeting on Thursday from the announcements from the regional assemblies. All in favour of a TV stunt tomorrow night.

Let's see how that goes.

The grandstanding isn't a substitute for detail and substance in a crisis. And we still have the looming show down at the end of June over extension of transition. More optics. More lack of practicality at a time when things will really be on the brink.

The next month will be telling and we hit the wall of economic reality which will bring the whole world crashing in on the lives of so many people.

This is the calm before the storm. Enough the sunshine. Enjoy the time with families. Before this is over everything will have changed for so many.

This is just the start of things unravelling and it needs someone to take control and draw up solid blueprints for all our futures. Is a man who is so frequently awol from where he is supposed to be and doesn't take commitments and responsibilities seriously, really the man for that?

Churchill had a vision for the country that cited housing as our second social service, the NHS being our first.

Will Johnson manage to some how forge out so grand new venture which gives the resource and rewards it deserves to the NHS (beyond lipservice and empty platitudes and clapping, that recognises the importance of social care and can stop the almost inevitable coming wave of homelessness and unemployment

And can he do it without selling us off as a basement bargain to the us?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
74
MockersxxxxxxxSocialDistancing · 15/05/2020 17:39

Breaking News:

Did we say the French would be exempt?

What we actually meant was:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52682411

DGRossetti · 15/05/2020 17:45

Did we say the French would be exempt?

I wonder if that is to pre-empt a move by France to quarantine Brits (as discussed here several times) because of the UKs lackadaisical views on pandemic management ?

BigChocFrenzy · 15/05/2020 17:55

British Foreign Policy Group on how COVID-19 has changed Public Attitudes

Sharpening divides and interesting changes within the parties and within Leave & Remain

https://bfpg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Public-Opinion-on-Global-Britain-COVID-19-Sophia-Gaston-BFPG.pdf

Tory Remainers ==> increase in wanting the UK to take an active role in world affairs
Labour Leavers ==> decrease

New Tory Blue wall voters are significantly losing confidence in USA compared to traditional Tories

Westminstenders: Political vacuums are very bad things
Westminstenders: Political vacuums are very bad things
Westminstenders: Political vacuums are very bad things
Chersfrozenface · 15/05/2020 18:11

New Tory Blue wall voters are significantly losing confidence in USA compared to traditional Tories

Does this not need filing under "WTF Did They Expect?"

Peregrina · 15/05/2020 18:25

Are these the old Red Wall people? I would have thought a Blue Wall was Home Counties and such like.

ListeningQuietly · 15/05/2020 18:42

FFS
The homeless scheme has been relatively cheap, HUGELY effective and would create long term savings after COVID goes away
But no, Whitehall hates poor people
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52637283

squid4 · 15/05/2020 18:42

I don't think they are doing enough coordinated testing to be able to work out what R is. However everyone at work assumes there will either be a second wave shortly or a persistent high plateau.

I remain despairing of tory voters changing minds, I think the sort of person who could vote for someone like Johnson will only double down with proof of incompetence, like Trump supporters. It's not like there wasn't abundant proof before the election.

off to work nights shortly have a nice weekend everyone!

ICouldHaveBeenAContender · 15/05/2020 18:48

Hope your weekend is not too stressful, squid. We're all very grateful for everything you do.

TatianaBis · 15/05/2020 18:59

I don't think they are doing enough coordinated testing to be able to work out what R is.

Totally agree. It’s meaningless without more widespread testing.

ListeningQuietly · 15/05/2020 19:04

I don't think they are doing enough coordinated testing to be able to work out what R is
Absolutely.

I was talking to a client today who is changing his career because as a Taxi Driver he sees no healthy future in his current line of work
and he saw the graphs of death rates per occupation
which scared the shit out of him
until he and I looked at the per electoral ward ONS data
which was around 1/10 of his guesses ....

Accurate testing is the ONLY way that evidence based decision making can happen
and the testing ain't being done

I wonder why .........

mrslaughan · 15/05/2020 19:07

😂😂😂😂😂squirrel... 😳

It's like Matt Handjob triumphantly saying there's only been approx 10k of deaths in care homes in April..... but looking at ONS data , it looks like the excess deaths in care homes in April is more like 20k.... so roughly 5k a week.....

mrslaughan · 15/05/2020 19:11

They need to use the lock down to ramp up an efficient testing program, and put in place randomised cluster testing to understand community infection rates......

In other news brexiteer "friend" who posted a right-wing meme about Laura K on Facebook, went to a pub today for a lovely sunny lunch and drink with a friend - who she definitely doesn't live with. Stupid bint checked in on Facebook....

mrslaughan · 15/05/2020 19:11

Sorry "needed"

ListeningQuietly · 15/05/2020 19:19

MrsL
I saw people at pub garden tables having their lunch today
the pubs were shut but the picnics were real
as were the bicycles which showed that they were NOT local to the table

UtterlyPerfectCartoonGiraffe · 15/05/2020 19:21

mrslaughan that’s been the most frustrating thing for me. Lockdown could have been “worth” something if testing and contact tracing had been set up ready to go when lockdown was lifted. And yet... nothing.

