The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
I'm not sure many other Prime Ministerial spouses have been, inter alia, a press officer for the Tory party, media related SPAD to cabinet ministers, head of communications of the Tory Party.
I'd be astonished if Boris Johnson and others weren't asking her for advice, she's not just the Prime Minister's inamorata.
What must worry her and the PM is that she's managed to eventually piss off the two guys who got the PM where he is today, Dominic Cummings and Sir Lynton Crosby.
That said someone I do like, and has no dog in this particular fight, has started calling her 'Edith', after Edith Wilson.
Edit - After he first called her Edith I thought he meant Edith from 'Allo 'Allo.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
The government has been more cohesive and much better at its messaging over the last couple of months. I think Cummings is a very able guy, brilliant at identifying wedge issues, coming up with those pithy soundbites and happy to run right over pompous windbags inflated with their own self importance but useful though these skills are in a campaign they do not lead to harmonious government.
I know as little as the next person on this and certainly less than some on this board but it does seem to me that the appointment of Allegra Stratton in November was the changing point and I would be minded to give her a lot of the credit. If Carrie played a role in getting her appointed and in giving her the political heft to bring others into line she has done Boris a considerable favour.
Today will be a good test. Pre November Boris would have been bombastic, overly optimistic and too ready to let his natural inclination to let people get on with it be evident. I suspect we will see a more measured, Prime Ministerial performance today with caution and more consistent messaging with just the odd Borisism to remind us who he is.
Let's hope so. Some around him are suggesting that, having been too relaxed and cavalier at the outset he is so stung by his initial failures that we now risk excessive caution.
I can envisage a scenario where he maps out a slow pained emergence from our current restrictions, which will have to be torn up (again!) when the combination of vaccination and summer weather ends the wave of new cases and so the pressure to open up quickly becomes impossible to resist.
But that's fine and a lot easier to manage. You simply say that you are indeed being driven by data not dates and the data is better than expected. No one is going to complain if the pubs and restaurants open a little earlier than planned. Well, almost no one. No doubt there will be those who moan about stocking etc. but that will do the government and the economy little harm.
The priority now is the economy. We will see that today and in the budget. We need to recover lost GDP and tax revenues as fast as we safely can. We face an immense challenge, this is 2010 all over again so far as the deficit is concerned with more steroids than those Olympic potentials are currently gulping given that out of season testing is now almost non existent.
It isn't about ease of management. It's about the rapid rollout of the vaccination programme presenting an opportunity that it might require a bit of courage to make the most of.
I agree. Its a difficult balancing act. We have invested heavily in vaccines to get us additional time to recover. If we waste that time it will be an opportunity lost.
We need: * To get schools and Universities back to classrooms and tutorials soonest. *To get shops, restaurants, bars and cafes open in time for Easter even if they still have all the social distancing paraphernalia. * To get offices, factories and public transport back to something like normal by the end of May/early June. * To get rid of the social distancing by end July allowing sporting events, nightclubs and festivals.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
I agree and it does seem the public are understandably very risk averse
However, it is at times like these governments have to make decisions that may seem contrary to public opinion, but are necessary for the people's and the economy's best interests.
And for that reason I am glad I do not have the responsibility of these very difficult decisions to make
This time really might be different, because of vaccination. Perhaps the Covid Alert Level could be reviewed in the light of this, and government decision-making based off that?
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The 20% who are not pro-lockdown might just overlap considerably with the super-spreaders.
A highly transmissible disease doesn't need many who ignore the lockdown to do its job for it. Like the pillock who was feeling unwell, but that wasn't go to stop him going on his pub-crawl round the Valleys...
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The 20% who are not pro-lockdown might just overlap considerably with the super-spreaders.
A highly transmissible disease doesn't need many who ignore the lockdown to do its job for it. Like the pillock who was feeling unwell, but that wasn't go to stop him going on his pub-craw round the Valleys...
The biggest flaw with the restrictions, given the absence of any real enforcement or sanctions, is that those most likely to observe them are those who aren't taking many risks in the first place. And vice versa.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men who think rules should be for other people. That’s a demographic heavily over-represented on pb.
It’s no surprise that so many “lockdown sceptic” manbabies come in that section of society too.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The 20% who are not pro-lockdown might just overlap considerably with the super-spreaders.
A highly transmissible disease doesn't need many who ignore the lockdown to do its job for it. Like the pillock who was feeling unwell, but that wasn't go to stop him going on his pub-craw round the Valleys...
