Westminstenders: Operation Shock and Awe

[RedToothBrush]

The government is launching its get ready for the end of transition campaign which has been dubbed a 'shock and awe' campaign.

In this campaign we will learn all about what Brexit means and what amazing opportunities lie for having increased customs and borders, beaucracy and increased costs. Bet you are all really excited and looking forward to this.

We will also get a 'Farage Garage' in Kent to cope with these wonderful opportunities in traffic jams. This will be something that businesses throughout the country will be super excited to plan for in their socially distanced Zoom meetings or across warehouses with their face masks on. And banks will be delighted to see an uptick in applications in CCJs and debt reconstruction plans.

It will be a super fun time for the under 30s who have zero hours contracts, worked in retail or hospitality. Or should I say 'worked'.

Meanwhile the right to a jury trial has been binned due to 'long covid delays' which are shorter than they were several years ago. The NHS isn't getting the funding it expected, and waiting lists are longer than ever with no way to clear them. The plan to build more hospitals seems to have disappeared with the Nightingales. Many councils are about to go into insolvency and be taken over by accountancy firms. The civil service is being dismantled and conservative loyalists with no experience being put in charge of important functions of state. Communications with the press are being 'streamlined' to make them incredible of holding power to account and only able to repeat government public announcements.

Anyone looking forward to Christmas? When you write a letter to Santa remember to add 'visa application form', 'a sleeping bag for use at Dover', 'tinned tomatoes' and 'packets of seeds to grow your own' to the list.

@BigChocFrenzy

Thank you, kind of you!

I have found disposable are good but felt bad about landfill.
There seem to be hundreds of people of etsy and gumtree running them up on their sewing machines but you have no guarantee of receiving / quality of course.

Strangely enough, I’ve not come across anyone wearing a mask here. One lady I saw in April covering her mouth but that’s all.

@DGRossetti

what bits is your car dealer wanting customers to do now?

I've ordered some masks but not received yet - they are in the post. I went with Totsbots, a Glasgow based reusable nappy company. They are using their swim nappy fabric to make them - so pretty fabric with a PUL layer, and then layer of thin towelling which should hopefully absorb enough moisture from my breath to reduce glasses fogging issues.

Having said that, I've been in only one shop since lockdown started anyway. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[quote OldLace]@DGRossetti

what bits is your car dealer wanting customers to do now?[/quote]
Well previously they'd offer a courtesy car or a lift to the city centre if you left your car all day. (Pick up and drop off has gone the way of the pound note). Waiting with the car has been restricted to 2 customers a day. Now you are on your own. You're expected to drop the car off, and pay for the taxi into town (because the dealers are miles from anywhere).

I'll manage, but wonder how a customer who couldn't would fare ?

Re masks and glasses - mine is a simple fabric one that I wear only when I have to.
Counter intuitively I have found that the higher up my nose under my glasses I pull it, the less they steam up.

BUT
wiffling about masks is just watching squirrels IMHO

Stagecoach are laying off loads of staff because nobody is using public transport .....

Nicola Sturgeon has tweeted:

"One of the key arguments for independence is the ability of Scotland to take our own decisions, rather than having our future decided by politicians we didn’t vote for, taking us down a path we haven’t chosen."

Tory view is that independence is essential good for the UK vs the EU, but bad for the constituent nations vs the UK.

It is one of the proven measures to help reduce infection

"Stagecoach are laying off loads of staff because nobody is using public transport ....."

Do you think more people would travel if infections rise ?

.

I've not found that denying a problem exists actually solves it
Usually ends up with having to solve a much more serious one

I'd rather take easily manageable actions now

In germany and many other European coutries, masks have been the norm for months
If this does not become the case in the UK, then we'll have an interesting experiment to observe

This winter too, the Uk could perform a service to science if the deniers win, by showing the results when a country goes for herd immunity
.... when that country has population density of 280 people / km2 instead of Sweden's 23 / km2

The UK would be the best country to do this, being an island, because the rest of Europe could shut off entry of people & goods, if need be
which is impossible with land borders
(NI policy would have to align to Ireland's though)

BigChoc
Do you think more people would travel if infections rise ?

