Your views on how the Tories have handled Coronavirus.

[Chippy_Tea]

Funny how all these experts have differing opinions I am listening to a teacher on 5 live as I type this and he is saying it is doable they could ask retired teachers to come back as they did with nurses it worked for them why not for schools also that all pupils do not need to go back 5 days a week they could do 2 days at least then they would be getting some education.

A lot of kids do not have access to the Internet so those have lost a quarter of a years education.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Chippy that's a plan and it has detail, the government don't do detail and never plan.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

How do you know they haven't discussed this I do wish you would stop trolling this thread.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I presume that many of you will remember when Boris's Government was telling us on TV that twenty thousand deaths would be seen as a "good result"

Again, I hate to do this, but that comment came from Stephen Powis, the medical director of National Health Service England and so a civil servant, not any part of "Boris's Government".

 

[Shirley Bassett]

The ONS have just released excess deaths figure since the pandemic began. It’s 63500. The Beebs statistician is stressing that it it is going in the right direction as the latest figure is only 1600 to 1800 above the usual 10000 a week.

 

[Linalmeemow]

they could ask retired teachers to come back

Put those of, or on the fringes of, at risk age in a classroom all day with kids who aren't going to be socially distancing? That doesn't sound like a great idea.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

For those interested in whether the government (or indeed any other employer) is liable in law for Covid19 deaths, this from a QC is worth a read :

https://thesecretbarrister.com/2020...ck-stop-legal-liability-for-death-from-covid/

 

[Dutto]

Again, I hate to do this, but that comment came from Stephen Powis, the medical director of National Health Service England and so a civil servant, not any part of "Boris's Government".

Yet again. I hate to do this but I suggest that you listen to the Government expert on this daily report ...

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...e-good-result-says-health-chief-idUSKBN21F0HV
Stephen Powis, the medical director of National Health Service England, stood behind the podium at Downing Street so I think that it is pretty fair to describe him as part of the Government.

I quote from the article:

"When asked if Britain was on the same trajectory as Italy, where the death toll has passed 9,000, Powis said that if the public adhered to the nationwide lockdown the total toll could be kept below 20,000.

“If it is less than 20,000... that would be a good result though every death is a tragedy, but we should not be complacent about that,” he said at a news conference in Downing Street."

BTW, even when I heard Mr. Powis make the statement I shuddered at the way he shifted blame to the UK public by saying "... if the public adhered to the nationwide lockdown ..."!

This was said on the 28th March with no mention that the lockdown had been too little and too late!

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Stephen Powis, the medical director of National Health Service England, stood behind the podium at Downing Street so I think that it is pretty fair to describe him as part of the Government.

No it's not - he's a civil servant, which means he is not "part of government", he is independent of government but there to serve them.

A good test is - would he still have his job if Corbyn had won the election? If the answer is yes, he is not part of "Boris's Government". We're not like the US where people like that are political appointees.

NB (briefly a "Civil Service" scientist back in the day)

 

[Dutto]

No it's not - he's a civil servant, which means he is not "part of government", he is independent of government but there to serve them.

A good test is - would he still have his job if Corbyn had won the election? If the answer is yes, he is not part of "Boris's Government". We're not like the US where people like that are political appointees.

NB (briefly a "Civil Service" scientist back in the day)

I'm sorry, but if he is stood there in Downing Street alongside the PM spouting words that the PM agrees with then he is much more part of Government than I am or anyone else who is not a Tory Minister.

Two things on BBC News today reflect my views:

1. Professor Neil Ferguson (a Member of SAGE who was advising the Government) said that the number of Coronavirus deaths would have been halved if lockdown had been introduced earlier. However, Boris said it was still too early to make such a judgement. All the time, Boris told us that he was following scientific advice when he obviously wasn't.
2. Apparently, the cottage that Dominic Cummins stayed in on his father's farm didn't have PlanningPermission; but under the law, because no-one dobbed his Dad in it, no-one complained and it has now reached an age where Planning Permission is not required. (In some areas this may be as short as four years, whereas in others it may be ten years.) It is common practice on remote farms to build structures without planning permission on the basis that the Council won't notice it and demand its removal. Whatever the result, at least we now know that Dominic is someone who shows incredible stupidity by making statements that show his parents to be playing fast and loose with the law.

I suppose that, like the Members of SAGE, Senior Civil Servants and "Advisors" none of them are part of Boris's Government so that means that they:

• Can be ignored.
• Can be forgiven for doing stupid things without redress.
• Will be protected by people who by their background should know better.

Personally, I hope Boris is happy with the claim that his tardiness in making a lockdown decision resulted in only 20,000 lives being lost!

I also hope that the "spike" in Covid-19 infections doesn't arrive now that Boris has suddenly decided to make decisions to remove elements of lockdown. His "Back to School" plan lies in tatters, so now let us hope that the rest of his decisions don't put any more of us at hazard.

 

[foxy]

Professor Neil Ferguson, has about as much credibility as a pox doctors clerk, have a look at what other scientists say about him and his past predictions.

Dominic Cummings saga is turning into a grasping at straws.

 

[Dutto]

Professor Neil Ferguson, has about as much credibility as a pox doctors clerk, have a look at what other scientists say about him and his past predictions.

Dominic Cummings saga is turning into a grasping at straws.

