Note however Tories and Leavers support Boris' lifting of Covid restrictions. 56% of Conservative voters and 51% of Leave voters think the lifting of Covid restrictions is either about right or too late. So Boris knows what his core vote want.
67% of Labour voters think the lifting of restrictions is too soon but the vast majority of them would not vote for Boris anyway.
Interestingly the numbers from Scotland and London are the same. Not surprising really both have a lot in common
Also interesting that a plurality of all age groups oppose the change (unlike the suggestion that it was just old folk), although opposition is a bit stronger with age. Very little difference by social class.
The PB consensus seems to be that the opinion poll in the header isn't meaningful, and that those (49%) who think relaxations are coming too soon are hypocrites and/or liars. Aren't we falling prey to the old adage of not believing polls we don't like the findings of? I don't think the poll would have attracted any opprobrium on here if it had found that the vast majority thought the relaxation was timely, even though that could have been equally meaningless. One should at least consider the possibility that the 49% are more representative than PB posters, that they mean what they say, and that they are not hypocrites. (Before anybody says it, no I'm not one of the 49%).
I didn't believe these polls even when I agreed with retaining restrictions etc
Of course it is possible the figure is more representative than people on here. But I go back to the summer relaxation, which no one has corrected my recollection that polls were against it. Yet people did not turn agains the government over it, once it was clear things did not fall to pieces the public moved on. So even if it was an accurate view of what people felt, it didn't matter as their fears were not realised. If the fears are not realised here, it is not a mere dismissal to think they will not care this time either.
Indeed where were these millions of people who opposed the summer liberalisation? Down the beach, in the beer gardens, camping with friends, that’s where.
Quite obviously you don't see those who are not hypocrites out and about!
I walked my pup past the pub last Saturday early evening. There were 4 people in there.
You always make Leicester sound so exciting! Four is buzzing nightlife by Leicester standards.
It wasn't in Leicester I was walking in a popular village.
When I was out in Leicester on Friday 10 days ago the pubs were all packed, and not just with people having a few before the Tigers match. The friend I was with has a heavily pregnant wife so wanted us to sit outside. It was rather chilly, but we weren't the only ones there.
Ah, so your original anecdote was rather pointless and unrepresentative then! Your local pub in the sticks was probably empty because they weather was crap.
It can be equally true that the pubs are packed and that millions of people haven't set foot in a pub since Covid began.
There have been a range of attitudes right from the off, from the anti-vaxers and anti-maskers through to those who haven't left the house and everything in between. From now on it's up to each individual to do what they are comfortable with.
My life is pretty much back to normal but I will put on a mask when, for example, I am on public transport and I have given up going to football matches.
The way that the ending of restrictions has been presented is that it seems to have signalled that people with Covid are now perfectly OK to go out and about as normal. Many people will not be comfortable with that and I think that accounts for why so many people in the poll believe we are moving too fast. As I say people will make their own decisions from now on and will only do what they are comfortable with.
Announce the end of free tests and everyone starts to stockpile.
I don't want to start a panic at a time like this ... but Waitrose failed to deliver an order of bog roll yesterday.
I heard a rumour that Waitrose ran out of pre-flaked Parmesan. An Albanian Black Cab driver told me this, so it must be true.
My Waitrose had Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano and three sorts of Parmesan to choose from the other day. And that was just the prepacked stuff, in blocks. So no panic when it comes to seasoning a bolognese.
I was trying to start a riotous panic, damn it!
Incidentally, producers, sellers and purchasers of pre-flaked Parmesan will go on The List, when I am unDictator.
For me, it is people who put Marmite in the fridge.
Oh gods, don't introduce the concept of shipping to PB. It'll turn into slashfic in no time.
I don’t know what shipping is and I daren’t look it up, but no I am not married to another PBer.
My wife does not read these forums. Which is probably a good thing.
Don't worry it isn't as bad as all that. It is a trend amongst fans of shows, films or celebrities to romantically link stars or characters to each other. It is very popular in fan fiction. My daughter and her friends are always talking about 'shipping' characters or people they follow, particularly in anime.
Note however Tories and Leavers support Boris' lifting of Covid restrictions. 56% of Conservative voters and 51% of Leave voters think the lifting of Covid restrictions is either about right or too late. So Boris knows what his core vote want.
67% of Labour voters think the lifting of restrictions is too soon but the vast majority of them would not vote for Boris anyway.