If the Test Track and Trace system is not properly funded, how will anybody know?
If councils are not given the data how can they improve things?
If the Lansley reforms are not rolled back then the NHS will still be failing all the non covid patients who are dying.

Masks are a distraction

They stop people focusing on the true failings of this vicious government

• Russian interference in elections
• trade with the USA
• Brexit being kicked down the road towards the brick wall

Re Ireland ....

The UK is not on their list of approved visitor countries.
Northern Ireland residents have been told to have green cards for driving in the Republic.
Bye Bye Common Travel area
Bye Bye GFA

"Stagecoach are laying off loads of staff because nobody is using public transport ....."

Suggesting the UK is headed for the magic treble of failing to contain the spread of the virus; failing to cope with the economic consequences; and failing to maintain the infrastructure needed for recovery.

I must admit, it really is impressive. Well. maybe not impressive. But I have no doubt a lot of countries are looking at the UK and saying ... Incredible ! We just can't believe it !

IMO the lack of clarity on masks is part of the govt failing.
It shows us what post Brexit "advice" will look like (0) and the details that will cause huge problems due to their inability to think longer term.

Masks are a small part of the big puzzle, yes, but a visable one that is being politicised and emotionally charged.

DGR don't forget failing to prepare for a second wave...

You couldn't make it up: WM insisting that the Single Market is essential for businesses to endure frictionless trade and no cosy paperwork and to that end is legislating in order to ensure that it is maintained. Countries who don't want to comply or who don't agree with trade deals that would compromise standards - let alone have a say in those trade deals or standards - have no veto.

Remind me again about the benefits of this Union?

https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/uk-single-market-white-paper-irony-so-bitter-it-makes-your-eyes-bleed/?fbclid=IwAR1XTRtjLe-3ruSD7v4DpY4EReMM_xUc2-jNurkZHFxmF7VBd4R9FZDCAto

@JeSuisPoulet

DGR don't forget failing to prepare for a second wave...

If you weren't failing at the three things I listed, it automatically follows you are prepared for a second wave as best you could be.

Or is that a bit too much project management sense ?

Far too much anything sense!
Always worth breaking it down into manageable pieces

To be honest I think the main failing is the lack of trust this has given in the govt. It's hard to get people to do things in a crisis if they think you'd likely eat their first born.

@DGRossetti - yes I can see all that - interesting, thanks.

@ListeningQuietly - my exH works for Edinburgh's very well known very large mostly publicly funded bus company (not stagecoach)

He is still furloughed. Email from Co y'day to say Scottish Govt propping them up till mid August but after that Co may have to make decisions as only 25% of normal passenger bus use occurring (I am surprised it is that much from what I've seen). Asks staff not to pass on rumours re employment (I paraphrase all that, but accurately)

I see the reasoning for masks in the UK of course just to ‘control the spread’, especially given how ineffective t and t seems to be. I expect (and hope) that masks will be introduced here in winter when more time is spent indoors. I thought I had very low expectation of the uk gov, but they have delivered an even poorer outcome at this point than I was expecting. They have delivered both high Covid spread and maximum economic cost. Double whammy.

prettybird that bylines article should be compulsory reading.

Meantime, Johnson claims the (UK) union underpinned the UK's success (sic) of beating CV.

There was 1 CV death in Scotland in the last 15 days. That's way below 10% of the UK total.

It is a shit show

Just seen on Twitter- and sorry if it has been raised already as I am catching up but Dominic Cummings is now in charge of all Governement data. It has been transferred from the Department for Digital Culture Media and Spport to the Cabinet office. Just seen via Carole Cadawalldr on Twitter.

Someone has managed to get Trump to take a cognitive test
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/23/person-woman-man-camera-tv-trump-insists-cognition-test-was-difficult and he remembered taking it!