Sorry, don't buy that. Ultimately, if you wanted to avoid catching this thing, you can. You'd have to be very unlucky to catch it doing a big shop in Sainsbury's etc. No, it's spread from social interactions that really shouldn't have happened.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
I don't think so - the lockdowners who I know (the majority of my friends and acquaintances, including most of the younger colleagues at work) are more extreme then me about avoiding any contact whatsoever - I'll pick up a parcel on the doorstep without putting a mask on, but my landlady always puts one on just in case the postman hasn't backed off yet. It sounds silly, but her husband has cancer and she feels why take any risk whatever?
I think Marquee Mark's explanation is more accurate - the 20% who don't favour stricter measures have a big overlap with people who are paying less attention to the rules themselves, and it doesn't take many to keep the disease spreading. I'm not sure what would change their minds.
The government has been more cohesive and much better at its messaging over the last couple of months. I think Cummings is a very able guy, brilliant at identifying wedge issues, coming up with those pithy soundbites and happy to run right over pompous windbags inflated with their own self importance but useful though these skills are in a campaign they do not lead to harmonious government.
I know as little as the next person on this and certainly less than some on this board but it does seem to me that the appointment of Allegra Stratton in November was the changing point and I would be minded to give her a lot of the credit. If Carrie played a role in getting her appointed and in giving her the political heft to bring others into line she has done Boris a considerable favour.
Today will be a good test. Pre November Boris would have been bombastic, overly optimistic and too ready to let his natural inclination to let people get on with it be evident. I suspect we will see a more measured, Prime Ministerial performance today with caution and more consistent messaging with just the odd Borisism to remind us who he is.
The irony could well be that, because of the vaccines, this is actually the first time some optimism and bombast is necessary.
Govts tend to fight the last war. And so it seems they are on this.
Will be interesting to see how many letters will be publicly written to Graham Brady...
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
The government cannot use some good outcomes to escape that overall the situation appears to be among the very worst in the world and they must bear some responsibility for that - if you get praise for the good bits you must also get criticism for the bad bits.
But are you and roger the best ones to talk about vicious snarling(btl anyway) at others? Thatd be like me criticising uppity snideness.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men who think rules should be for other people. That’s a demographic heavily over-represented on pb.
It’s no surprise that so many “lockdown sceptic” manbabies come in that section of society too.
Perhaps many of these middle-aged men are provided succour to their views of self-superiority I'll make a personal decision I know best by - as an example - a certain senior government advisor saying "fuck the rules" to flounce off to his illegally constructed County Durham gaff.
It appears Carrie Symonds is a more accomplished advisor to the Prime Minister, than was Dominic Cummings.
Yes, his public image has improved sharply recently and I'd guess that's partly her work. I agree with Mike that it's ridiculous to demand an enquiry into how X influences Y - where would they start? - and fundamentally a way of getting at Johnson.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
I think that this is an important point but your desire to attack the government gives them too much power and too much responsibility.
The reality is that millions of us will continue to be cautious whatever the government "allows". Being able to do something within the law is not the same as it being a good idea at least for individuals. This hesitancy will be a drag on the recovery of the economy and there is little that the government can do about it other than (hopefully) point to the numbers which show the risk is no longer present.
Governments are not responsible for what we do. We are. Governments can set limits to what we can do but that is not the same thing.
This time really might be different, because of vaccination. Perhaps the Covid Alert Level could be reviewed in the light of this, and government decision-making based off that?
If not, what was the Covid Alert system for?
I cannot recall hearing about it once since it was announced. Maybe I haven't paid enough attention, but still.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
I think that this is an important point but your desire to attack the government gives them too much power and too much responsibility.
The reality is that millions of us will continue to be cautious whatever the government "allows". Being able to do something within the law is not the same as it being a good idea at least for individuals. This hesitancy will be a drag on the recovery of the economy and there is little that the government can do about it other than (hopefully) point to the numbers which show the risk is no longer present.
Governments are not responsible for what we do. We are. Governments can set limits to what we can do but that is not the same thing.
Thats true, but giving them too much power and responsibility on the issue does not mean they have no power or responsibility on it, the c'est la vie approach.
This time really might be different, because of vaccination. Perhaps the Covid Alert Level could be reviewed in the light of this, and government decision-making based off that?
If not, what was the Covid Alert system for?
I cannot recall hearing about it once since it was announced. Maybe I haven't paid enough attention, but still.
The clown started us off at level three-and-a-half, which pretty much killed it at birth. I do recall someone later moving us to level four. But it's hardly been the central yardstick it was designed as, for sure.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The public has been pretty good at following the given rules as applied from time to time.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We've been through a few weeks where new UK case numbers topped 50,000 every day. I doubt those arose from everyone following the rules.
And yet cases eventually dropped sharply when lockdown was finally reintroduced. The public follow rules well enough if they are given them.
