Westminstenders: Going, going, cummings

[RedToothBrush]

As expected he's fucking off and leaving everyone else to pick up the pieces in January. But it does look like he was eventually shown the door and left with a cardboard box. As he should have been months ago.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with Johnson needing an image change, like the shape shifting creep he is, to one that fits more with the incoming Biden Administration. In other words hes got some serious sucking up to do...

... Meanwhile in Brexit land we are going into yet another final week of talks.

Many expect Cummings departure to signal 'the cave in'. The Eu say we havent moved enough and the uk say the EU wants us to do all the moving... Except the EU have done lots of moving. Barnier is still looking for a groundsman to level his field to play. We have yet to work out we aren't Canada and distance is important to trade.

Of course if we don't get a deal, that Pfizer vaccine in Germany that we want, might be hit with delays and extra costs we just can't afford.

I don't think this is an app thing, Boris got called by Track and Trace after the MP tested positive and then presumably told T&T who he'd spent time near.

I wonder if Boris will now get hounded by T&T like everyone else in his position seems to be!

Because they were eating breakfast at the time?

So? I take a very dim view of all politicians eating meals together during COVID unless it's completely unavoidable and proper infection control measures are taken.

It's not as if this MP is an important government member or that the meeting was critical.

And clearly the U.K. isn't the only culprit here. But a general rule, ministers cannot stop governing and this puts them at a greatly increased risk versus ordinary people who can work from home; but at the same time you would expect them to take appropriate precautions and keep close physical interactions to situations where this is essential to the business of government.

At least the Blobjob despite being (probably) somewhat immune is actually isolating as per the rules, and for that he deserves a small amount of credit.

Will it make much difference whether he isolates as far as governing is concerned since he's absent more often than not?

@Mistigri

At least the Blobjob despite being (probably) somewhat immune is actually isolating as per the rules, and for that he deserves a small amount of credit.

Nope, if he didn't it would be even worse than the Cummings debacle, Bojo has zero choice once Anderson tested positive and would be obliged to say who he had been in close contact with.

The remarkable thing in all of this is that Johnson allowed himself to get into this position (again) surely he does not need to be having F2F meeting with MPs ?

Just listening to Matt Hancock on Sky News: can't believe that he just said with a straight face that he believes in free trade

Says the man who is supporting leaving the biggest and most effective free trade area in the world

Why was Anderson travelling from a Tier 3 area to meet in No 10 anyway? What was so essential about this meeting?

@prettybird

Just listening to Matt Hancock on Sky News: can't believe that he just said with a straight face that he believes in free trade

Says the man who is supporting leaving the biggest and most effective free trade area in the world

He's like one of the evangelical Christians I knew as a kid who thought that believing in Jesus was enough, and that they didn't actually need to try anything silly like putting his teachings into practice.

Once they start to gear up for the next election, then suddenly they will rediscover that there is an electorate out there. But a lot of water will flow under the bridge before then. By then the USA will be gearing up for another Presidential election.

I really can't see a UK and US election cycle being so tightly coupled - especially with a US election preceding a UK one being something that is going to be anything other than a nightmare for the Tories. A switch back to a Republican president would be a fillip for them. But a sense that the US is rejecting the more right wing could be a boon to opposing parties here.

I suspect there will be a move to shift the 2024 election. Since a 4 year cycle seems to benefit the incumbent party best, then 2023 would be a good idea. And maybe summer too.

The remarkable thing in all of this is that Johnson allowed himself to get into this position (again) surely he does not need to be having F2F meeting with MPs ?

Paranoia.

So Brexit, it seems, makes the fishing industry untenable. And for 'protecting' this 0.1pct slice of the economy which is going to be untenable as a result, we are throwing away european trading advantages for the other 99.9%. How brilliant. Lose lose at its purest.

Succinctly put from twitter

Nope, if he didn't it would be even worse than the Cummings debacle, Bojo has zero choice once Anderson tested positive and would be obliged to say who he had been in close contact with.

It's almost as if Boris hasn't had Covid.

