Westminstenders: Political vacuums are very bad things

[RedToothBrush]

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?

Bloke next to him ate all 6 pies

Presumably gammon pies ?

So are the government being really really slippery about the return to school? Just caught something on the news ..... which seemed to imply that the government are not issuing official advice on how schools should operate to keep staff and students (and therefore their families ) safe...... but leaving it up to the governors to decide? So thereby leaving the liability with them?

I wonder how we can go about returning this government as unfit for purpose ? They can pass laws, and seem unable to govern.

Typical of most tat made in China these days, I guess.

mrsl I've just emailed my VChair...I think that's the plan.
Motherfuckers.

I mean , I turned to my husband and said does that mean what I think it means? We do agree, complete and utter motherfuckers.....

On another note, I spoke to my friend whose daughter has ASD (along with a whole raft of co-morbidities) and school senco rang , to 1/ see if the were planning on sending her back , and explain what school was going to look like.
DFriend in a difficult situation as they are in a legal wrangle with the LA.

Anyway what senco described how the school is going to operate - sounds like a prison.....
Just watched a thing on the news, parents saying they need that interaction with other kids. Well how dear friends school is going to work - there is going to be very very little interaction.

As per usual with this government, there's the grand headline and announcement - with the detail behind hidden.
And it's those nasty councils and teachers (unions) that have stopped it and the children will pay the emotional cost....

Rather than - if fucking Boris had pulled his finger out, maybe we could be going back safely

I think school will be very tough for AS children.

And the socialisation of the youngest will be bizarre. Lots of primary socialisation from parents and siblings but peer group socialisation will not be the same.

People will have to work very hard to have not raised small children who are scared of people. Very sad.

mrs there have been tow sets of guidance so far, both released at 7pm and both contradict each other. I would not be a head or a CoG for all the tea in China right now.

Yeah....feeling very angry right now.

Wonder how those protesters would have felt if someone had joined them and then started to cough really really loudly and thrown a good few sneezes as well?

For once this is a case where each School Governing body should be free to make their own decision

in the South west there are huge areas with no cases
so kids and teachers are safe (as grockles do not go into schools)

in big cities, particularly with BAME families and Ramadan its a totally different matter

Each Governing body is liable for the welfare of their employees
and THEN their pupils
so it should be a non guilt school by school decision

• like snow closures are

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/16/revolt-over-easing-lockdown-spreads-as-poll-slump-hits-prime-minister?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

My DD goes to preschool at a very small rural school. Having spoken to the headteacher, if she were to go back there would be max 2 other children and their teacher. They'd have their usual room (minus a few toys). I'd be happy for her to go in, especially as my covid trial test was negative and I know the other parents well.

However, if she went to our actual local school, she'd be in a dual entry class of 30 situation and we would not be sending her in.

As it is, I'm not convinced it'll happen due to a rising R (and I'm sure it'll be those mean, mean, evil teachers being hugely unreasonable and refusing to come in. )

It all comes down to testing. If a region is showing no/low cases, unless we know this from mass testing we have no idea what's going on. How can any schools make forward looking decisions on very low testing thresholds?

Can't see it happening tbh
After this weekend and all the morons there will be a spike in cases and hospital admissions - in 10-14 days - which will take us to last week in May.

Can't see it happening tbh
After this weekend and all the morons there will be a spike in cases and hospital admissions - in 10-14 days - which will take us to last week in May.

Well hopefully if they do change their mind about schools opening, they won’t announce it on Sunday evening the day before they’re due to go back. Although it would be exactly true to previous form. That was a very valid point made by Andy Burnham in the article mrsl linked to - WTAF were they playing at not prewarning anybody about people going back to work?

Govt approval rating falls nine points in a week, and 85% of people think Kier Starmer will be the next Prime Minister.

You told us all to be lerts. Be careful what you wish for.

Re schools return there is now a real political split developing.

The Mayor of Liverpool has said that schools there will not return before 15th June. Rochdale Council has publicly said they will make the decision about when schools there reopen not central government. Gateshead have said they won't return on 1st. I believe Andy Burnham and Manchester Council haven't yet come out and said similar but they have certainly made noises that indicate they are considering similar. That's the ones I know about from having a quick look around last night, but I suspect there are others.