Yes that's fair comment. A challenge would be that cases have been falling pretty much everywhere, and the US - which provides some good test cases with different states adopting dramatically different approaches - has seen cases falling away most places regardless.
The government has been more cohesive and much better at its messaging over the last couple of months. I think Cummings is a very able guy, brilliant at identifying wedge issues, coming up with those pithy soundbites and happy to run right over pompous windbags inflated with their own self importance but useful though these skills are in a campaign they do not lead to harmonious government.
I know as little as the next person on this and certainly less than some on this board but it does seem to me that the appointment of Allegra Stratton in November was the changing point and I would be minded to give her a lot of the credit. If Carrie played a role in getting her appointed and in giving her the political heft to bring others into line she has done Boris a considerable favour.
Today will be a good test. Pre November Boris would have been bombastic, overly optimistic and too ready to let his natural inclination to let people get on with it be evident. I suspect we will see a more measured, Prime Ministerial performance today with caution and more consistent messaging with just the odd Borisism to remind us who he is.
The irony could well be that, because of the vaccines, this is actually the first time some optimism and bombast is necessary.
Govts tend to fight the last war. And so it seems they are on this.
Will be interesting to see how many letters will be publicly written to Graham Brady...
My guess is none. Boris is, at present, totally dominant. That will not last of course but right now he is untouchable.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The public has been pretty good at following the given rules as applied from time to time.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We've been through a few weeks where new UK case numbers topped 50,000 every day. I doubt those arose from everyone following the rules.
And yet cases eventually dropped sharply when lockdown was finally reintroduced. The public follow rules well enough if they are given them.
Yes that's fair comment. A challenge would be that cases have been falling pretty much everywhere, and the US - which provides some good test cases with different states adopting dramatically different approaches - has seen cases falling away most places regardless.
Rutland saw cases at very high levels in the latest lockdown very late. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that it stayed at Tier 2 well after almost everywhere else.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The public has been pretty good at following the given rules as applied from time to time.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We've been through a few weeks where new UK case numbers topped 50,000 every day. I doubt those arose from everyone following the rules.
And yet cases eventually dropped sharply when lockdown was finally reintroduced. The public follow rules well enough if they are given them.
Basically there are two speeds: free for all and lockdown. Sadly, the government didn't realise this earlier. But be under no illuson, a lot of people weren't following the rules in the autumn.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The public has been pretty good at following the given rules as applied from time to time.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We've been through a few weeks where new UK case numbers topped 50,000 every day. I doubt those arose from everyone following the rules.
And yet cases eventually dropped sharply when lockdown was finally reintroduced. The public follow rules well enough if they are given them.
Especially if said rules are explained and logical.
Although, from my observation it is not unusual for people to buy take-away coffee from a stall and stand around talking to other customers, albeit at least 2ft or so.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The public has been pretty good at following the given rules as applied from time to time.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We've been through a few weeks where new UK case numbers topped 50,000 every day. I doubt those arose from everyone following the rules.
And yet cases eventually dropped sharply when lockdown was finally reintroduced. The public follow rules well enough if they are given them.
Yes that's fair comment. A challenge would be that cases have been falling pretty much everywhere, and the US - which provides some good test cases with different states adopting dramatically different approaches - has seen cases falling away most places regardless.
Rutland saw cases at very high levels in the latest lockdown very late. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that it stayed at Tier 2 well after almost everywhere else.
My parents live in Rutland, and I was quite concerned for a few days. Thankfully (for them) it turned out to be an outbreak in a prison combined with a tiny denominator (population of the whole county is 36,000).
Surely it is the friends and family of the dead who should be bitter. That you can utterly dismiss their lives and their loss for political point scoring should be an outrage, but little is these days.
The abhorrent political points scoring is coming from both sides and is frankly unnecessary
The world is in a pandemic which is far from over and neither sadly is a rising worldwide death toll
If you're happy to score points on account of the vaccines success, then you can hardly object if the other side of the coin is examined.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The public has been pretty good at following the given rules as applied from time to time.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We've been through a few weeks where new UK case numbers topped 50,000 every day. I doubt those arose from everyone following the rules.
And yet cases eventually dropped sharply when lockdown was finally reintroduced. The public follow rules well enough if they are given them.
Yes that's fair comment. A challenge would be that cases have been falling pretty much everywhere, and the US - which provides some good test cases with different states adopting dramatically different approaches - has seen cases falling away most places regardless.
Rutland saw cases at very high levels in the latest lockdown very late. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that it stayed at Tier 2 well after almost everywhere else.