Interestingly the numbers from Scotland and London are the same. Not surprising really both have a lot in common
Also interesting that a plurality of all age groups oppose the change (unlike the suggestion that it was just old folk), although opposition is a bit stronger with age. Very little difference by social class.
The PB consensus seems to be that the opinion poll in the header isn't meaningful, and that those (49%) who think relaxations are coming too soon are hypocrites and/or liars. Aren't we falling prey to the old adage of not believing polls we don't like the findings of? I don't think the poll would have attracted any opprobrium on here if it had found that the vast majority thought the relaxation was timely, even though that could have been equally meaningless. One should at least consider the possibility that the 49% are more representative than PB posters, that they mean what they say, and that they are not hypocrites. (Before anybody says it, no I'm not one of the 49%).
I didn't believe these polls even when I agreed with retaining restrictions etc
Of course it is possible the figure is more representative than people on here. But I go back to the summer relaxation, which no one has corrected my recollection that polls were against it. Yet people did not turn agains the government over it, once it was clear things did not fall to pieces the public moved on. So even if it was an accurate view of what people felt, it didn't matter as their fears were not realised. If the fears are not realised here, it is not a mere dismissal to think they will not care this time either.
Indeed where were these millions of people who opposed the summer liberalisation? Down the beach, in the beer gardens, camping with friends, that’s where.
Quite obviously you don't see those who are not hypocrites out and about!
I walked my pup past the pub last Saturday early evening. There were 4 people in there.
You always make Leicester sound so exciting! Four is buzzing nightlife by Leicester standards.
It wasn't in Leicester I was walking in a popular village.
When I was out in Leicester on Friday 10 days ago the pubs were all packed, and not just with people having a few before the Tigers match. The friend I was with has a heavily pregnant wife so wanted us to sit outside. It was rather chilly, but we weren't the only ones there.
Ah, so your original anecdote was rather pointless and unrepresentative then! Your local pub in the sticks was probably empty because they weather was crap.
It can be equally true that the pubs are packed and that millions of people haven't set foot in a pub since Covid began.
There have been a range of attitudes right from the off, from the anti-vaxers and anti-maskers through to those who haven't left the house and everything in between. From now on it's up to each individual to do what they are comfortable with.
My life is pretty much back to normal but I will put on a mask when, for example, I am on public transport and I have given up going to football matches.
The way that the ending of restrictions has been presented is that it seems to have signalled that people with Covid are now perfectly OK to go out and about as normal. Many people will not be comfortable with that and I think that accounts for why so many people in the poll believe we are moving too fast. As I say people will make their own decisions from now on and will only do what they are comfortable with.
I don’t think it has been signalled like that! I’m no fan of Boris (to put it mildly) but I learned today that in changing the isolation rules to guidance he is merely retreating to the position of Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland, where it has never been law.
A few disparate observations on the state of the political world this evening.
Coronavirus - it's quite clear for the vast majority it is or appears to be over. Masks are being discarded and while life will ever be exactly as it was, a new normality of sorts has emerged. I'm interested the fourth vaccination is now only for the immuno-suppressed and the over-75s (I suspect there may be some push back on that from other older people especially those in the 65-74 age range who may consider and especially those with other health conditions they should continue to be fully protected).
Is there any evidence the efficacy of the booster deteriorates unusually quickly - clearly, we're coming out of winter into spring which will help but the virus is still around and I'm left to muse on the wisdom of limiting a fourth booster at this time.
Ukraine - I managed to catch a few minutes of the Commons coverage at lunchtime. I thought the Prime Minister was very good in his prepared remarks. I was encouraged he spoke warmly of Macron's efforts to broker a deal and the support given by the EU in the sanctions. Starmer asked some highly pertinent questions about the penetration of Russian money into property, politics and other areas and to be honest Johnson retreated into waffle and blustering which was curious as it was a question likely to be asked.
It will be interesting to see the extent to which the public vaunting of sanctions on unknown banks and little-known individuals is followed or matched by a concomitant purging of Russian money from both the body politic and the London property market as well as sport and other fields.
I've often thought sanctions aren't working unless the power imposing them also feels the pain - should we for example order any British club reaching the Champions League Final to forfeit the match if it's still being played in St Petersburg?
Re a fourth vaccination.
Judging by the lower levels of third vaccinations it seems we're well into the law of diminishing returns.
I can see more people being willing to take an annual vaccination but not every six months.