It's rapidly developing into a split between the tory central government and Labour councils. Central government could try and financially punish the council to apply pressure for an earlier reopen.

It looks like the Northern Labour line developing is not before the 15th.

I do note Williamson's tone yesterday and the stress of only when the 5 conditions are made and the admission that some areas could reopen before others.

Given that the R in London and the number of new cases reported in London is significantly lower than the North West and the NE around the Gateshead area, I strongly suspect there is more agreement here than political noise seems to be suggesting. It's just that it's been spotted that there is something of a weakness in Government policy and the issue that its unrealistic that the conditions will be met in certain places and its likely that the government will have to back down from 1st June in some areas. And there's both genuine concern that the government will plough on regardless unless pressured and that there's political mileage to be made from drawing attention to this glaring weakness. Especially since public support for reopening the schools is mixed and there is a definite push to try and change it.

It will be interesting to see what line the new red wall Tory MPs in Labour Council areas take in the next couple of weeks.

And what Keir Starmer says on this.

It does seem entirely sensible for later openings in some parts of the country.

I'm definitely watching my local council and it's neighbours carefully for what noises I hear publicly and through the grapevine. So far mine has total radio silence which is odd and I know the heads have kicked off massively in one of the neighbouring counties.

I reread the 5 conditions RTB (how's your Eurovision head!?) and think there is lots of room for fudge....

next announcement 31st May 8pm with guidance at 10 pm??

Listening you don't actually know for sure that one setting is less at risk without testing, which is the point.

I heard yesterday evening that they are now saying if a child shows symptoms at school then they and parents can get a test. They know kids are symptomless most of the time, but if the parents are coughing no test. Potentially understood as "the only way you'll get a test is by sending in a coughing child". It's the austerity version of disease control that really grates now. Why can't they just admit they need to protect their citizens and test?

www.rte.ie/amp/1138881/?__twitter_impression=true
UK opposition MPs ask Barnier to extend Brexit talks

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has been told there is "significant opposition" to the United Kingdom Government's refusal to consider extending the timetable for talks.

Both the Scottish National Party’s Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, and the interim Liberal Democrats leader, Ed Davey, have signed a letter to Mr Barnier supporting an extension to the transition period.

And

The letter to Mr Barnier has also been signed by the leader of the SDLP, Colum Eastwood, and the Alliance Party MP, Stephen Farry, as well as the Plaid Cymru MP, Liz Saville Roberts, and the Green MP, Caroline Lucas.

Also see the front page of the Irish edition of the Sunday Times (English version is different and the story isn't front page news)

Civil servants who were switched to Covid-19 planning have now been switched back to no deal Brexit planning...

next announcement 31st May 8pm with guidance at 10 pm??

They said they would give at least 48hrs notice of a change in status of covid-19 levels which trigger the next stage of easing if restrictions and the reopening of schools and certain businesses.

So it's the 29th May you want to look out for not the 31st.

I do think there will be some sort if government climb down but they are looking for scapegoats and to an extent Labour and the unions have walked into a bit of a trap here (one fully designed to give them an issue that was difficult for them to ignore over health and safety).

honeysuckle your point about school sizes is very important. Dr Harries keep saying infant schools have 100 children, without noting they therefore don't have extra capacity to spread them out! She also doesn't ever mention that some schools are far larger than this.

Once we get in to year 10, for example, my school has 400 year 10s!

Does this government really not see how vague and last minute they appear? All DfE guidance documents have been released around 7pm in the evening. There have been two primary guidance docs so far, both different. It was from these that schools leaned they can't do rotas and part time, and that is where school heads learnt this AFTER drawing up plans. There is STILL no guidance relating to the year 10/12 thing and no one ' no one- knows what is happening there.

It's such a mess and I do hope the wider public appreciate this and don't just fall for this 'militant unions' rhetoric.

I'm going off track but the government voted against maintaining our food standards last week in the first ever digital vote. It has barely made a headline here.