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?

The govt is equating skill with pay rates, which is plainly nonsense in the case of care workers who have many skills both technical and interpersonal.

The opposition is now taking the view that skills equals pro-social value, which would presumably put astrophysicists and pure mathematicians on the first plane home.

Some odd arguments coming from the new shadow home secretary about the post-Brexit immigration bill.

Why are we even talking about this ? Has Covid been solved ?

There are zero academic requirements to be an MP, then politician of any stripe is obviously unskilled. Can we deport them all?

In the famously friendly words of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Anyone capable of getting themselves elected galactic president should on no account be permitted to do the job.

Also, Why do people vote for a lizard? - To make sure the wrong lizard doesn't get in.

"Why do people vote for a lizard? - To make sure the wrong lizard doesn't get in."
😂😂

Also, Why do people vote for a lizard? - To make sure the wrong lizard doesn't get in.

Which is actually a pretty good rebuttal to the "don't vote idiots" (like Russell Brand ...)

Has Covid been solved?

I never knew it was an equation. Maybe we need those pure mathematicians after all.

Meantime, this is still a very broad-minded Brexit thread.

The govt is equating skill with pay rates, which is plainly nonsense in the case of care workers who have many skills both technical and interpersonal.

I think they're equating skills with qualifications (which often do correlate to higher pay), which are easier to check and validate than recommendations/testimonies. If someone has a degree, trade papers, or some form of professional accreditation, it's a lot easier to verify than "this person is highly motivated, has a stonkin' work ethic, and learns fast on the job."

The problem is that not all hiring shortages are solved by getting in people with lots of qualifications, and if you try to manage "employment needs lists" at government level you won't be agile enough to meet the needs of a live labour market.

A formal qualification is proof only of a skill in passing exams.

Coronavirus: Loss of taste and smell added to official symptom list

DS had a dose of what looked like corona in March so we isolated for 14 days, though it only lasted a couple of days. We weren’t even sure it was COVID. He told me a few days ago he lost his sense of smell around the same time & its still not right. Other DS had a mild fever for 36 hours and DH and I had a couple of days of feeling a bit shit and headachy, but no fever and only a tickly throat. I’d love to know if we’ve already had it.

A good friend from schooldays had his heart set on being an officer in the Paras. He put everything he could into studying training, and got as far as the final selection where he failed on one tiny thing.

I know an optometrist who does the sight tests for the local fire service. She’s picked up red/green colourblindness a few times on sight tests, which are one the final occupational health checks at the very end of the selection process. It disqualifies you from the fire service and she says some of the people have been training and studying for years to make the grade. 😕

Headline of the day in the Meridian region:

Swan-Upping cancelled over distancing fears

Mockers that's the end of civilisation as they know it. Serious stuff.

Boatyard maybe the colour blindness test should be done much earlier?

For those of us who live along the Thames, Swan Upping is something to enjoy once a year, so I am sad it's cancelled. I was wondering about it, having seen a swan on her nest the other day, with one cygnet.

I'm off to Google Swan-upping...

And from London (the joys of satellite TV)

Shakespeare's Globe, closed for the plague, in financial dire straits.

Will would surely sympathise.

I never knew it was an equation. Maybe we need those pure mathematicians after all. [] Meantime, this is still a very broad-minded Brexit thread

You misunderstand me (I think)

I'm not asking why it's being discussed here. I'm asking why the government seems to have time to debate immigration bills for sometime in the future, but not time to sort out PPE for now.

I'm asking why the government seems to have time to debate immigration bills for sometime in the future, but not time to sort out PPE for now.

I think they know that they have a small window to get their ideas through before the country turns on them. At least, I hope the country does turn on them.

The government has just given up leading the response to Covid (if they ever did) The change in messaging to tell us what we should be doing, absolving themselves of responsibility etc. Probably hoping we will all forget about the care home scandal, lack of PPE, lack of planning, lying etc. so they can get on with their plan A - No Deal Brexit.

And the sad fact of the matter will be that the Blue wall will forget about the the care home scandal, lack of PPE, lack of planning, lying etc. and so this govt will get on with their plan A - No Deal Brexit. They've probably lost a few bob during the pandemic and are keen to make it back up by shorting the pound again. Not to mention their friends. I don't blame them though. I blame everyone who voted for this debacle.

If they return the Tories again, they will get what they deserve.
No NHS ? This is what you voted for. Lack of decent housing, jobs etc.? This is all what you voted for, so don't complain.

BJ will likely call it Operation Ill-Wind: Bury the cost of Brexit in the cost of Covid.

Course, you would have got your £350m a week, but the virus ate it.

Probably hoping we will all forget about the care home scandal, lack of PPE, lack of planning, lying etc. so they can get on with their plan A - No Deal Brexit.

Well, judging by the thread asking Tory voters whether they regret their decision yet, they can’t forget about these things because they won’t acknowledge that they happened in the first place. Also, Boris is doing great, because Corbyn.

At the same time, Labour have to wake up and start their campaigning now and not bloody wait another 3 years.

Tories get to campaign day in and day out, year in and year out. Thanks to the likes of the Torygraph and the Dail Fail, they get to do that and to target their message across all demographics. Not to mention the support they get from right leaning think tanks, political pundits etc. And once they get a sniff of an election the money pours in to fund the nuanced now-you-see-them-now-you-don't online miscommunication.

In my area, none of the other political parties had even left the block before it was voting day. So if Starmer wants a chance, let's hope he/they learn a trick or two from the political masters. It will not be enough to be principled and intelligent! In fact, it may well be a disadvantage.

Also, the confusing messages lead to the populace turning on each other, and lose sight of other things while one half is informing on the other. A brilliant diversionary tactic.