I'm really not sure what I'm more horrified by with the Belmarsh story: that we allow convicted terrorists to be together in prison or that the media were asked not to report on it.
Are you sure? I read it as only relating to not prejudicing the trial. It's normal for the media not to describe previous convictions of people on trial. There doesn't seem to have been an attempt to stop it being mentioned after the verdicts, and that's why we're reading about it now.
It is unlawful to report previous convictions during a trial unless they are (as occasionally happens) adduced in evidence, when they can be reported as part of fair coverage of the trial unless the judge orders otherwise for reasons.
When a trial arises out of events in prison obvs the jury know that, but the defence are entitled to leave it at that, and the judge directs the jury not to speculate and decide only on the evidence. Tricky of course with internet and all that....
There's a flaw in the theory that Putin has compromising information on Boris. No information could ever compromise Boris.
I dunno. If Johnson or one of his close former associates were revealed to be Russian agents, it would be quite a lot worse than an illicit cake
Why do you think he goes by the name of Boris?
Hiding in plain sight.
He is named for Boris Litwin, a Russian friend of his father, who was very hospitable to Johnson senior in Mexico in 1963. A man with KGB "connections".
He’s suggesting the US could do the same to Mexico.
“Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine - of Ukraine. Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful. So, Putin is now saying, ‘It’s independent,’ a large section of Ukraine.
"I said, ‘How smart is that?’ And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That’s strongest peace force … We could use that on our southern border”.
Is Northern Mexico populated by Americans? No, I thought not!
Spanish speakers in Texas are about as populus as ethnic russians in Ukraine, so you could potentially spin some really weird & odd convuluted argument. It'd be even madder than Putin's justifications mind.
“The leaders of the self-proclaimed People’s republics of Dallas and El Paso today formally requested Mexican military support”.
As for the English speaking community of the Dordogne and Chamonix Oblasts…
The PB consensus seems to be that the opinion poll in the header isn't meaningful, and that those (49%) who think relaxations are coming too soon are hypocrites and/or liars. Aren't we falling prey to the old adage of not believing polls we don't like the findings of? I don't think the poll would have attracted any opprobrium on here if it had found that the vast majority thought the relaxation was timely, even though that could have been equally meaningless. One should at least consider the possibility that the 49% are more representative than PB posters, that they mean what they say, and that they are not hypocrites. (Before anybody says it, no I'm not one of the 49%).
I don't think they are hypocrites or liars. Just that the actual effect on polling, in the medium term will be the *result* of relaxation. Not the immediate numbers.
Isn't it about other associated issues? Work from home is popular Time off ftom work when positive is popular Not commuting is popular Quieter roads were popular. Less child care, time yo look after pets Ending restrictions threatens lots of the positives people have had from covid.
Possible that is the motive of a sizeable chunk when they say too early.
Announce the end of free tests and everyone starts to stockpile.
I don't want to start a panic at a time like this ... but Waitrose failed to deliver an order of bog roll yesterday.
I heard a rumour that Waitrose ran out of pre-flaked Parmesan. An Albanian Black Cab driver told me this, so it must be true.
My Waitrose had Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano and three sorts of Parmesan to choose from the other day. And that was just the prepacked stuff, in blocks. So no panic when it comes to seasoning a bolognese.
I was trying to start a riotous panic, damn it!
Incidentally, producers, sellers and purchasers of pre-flaked Parmesan will go on The List, when I am unDictator.
For me, it is people who put Marmite in the fridge.
Oh gods, don't introduce the concept of shipping to PB. It'll turn into slashfic in no time.
I don’t know what shipping is and I daren’t look it up, but no I am not married to another PBer.
My wife does not read these forums. Which is probably a good thing.
Don't worry it isn't as bad as all that. It is a trend amongst fans of shows, films or celebrities to romantically link stars or characters to each other. It is very popular in fan fiction. My daughter and her friends are always talking about 'shipping' characters or people they follow, particularly in anime.
Judging by the lower levels of third vaccinations it seems we're well into the law of diminishing returns.
I can see more people being willing to take an annual vaccination but not every six months.
I wonder if there is any demographic breakdown of booster virus take up. I suspect a greater population of the elderly have taken the third vaccination and would take the fourth if offered.
I think offering it to all over 65 would be a popular move but as Boris Johnson and the Government are so popular anyway they won't need to.
