Dominic Cummings Covid evidence

[Newtonianmechanics]

Is anyone going to watch this man give evidence today?

Apparently there is a vigil in Barnard Castle ahead of this.

The shopping trolleys emoji seems to mean they think Carrie was controlling Boris from the last few days. Wonder if this will feature.

I just had to double-check, as I was sure you must be making a joke. But no, deadly serious. Emphasis on the deadly.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/covid-inquiry-live-uk-boris-johnson-b2440885.html

John Selwyn Gummer and the BSE-burger had nothing on this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gummer

YY @EasternStandard And not just domestic abuse victims either

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/coronavirus/3991985-Rape-survivors-being-castigated-for-not-wearing-masks?page=1

With video clip

https://x.com/BestForBritain/status/1721942125732921801?s=20

Eddie Lister, a long time Johnson ally (from City Hall) brought in by Boris to advise him, confirms hearing Johnson use the "unfrotunate" turn of phrase "let the bodies pile high" - denied many, many times by No. 10 at the time. ~AA #CovidInquiry

Caught the Welsh inquiry on the news earlier. WhatsApps been deleted.

More information here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-67343907

Sly bastards

seems to have been no comparitive modelling of what the costs would be of not locking down

This is really important.

I'm sure at the time I did see publication of figures comparing an economy with lock-down during covid, to a covid economy without lock-down. They showed the non-locked-down economy suffering an enormous economic loss when more key workers became debilitated, either temporarily or permanently (longterm incapacity & death). I don't remember the detail, alas, but I do remember being really taken-aback at the huge economic impact of not locking down.

I dimly think the figures were for the US, but can't definitely remember.

Woah Vallance wanted the military on the streets??

Did he? Or was it one of the three options given to the PM?

So? On the table as an option. A medic treating the military (who are just as short staffed) as they are, like they are available at the drop of a hat.

It was a national emergency! We've had the military deployed to do border service or pick up the slack when the firemen have been on strike.

I would criticize a lot in the top brass during COVID but not necessarily this. You also seem to attribute the idea to Vallance but there seems to be no evidence to support that at all.

Well they were. They put the Nightingale hospitals together - the ones the NHS couldn’t staff.

There are people STILL being taken to court for Covid breaches and being fined. So what would the military have done had they found a Covid breach taking place. Would even MORE people be being taken to court and given a £14,000 fine while Boris and co get to pay £50. Like it or not these big fines have impacted lives.

You have stated an important difference @JenniferBooth. It is quite a difference. And I hope it is one that gets a bit of scrutiny myself because I think these "fines" had a very uncertain basis.

But the army could easily have been given attributed police powers to do this. Not that it happened.

Fair enough @bombastix There is also the consideration that when (God forbid) the next pandemic rolls around i cant see those who have been fined being the first to promise compliance. Too much resentment at the one rule for thee and one rule for me.

IMO convictions should be quashed and fines repaid

I agree. These "fines" of people should never have happened. I hope that eventually everyone is pardoned and the money returned. It was iniquitous what was done to people, all glossed with guidance. A shabby cruelty on those "caught".

Gah. I'm referring to predictions for a theoretical non-locked-down economy, of course. Not actual figures from a real one.

I feel so sorry for the 18 year olds kicked off their courses for socialising - I genuinely cannot see any justification for that (and couldn’t at the time). Just so cruel.

Really?

The whole university reaction was awful. I mean at all young ages but that too

Yes the students were treated appallingly. Including over their accomodation

This is nothing to do with Cummings but during COVID I saw a woman giving her very small children and a few others a party outside her flat.

Two police came and gave her advice. She looked absolutely terrified. I looked at them until they went away. What a horrible country we became during that time.

The fact was if you could read the guidance appended to the law there were many exceptions. Just not many for little children. They suffered a lot and because they were children, they couldn't say much against it. Awful time.

I agree. It hasnt aged well!!

@EasternStandard I actually posted at the time that I thought the Swedish model once they had a handle on care homes (which they failed miserably on initially) was maybe a more sensible longer term approach -the problem is having lived in Denmark and visited Sweden a lot during covid- it was easy to see it's very different population, different mindset, far more space - give em an inch and they don't take a mile!! In terms of stupidity in the population I think sadly we are much closer to the USA

@Crikeyalmighty space is a real problem. e,g the moaning directed at tenants for not having the space to self isolate hasnt morphed into any new petitions against the bedroom tax for example.