Some of my year 11s, I haven’t been able to say a proper goodbye too as they were ill the last week of school, the vulnerable kids and parents who relied on school and now we’re not there, older people living alone who’ve lost their cleaner, their home help and struggling with pain, exhaustion and overwhelming loneliness- for fucking what? Sorry. I’m positive about 99% of the time but this fucking shambles of a government really just angers me.

prettybird · 15/05/2020 19:31

I know Nicola Surgeon has been very clear that Lockdown will continue in Scotland until she is confident that R is below 1 and the numbers of new cases are manageable for a Test, Trace, Isolate and Support strategy.

HesterThrale · 15/05/2020 21:00

I'm not totally convinced that the schools will open on June 1st. The R rate has increased again.

The so-called "R-number" is now between 0.7 and 1.0 - it needs to be kept below one in order to stay in control.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52677194

And, the BMA has come out in support of the teaching unions.

We’ve written to @NEUnion to offer our support to teachers and education professionals who are urging caution over plans to reopen schools before there is clear evidence to support the safety of such a move.

HesterThrale · 15/05/2020 21:04

I'm not totally convinced that schools will open on June 1st. The R rate has increased again.

The so-called "R-number" is now between 0.7 and 1.0 - it needs to be kept below one in order to stay in control.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52677194

And, the BMA has come out in support of the teaching unions. The letter they wrote is interesting.

The BMA
@TheBMA
We’ve written to @NEUnion to offer our support to teachers and education professionals who are urging caution over plans to reopen schools before there is clear evidence to support the safety of such a move.

twitter.com/TheBMA/status/1261281483106508801

HesterThrale · 15/05/2020 21:19

Sorry about double post!

The NASUWT is not happy either.

No information was provided to change the widely held view that the evidence base for opening schools from 1 June is weak.

twitter.com/NASUWT/status/1261334225913024513

The teaching unions unite:

In a strongly worded joint statement, the GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, Unison and Unite said that school staff appeared to be the only workers in the country who would not be protected by social distancing rules under government plans.

twitter.com/martindvz/status/1260858072765018117

DGRossetti · 15/05/2020 21:52

I wonder if the anti lockdown movement would countenance a return to a more Victorian way of death ? Which is one way out of it, I guess.

Covid could become this centuries cholera.

Peregrina · 15/05/2020 22:13

Covid could become this centuries cholera.

The developed world's cholera. It hasn't gone away in places like India and sub Saharan Africa, despite our knowing that it's transmitted via polluted water and that there is a cheap vaccine available.

ListeningQuietly · 15/05/2020 22:28

Indeed peregrina
THe "West" is very blase about major contagious diseases as most like Malaria are in the tropics
For Northern Europe to re adapt to a contagious world will be interesting

RedToothBrush · 15/05/2020 22:30

Can't wait until antibiotics become useless.

I fully expect 'we couldn't have predicted it' being trotted out with alarming frequency

OP posts:
BigChocFrenzy · 15/05/2020 22:38

Listening Report from my gym, fyi:

Very swish - It has been deep-cleaned and refloored during its closure, photos online of the WIP
Also - finally ! - installed air / con .... which may not be such a good idea atm....

On entry, I had to use hand sanitiser before they'd let me in
Sanitiser and rolls of paper all around the gym

Check-in staff were masked and gave me a form to sign with questions about symptoms, contact with infected people etc. and agreement to keep 1.5 m distance

They took my water bottle and filled it for me at the machine - we aren't allowed to use it
Noone lingering to use the coffee bar - I normally spend about the same there as my €46 monthly fee

Training time theoretically limited to 1 hour - gym decision, not govt -
but I said I do 2 x 1-hour classes on Wednesday, so the owner manager has changed that limit for courses and will review it

.... especially as the place was nearly empty
even for a weekday, maybe 20% of the usual people
Also, only 4 people in the flexibilty class, instead of the usual 16

In the class, the pile of mats has a notice that they are not to be used - we have to bring our own now
In the weights area, every other bench had the same message, for SD

Phew, it was good to lift some heavy weights 🏋🏼‍♂️
but I made it a short & easy session, after 2 months off

Showers and sauna closed off
(Doesn't have a pool - I've never gone to a posh enough gym that has one)

ListeningQuietly · 15/05/2020 22:45

BigChoc
I admit that sounds RIGHT up my street
And I noticed mine had all the Maintenance team cars outside as I drove home from work today ;-)