The PB consensus seems to be that the opinion poll in the header isn't meaningful, and that those (49%) who think relaxations are coming too soon are hypocrites and/or liars. Aren't we falling prey to the old adage of not believing polls we don't like the findings of? I don't think the poll would have attracted any opprobrium on here if it had found that the vast majority thought the relaxation was timely, even though that could have been equally meaningless. One should at least consider the possibility that the 49% are more representative than PB posters, that they mean what they say, and that they are not hypocrites. (Before anybody says it, no I'm not one of the 49%).
I’ve learned to be extremely sceptical of Covid polls since YouGov released one that found 26% of people think nightclubs should be closed permanently. I cannot believe that a quarter of Brits really think that, can you? Maybe I just have too much faith in human nature.
Hmm, I think there probably are a fair few older people who would like them closed forever. As much as a quarter of the population I'm not sure. What we have is a class of older people who are more than happy to sacrifice the freedom of young people for a bit of additional perceived safety for them. The 60-85 generation is probably the most selfish in the country.
The sanctions do seem disappointing. I'm struggling to understand the consistency between Johnson's prediction of an imminent invasion (when not if?) and the meagre measures we are taking. Could there be some kind of co-ordination with other allies? Possibly but I fear it just fits a pattern of Johnson thinking that talking about something is more important than actually doing anything.
I'm really not sure what I'm more horrified by with the Belmarsh story: that we allow convicted terrorists to be together in prison or that the media were asked not to report on it.
Are you sure? I read it as only relating to not prejudicing the trial. It's normal for the media not to describe previous convictions of people on trial. There doesn't seem to have been an attempt to stop it being mentioned after the verdicts, and that's why we're reading about it now.
It is unlawful to report previous convictions during a trial unless they are (as occasionally happens) adduced in evidence, when they can be reported as part of fair coverage of the trial unless the judge orders otherwise for reasons.
When a trial arises out of events in prison obvs the jury know that, but the defence are entitled to leave it at that, and the judge directs the jury not to speculate and decide only on the evidence. Tricky of course with internet and all that....
And further evidence of the complete wankerdom of English criminal law. If you want to know whether someone had committed a crime, the first question you ask is Has he committed a similar crime before, and been convicted of it? But noooo that's prejudicial, old boy, not how we play cricket, etc
Rishi as the Tory secret weapon has missed his chance and is now heading one way: down down down.
I wonder if like Labour, the Tories have simply come to the end of this period in Government whoever the leader is.
It’s possible, but it’s a bit soon to call it. We’ve had a turbulent few years. The start of Covid saw huge Tory poll leads, and those have evaporated as Covid has gradually ceased to be the number one story. Right now there are lots of chickens coming home to roost. We are seeing huge price increases for gas and electricity and there will be inflation as a result of the borrowing to pay for the pandemic. We have a nation with many divides, whether it’s Brexit (still!), or Covid. Labour under Starmer is clearly a better bet than the previous iteration, but have yet to prove that they are a government in waiting. There is time for that, and in truth no opposition likes to get its ideas out too soo (partly for fear the ideas will be nicked...). So while it seems that the tories are sunk, it’s a long way to go yet.
So, at work it was trailed by the government they were going to target Kremlin allied Russians/Brits in the UK via the financial services system.
What was announced today is so minimal and ineffective the government may as well have not bothered.
For this is alone Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak need to quit or be removed.
I couldn’t believe they are only getting around tk sanctioning Bank Rossiya now. It’s been known as the FSB Bank and Putin’s Piggybank for at least 15 years!
One wonders if the national security wing of the party will look today and finally think, yup this dude’s gotta go.
It's a funny old world when it looks as if the Labour Party would be tougher on Russia in respect of sanctions than the Tories.
But that's where we are: I reckon Starmer would have been tougher than Johnson, and would have handled the crisis better all round. Bad news for Tories, I think.
I think you're absolutely right that Starmer would have been tougher than Johnson.
One thing that we should now expect from Johnson is that the fine words are never backed by substance, and so it has proved again today.
On Starmer, I have no doubt that he believes what he says on Russian sanctions. In addition, it of course provides an opportunity to show once again that Labour has moved on light years from Corbyn in the eyes of the general public.