Obviously, Foxy has never had to use the services of a pox doctor's clerk, otherwise he would be much more respectful of the persons position. Believe me, he is not a person who you wish to upset. You will listen closely to his advice and carry it out to the letter; especially if he is wielding a "hockey stick" at the time!

With regard to Dominic Cummins, I agree he should have been fired a long time ago instead of being allowed to cling on to his position. Polls indicate that his continued presence as an Advisor is offensive to most of the UK public; like something that you scrape off the sole of your shoe!

Now to recent news in the form of the "Support Bubble" that Boris told us about yesterday.

Boris explained that, amongst other things, within a Support Bubble "... some grandparents will be able to hug their grandchildren ..."!

Ironically, this was on the same day that the World Health Organisation told us that people with Covid-19 are at their most infectious just before they show any symptoms of having the disease.

Maybe I am a cynic and a pessimist but "Go and hug Granny, it may be the last chance you get." may very well become a much used phrase!

Apparently, the idea of a Support Bubble has been copied from New Zealand so I refer you to today's NZ Ministry of Health Report.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work...d-19-current-situation/covid-19-current-cases
If we ever get to the point where the UK emulates the performance of New Zealand in dealing with Covid-19 then we may consider following their example when easing lockdown.

Unlikely support for my own idea that this government is incompetent came from Dame Caroline Fairbairn of the Confederation of British Industry who told the BBC "As one member put it to me 'Just because the house is on fire, it doesn't make it ok to set fire to the garden shed.'"

I liked the phrase she used but I haven't introduced the contentious subject of Brexit into this thread and leave it to the Members to find the full report.

In the meantime, I rest my case in the firm belief that we are being governed by a bunch of incompetents who just don't care what the UK public (and apparently British Business) thinks of them.

 

[MyQul]

With regard to Dominic Cummins, I agree he should have been fired a long time ago instead of being allowed to cling on to his position. Polls indicate that his continued presence as an Advisor is offensive to most of the UK public; like something that you scrape off the sole of your shoe!

I agree with this. I think Cummins has become an albatros around BJ's neck. The Government went from an approval rating for 72% on March 27 to 41% (second lowest in the world tied with Trumps Republicans). At the moment we have other things to occupy the front pages of the news. But there will come a point again soon when Cummins will be in the papers for some reason or other (however innocuous). Because of his baynard castle antics no matter what it is it'll be perceived in a negative light. If BJ doesnt get rid of DC I think the Tories wil get rid of BJ

 

[An Ankoù]

Boris explained that, amongst other things, within a Support Bubble "... some grandparents will be able to hug their grandchildren ..."!

Ironically, this was on the same day that the World Health Organisation told us that people with Covid-19 are at their most infectious just before they show any symptoms of having the disease.

I'm more cynical than you, Dutto. I know that the standard state pension is £134.25 a week, which is £1745.25 a year. For every 10,000 excess deaths among the elderly, this represents a saving of £17.5 million per year. Not including medical and social care costs. Nope. I don't believe they're incompetent at all.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I believe they're totally incompetent a further example is the Track and Trace fiasco. Boris is not a leader and never will be. Can anyone name something they got right regarding Covid surely even Foxy can't even do that.

 

[MyQul]

I'm more cynical than you, Dutto. I know that the standard state pension is £134.25 a week, which is £1745.25 a year. For every 10,000 excess deaths among the elderly, this represents a saving of £17.5 million per year. Not including medical and social care costs. Nope. I don't believe they're incompetent at all.

If you or I can think that you can be damn sure this has been explored by Cummins et al.

Although Im as cynical as you I subscribe to Hanlons razor that, 'Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by stupidity/incompetence.

BJ is a showman and was brought in by the Tories to do one thing and one thing alone. Win the Dec '19 election. I believe they thought they could control him as he's proved many times he's pretty lazy and incompetent. But BJ concluded that the route to staying in power was Brexit and the delivery of it (after all he picked up many new voters in the north on this issue). So he got rid of any waiverer or remainers and surrounded himself with a cabinet who only selection criteria was a similar commitment to delivering Brexit. So the cabinet we have now is to do one thing and one thing alone. Deliver brexit. No matter how competent or intelligent they are.

But then along came the black swan event of C-19. This is way beyond the capabilities of BJ and his cabinet. So we are seeing the reaction to events rather than taking a lead, u-turns and always being one step behind. BJ doesnt have any competent statesmen/women to draw on just Dominic Cummins

 

[trueblue]

I believe they're totally incompetent a further example is the Track and Trace fiasco. Boris is not a leader and never will be. Can anyone name something they got right regarding Covid surely even Foxy can't even do that.

Despite my belief the government has generally mismanaged the situation I do think they have done well with the financial support for the majority of workers.
As for the Cummings/Ferguson debate they were both part of the SAGE committee that wrote the lockdown rules and they both broke those rules. One was expendable to Johnson one wasn't.

 

[MyQul]

Despite my belief the government has generally mismanaged the situation I do think they have done well with the financial support for the majority of workers.

Whilst I agree. It'll be interesting to see how they handle it once the furlough comes to an end as there are predictions they're will be widespread redundancies

 

[Linalmeemow]

I know that the standard state pension is £134.25 a week, which is £1745.25 a year.

Oh no it isn't!

 

[An Ankoù]

Oh no it isn't!

No it jolly well isn't, is it. Its £6981 per year, which is a saving of £70 million per ten thousand.
Thanks Linalmeemow. I must get some new beads for my abacus. The dog's been gnawing one corner of it.