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?

(*This one, which people read as, "You lot can all fight and die and we'll reap the rewards.")

Which was true, at least initially. Clothing coupons specified the garment, not the quality, so the rich could buy better quality and their clothes would last longer. If you could afford to eat out regularly you could get round the rationing restrictions. It did change - restaurants were later brought into line with what they could offer, and the utility scheme brought about good quality basic goods.

And in 1973 when they issued petrol rationing coupons in anticipation of the oil running out, you got a book of coupons for every car you owned.

Lerting here.

The memes have cheered me up if nothing else.

Johnson has had a sympathetic ride in recognition of the circumstances and the fact we are doing democracy by Zoom. I suspect that is about to change with several irate devolved Governments, an Opposition Leader that has been trained to ask awkward questions and an annoyed party.

I am envious of the Scots for a leader like Sturgeon who appears to give a damn. DH would never agree to move up there (too far from family), but I understand @squid4's temptation.

And in 1973 when they issued petrol rationing coupons in anticipation of the oil running out, you got a book of coupons for every car you owned.

I remember these well. The style of the print clearly showed that they were leftovers never issued during the Suez crisis.

Proved un-necessary because we sucked up to the Arabs something rotten. Refused to supply spares for the Israeli Centurion tanks because they'd been using them for military purposes.

Presumably sold them as panda cars for very rough areas.

Police baffled how to enforce new slogan:

SkyNews@SkyNews

"It doesn't add up. It doesn't make sense."‪

MPFed‬'s Ken Marsh says the new 'Stay Alert' slogan will make the police's plight in enforcing the ‪#coronavirus‬ lockdown "very difficult"

due to "too many people being allowed to move around

Mockers
I remember 1973 and UK replaying its "Perfidious Albion" routine for Israel

The Netherlands and other EC countries stood by them stood by them:
there was an interview with a Brit expat migrantin NL saying how embarassed he felt when filling up his car with his petrol ration at an NL petrol station

I remember all sorts of trivia, but iPad autocorrect defeats me ...

If you're trying to make sense of sth, it often helps to think in terms of opposites.
So Stay [at] Home was easy.
It meant Don't Go Out

WTF does Stay Alert mean?

Don't Be Comatose (unless you're in an actual coma, of course, in that case you're allowed to come to hospital)?
Don't Fall Asleep?

I don't get this about you can now exercise more than once a day (Scotland). The regulations never said anything about how often you could go out, or for how long, only that exercise was permitted.

I think Nicola has done very well to avoid the open goals of criticism of WM/BJ, despite repeated prodding by the journalists (I have watched just about every press briefing in its entirety, including all the Q&As on BBC Scotland - usually about an hour long).

She doesn't need to overtly promote independence - she does that just by being more competent than WM (or as Baron George Foulkes once said in outraged tones about something the SNP Government was doing better than Westminster, "But they're doing it deliberately !" Think it was during the Indyref and yes, he was ridiculed for it) - which at the moment is not a very high bar

Looking at some of the pro-Indy FB groups, she's been getting quite a bit of stick for not pushing independence more and for having followed the WM/4 Nations approach as much as she's done. In particular, the fact that she has explicitly shelved the idea of Indyref2 for the moment, as she says it is more important to focus on the obvious and immediate crisis (which in practice means now not holding it before the Scottish Parliament elections due in May 2021) has been criticised by some. (Personally, I think it's useful for her, as it avoids the Section 30 argument with WM - but it's an argument that will become harder for BJ to ignore and obfuscate if the SNP & Greens win enough seats again in 2021 to have a pro-Indy Scottish Parliament how many times do they have to demonstrate the mandate? )

I agree TheMShip - it's the one bit I think she'd got wrong in today's press conference as she'd even acknowledged on Thursday or Friday that the regulations had never said you couldn't exercise more often, just that the guidance was only once a day. The Chief Constance had even apologised and said that they'd made mistakes in prosecuting and that such charges would be rescinded

Thanks as always everyone.

WTF does Stay Alert mean?

They might as well have used ‘stay frosty!’ which would at least resonate with Aliens fans.

Anyway: sweepstake/drinking game/buzzword bingo:

How long until/how many times will he mention... ?

• Churchill
• The War
• The battle
• 1966
• The beaches
• Dunkirk
• VE Day
• "Never in the field of human conflict...."

What else?

The style of the print clearly showed that they were leftovers never issued during the Suez crisis.

Doesn't he play for Barcelona ?

Not a live broadcast. It's taped and embargoed until 19.00

First lie: he'd recorded this before he "consulted" with the devolved nations

. Enemy

Johnson has had a sympathetic ride in recognition of the circumstances and the fact we are doing democracy by Zoom.

Missed out

• World beating

What is the point of shining a light on it if it's invisible?

Prettybird my first thought as well, he just can’t help himself can he a barefaced liar as my lovely Dad would have said.

"In the next few months we may be able to go further...."

So much for twelve weeks.

And Oh Yes, Quarantine. We'd forgotten all about that until now.