There is though a further internal political consideration for Starmer. Corbyn himself has led his fellow travellers down such a deep hole on this issue that many even of his remaining supporters will be looking on aghast at his behaviour. Making excuses for and encouraging appeasement of an authoritarian leader using his position for personal aggrandisation for him and his cronies while trying to extending subjugation of his nation to neighbouring ones isn't a good look. What would George Orwell have made of Corbyn? It's hard to conceive of a turn of events that could have accelerated the isolation and marginalisation of the holdouts of the far left within the Labour Party, even if Starmer had scripted it.
Yes, there is a poor correlation between level of clinical risk and this sort of behaviour at least in my experience.
There are some rightly cautious. My cousin on chemo for metastatic cancer is extremely careful. I have lost a few patients over the last years who were rather reckless.
Surely that's not a Covid-exclusive problem, though? Someone with a very weak immune system is presumably at risk from 'flu or other infectious diseases which most of us don't need to worry about too much. Is Covid really a game-changer in that respect, now we have the vaccines and some effective treatments?
Possibly so, but we now are more aware of the threat of infections to the vulnerable.
The negative "excess deaths" at the moment are perhaps due to the reduced number of other infections due to covid measures.
Note however Tories and Leavers support Boris' lifting of Covid restrictions. 56% of Conservative voters and 51% of Leave voters think the lifting of Covid restrictions is either about right or too late. So Boris knows what his core vote want.
67% of Labour voters think the lifting of restrictions is too soon but the vast majority of them would not vote for Boris anyway.
Interestingly the numbers from Scotland and London are the same. Not surprising really both have a lot in common
Also interesting that a plurality of all age groups oppose the change (unlike the suggestion that it was just old folk), although opposition is a bit stronger with age. Very little difference by social class.
The PB consensus seems to be that the opinion poll in the header isn't meaningful, and that those (49%) who think relaxations are coming too soon are hypocrites and/or liars. Aren't we falling prey to the old adage of not believing polls we don't like the findings of? I don't think the poll would have attracted any opprobrium on here if it had found that the vast majority thought the relaxation was timely, even though that could have been equally meaningless. One should at least consider the possibility that the 49% are more representative than PB posters, that they mean what they say, and that they are not hypocrites. (Before anybody says it, no I'm not one of the 49%).
I didn't believe these polls even when I agreed with retaining restrictions etc
Of course it is possible the figure is more representative than people on here. But I go back to the summer relaxation, which no one has corrected my recollection that polls were against it. Yet people did not turn agains the government over it, once it was clear things did not fall to pieces the public moved on. So even if it was an accurate view of what people felt, it didn't matter as their fears were not realised. If the fears are not realised here, it is not a mere dismissal to think they will not care this time either.
Indeed where were these millions of people who opposed the summer liberalisation? Down the beach, in the beer gardens, camping with friends, that’s where.
Quite obviously you don't see those who are not hypocrites out and about!
I walked my pup past the pub last Saturday early evening. There were 4 people in there.
You always make Leicester sound so exciting! Four is buzzing nightlife by Leicester standards.
It wasn't in Leicester I was walking in a popular village.
When I was out in Leicester on Friday 10 days ago the pubs were all packed, and not just with people having a few before the Tigers match. The friend I was with has a heavily pregnant wife so wanted us to sit outside. It was rather chilly, but we weren't the only ones there.
Ah, so your original anecdote was rather pointless and unrepresentative then! Your local pub in the sticks was probably empty because they weather was crap.
It can be equally true that the pubs are packed and that millions of people haven't set foot in a pub since Covid began.
There have been a range of attitudes right from the off, from the anti-vaxers and anti-maskers through to those who haven't left the house and everything in between. From now on it's up to each individual to do what they are comfortable with.
My life is pretty much back to normal but I will put on a mask when, for example, I am on public transport and I have given up going to football matches.
The way that the ending of restrictions has been presented is that it seems to have signalled that people with Covid are now perfectly OK to go out and about as normal. Many people will not be comfortable with that and I think that accounts for why so many people in the poll believe we are moving too fast. As I say people will make their own decisions from now on and will only do what they are comfortable with.
I don’t think it has been signalled like that! I’m no fan of Boris (to put it mildly) but I learned today that in changing the isolation rules to guidance he is merely retreating to the position of Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland, where it has never been law.
I am aware of that but headlines I saw were more along the lines of "Freedom Day. End of isolating for those with Covid".
Judging by the lower levels of third vaccinations it seems we're well into the law of diminishing returns.
I can see more people being willing to take an annual vaccination but not every six months.