Mind you DGR- we don't know yet whether having Covid confers immunity or for how long.

@Peregrina

Mind you DGR- we don't know yet whether having Covid confers immunity or for how long.

All of which is immaterial if you've never had it.

If Boris was younger, I'd have put money on there being an exam this week.

DGR It's almost as if Boris hasn't had Covid.

So Johnson bunks off having to explain to the house WTF went on with Cummings

So Johnson bunks off having to deal with Barnier about late stage Brexit

and Hancock is still talking about massive centralised testing labs when small decentralised has been shown to work but will not make his chums rich

and all the COVID talk is about Christmas rather than the enforced New Years diet we'll be on

The European Commission have come out in sympathy for Boris;

"15 November - Margrethe Vestager, executive vice president of the European Commission, has gone into self-isolation after coming into contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus."

www.politico.eu/article/margrethe-vestager-goes-into-coronavirus-quarantine/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS_Syndication

One I missed yesterday;
"23 October - Slovenia’s Foreign Minister Anze Logar tested positive for the coronavirus after a trip to Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia." ...

"Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu wrote: "My colleagues from Latvia and Lithuania will start isolation with me next week, and we will have, at least for foreign ministers, a Baltic quarantine instead of a Baltic bubble."

news.err.ee/1150964/reinsalu-quarantining-after-slovenian-minister-tests-positive-for-covid-19

🐿 The surface temperature on Mercury can reach 430°C during the daytime. Therefore, Mercurians are just as incompetent as ToryBrexitannianNationalPlague Earthlings. Therefore, we are to conclude that ToryBrexitannianNationalPlague Earthlings are somehow better than Mercurians. 🐿

@ListeningQuietly

45 Days the PM is self isolating 45 days the Farage garage is under water 45 days the customs clearance system in a container port is falling over let that sink in for a moment 45 days I'm off to buy more UHT tomorrow

If you're referring to Felixstowe, it's not the customs clearance system the fault's with, it's the throughput capacity based on the number of people they have actually moving the containers around the port. They've got a booking-in system which isn't up to the job, a backlog that built up after lockdown due to absences, and then a surge of imports.

Most shipments are available for collection almost immediately they're off the ship (if the haulier can get a slot). It's only very few which require physical customs checks.

Now did Margarethe Vestager make a song and dance about shaking hands with Covid patients, catching it herself, then singing the praises of the Danish health service? Does she have an advisor who drove the length of the country and then drives around Jutland to test his eyesight?

Somehow, I think the answer to all these will be no - especially the eyesight test.

@TheElementsOfMedical

🐿 The surface temperature on Mercury can reach 430°C during the daytime. Therefore, Mercurians are just as incompetent as ToryBrexitannianNationalPlague Earthlings. Therefore, we are to conclude that ToryBrexitannianNationalPlague Earthlings are somehow better than Mercurians. 🐿

Wonderful to see the SpaceX launch.

Still happy to go to Mars, if NASA are reading

Fishes
It makes sense that the clearance on containers is not a time constraint in the flow of goods - because there is plenty of time while the stuff is on the boat.
But the fact that HMG are using the container port to store PPE
and are thus buggering up throughput for everybody else
and there is not enough storage elsewhere for the goods that need to be brought into the country to create a
Brexit Buffer
speaks volumes about how shit the preparations over the last 4 and 1/2 years have been.
Containers do not even need access to toilets and catering facilities

The virus is obviously circulating around the European Commission - another VP here - somewhat ironic job title;

"27 October - European Commission Vice President for promoting the European Way of Life Margaritis Schinas tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating."

www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-commission-schinas-idUSKBN27C17E

Clavinoa
This is not the COVID board.
If you wish to discuss how other countries are handling the pandemic, do so over there
and as I have that board hidden it will be easier to ignore you

THIS board is to discuss the impacts of Brexit in 44 days
which is a uniquely British addition to the policy mix.

Might be worth contacting the WHO and let them know that Covid appears to have jumped species to squirrels ?