I wonder if there is any demographic breakdown of booster virus take up. I suspect a greater population of the elderly have taken the third vaccination and would take the fourth if offered.
I think offering it to all over 65 would be a popular move but as Boris Johnson and the Government are so popular anyway they won't need to.
There's a very big drop off on the third vaccination as you go down the age bands.
So while over 90% of the double vaccinated over 60s have also had the booster it falls to less than 70% for those in their thirties and less than 60% for the 18-30 group.
Presumably because so many people who have had covid in the younger age groups thinking they're no longer at risk:
Judging by the lower levels of third vaccinations it seems we're well into the law of diminishing returns.
I can see more people being willing to take an annual vaccination but not every six months.
I wonder if there is any demographic breakdown of booster virus take up. I suspect a greater population of the elderly have taken the third vaccination and would take the fourth if offered.
I think offering it to all over 65 would be a popular move but as Boris Johnson and the Government are so popular anyway they won't need to.
There's a very big drop off on the third vaccination as you go down the age bands.
So while over 90% of the double vaccinated over 60s have also had the booster it falls to less than 70% for those in their thirties and less than 60% for the 18-30 group.
Presumably because so many people who have had covid in the younger age groups thinking they're no longer at risk:
Is there not then an argument for extending the offering of the fourth booster to the over 60s and leaving it there as I suspect there is a considerable group of older people who have completely avoided the virus so far thanks to first isolation and later vaccination?
Comments
There have been a range of attitudes right from the off, from the anti-vaxers and anti-maskers through to those who haven't left the house and everything in between. From now on it's up to each individual to do what they are comfortable with.
My life is pretty much back to normal but I will put on a mask when, for example, I am on public transport and I have given up going to football matches.
The way that the ending of restrictions has been presented is that it seems to have signalled that people with Covid are now perfectly OK to go out and about as normal. Many people will not be comfortable with that and I think that accounts for why so many people in the poll believe we are moving too fast. As I say people will make their own decisions from now on and will only do what they are comfortable with.
Judging by the lower levels of third vaccinations it seems we're well into the law of diminishing returns.
I can see more people being willing to take an annual vaccination but not every six months.
When a trial arises out of events in prison obvs the jury know that, but the defence are entitled to leave it at that, and the judge directs the jury not to speculate and decide only on the evidence. Tricky of course with internet and all that....
https://twitter.com/WriterJackWhite/status/1480855693389410306?t=TjhQts4yXKDaVAjNY3KJRQ&s=19
The rest of the thread is quite interesting too. Boris has made more trips to Russia than the average UK politician.
As for the English speaking community of the Dordogne and Chamonix Oblasts…
I wonder if like Labour, the Tories have simply come to the end of this period in Government whoever the leader is.
Work from home is popular
Time off ftom work when positive is popular
Not commuting is popular
Quieter roads were popular.
Less child care, time yo look after pets
Ending restrictions threatens lots of the positives people have had from covid.
Possible that is the motive of a sizeable chunk when they say too early.
I think offering it to all over 65 would be a popular move but as Boris Johnson and the Government are so popular anyway they won't need to.
So while it seems that the tories are sunk, it’s a long way to go yet.
One thing that we should now expect from Johnson is that the fine words are never backed by substance, and so it has proved again today.
On Starmer, I have no doubt that he believes what he says on Russian sanctions. In addition, it of course provides an opportunity to show once again that Labour has moved on light years from Corbyn in the eyes of the general public.
There is though a further internal political consideration for Starmer. Corbyn himself has led his fellow travellers down such a deep hole on this issue that many even of his remaining supporters will be looking on aghast at his behaviour. Making excuses for and encouraging appeasement of an authoritarian leader using his position for personal aggrandisation for him and his cronies while trying to extending subjugation of his nation to neighbouring ones isn't a good look. What would George Orwell have made of Corbyn? It's hard to conceive of a turn of events that could have accelerated the isolation and marginalisation of the holdouts of the far left within the Labour Party, even if Starmer had scripted it.
https://twitter.com/IntelDoge/status/1496242943694413824
The negative "excess deaths" at the moment are perhaps due to the reduced number of other infections due to covid measures.
So while over 90% of the double vaccinated over 60s have also had the booster it falls to less than 70% for those in their thirties and less than 60% for the 18-30 group.
Presumably because so many people who have had covid in the younger age groups thinking they're no longer at risk:
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations?areaType=nation&areaName=England