The Tier system was flawed because it created - and advertised - those areas where eating and drinking places were operating more normally. We had exactly the same here on the island - Portsmouth and Southampton were put into higher tiers while we remained a Tier One area, alone apart from Cornwall and Scilly. Lo and behold - after numerous anecdotal reports of boozers day tripping, an influx of second home owners and SeanT types fleeing from Tier 4, within a matter of weeks we were in Tier 4 ourselves and at one point had case rates rising as fast as the worst parts of East London.
In a small country with a lot of mobility, trying to graduate restrictions down to individual towns or counties was always stupid - and was only done to try and humour those Tory MPs with seats on the edge of larger cities who wanted looser restrictions for their own.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
OK, lets step back a minute. If Shagger is so good at setting things up - say the vaccine taskforce - then why is Track and Trace such a godawful disaster?
If he was the driving force behind COGUK then logically the argument is that the genomic sequencing body had no idea that it needed to sequence Covid until Boris suggested they do so.
Really? Its as laughable as the "argument" that Jezbollah was a driving force behind peace in Norniron.
Track and Trace isn't a disaster. It's catching over 90% of known contacts now and is estimated to be reducing R by the same amount as school closures. It had teething problems and took months to get up to speed...
The government has been more cohesive and much better at its messaging over the last couple of months. I think Cummings is a very able guy, brilliant at identifying wedge issues, coming up with those pithy soundbites and happy to run right over pompous windbags inflated with their own self importance but useful though these skills are in a campaign they do not lead to harmonious government.
I know as little as the next person on this and certainly less than some on this board but it does seem to me that the appointment of Allegra Stratton in November was the changing point and I would be minded to give her a lot of the credit. If Carrie played a role in getting her appointed and in giving her the political heft to bring others into line she has done Boris a considerable favour.
Today will be a good test. Pre November Boris would have been bombastic, overly optimistic and too ready to let his natural inclination to let people get on with it be evident. I suspect we will see a more measured, Prime Ministerial performance today with caution and more consistent messaging with just the odd Borisism to remind us who he is.
Let's hope so. Some around him are suggesting that, having been too relaxed and cavalier at the outset he is so stung by his initial failures that we now risk excessive caution.
I can envisage a scenario where he maps out a slow pained emergence from our current restrictions, which will have to be torn up (again!) when the combination of vaccination and summer weather ends the wave of new cases and so the pressure to open up quickly becomes impossible to resist.
But that's fine and a lot easier to manage. You simply say that you are indeed being driven by data not dates and the data is better than expected. No one is going to complain if the pubs and restaurants open a little earlier than planned. Well, almost no one. No doubt there will be those who moan about stocking etc. but that will do the government and the economy little harm.
The priority now is the economy. We will see that today and in the budget. We need to recover lost GDP and tax revenues as fast as we safely can. We face an immense challenge, this is 2010 all over again so far as the deficit is concerned with more steroids than those Olympic potentials are currently gulping given that out of season testing is now almost non existent.
I'd say the risk to the Government is its response to that and restoring equilibrium to the economy and public finances.
The public aren't much interested in a reckoning over the handling of the pandemic, save to honestly learn the lessons to prevent it ever happening again (which they will expect the Government to quietly bank).
Fewer than half of Koreans willing to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots now: poll https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2021/02/119_304407.html Less than half of South Koreans are willing to receive COVID-19 vaccine shots immediately, without waiting for further reports on those vaccines' effects, an opinion poll showed Monday.
In the survey conducted on 1,020 people aged 18 or over by the Korea Society Opinion Institute from last Friday to Saturday, only 45.8 percent said they are willing to be vaccinated "right away" when their turn for COVID-19 vaccine shots comes.
Another 45.7 percent responded they will delay their vaccinations to "watch the situation" regarding the vaccines' effects, while 5.1 percent said they will refuse vaccine shots entirely, according to the poll result. The remaining 3.4 percent said they are not sure.
The survey also showed that 55.8 percent of the respondents have confidence in the government's handling of the national vaccination program, while 41.1 percent have distrust....
A (far) lower death rate clearly makes people more picky or cautious about vaccines. Can't imagine it would be anywhere near as low if they'd had out experience.
That’s over 90% saying they were at least willing to consider it. If you get a decent conversion from the 45.7% who are hesitant, say half of them, you get to 70% willing to be vaccinated which is higher than France I think.
It appears Carrie Symonds is a more accomplished advisor to the Prime Minister, than was Dominic Cummings.
Yes, his public image has improved sharply recently and I'd guess that's partly her work. I agree with Mike that it's ridiculous to demand an enquiry into how X influences Y - where would they start? - and fundamentally a way of getting at Johnson.
Perhaps Nick, Princess NutNuts is sturdier Prime Ministerial material than Johnson too
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men
Not just a Covid specific rule, that.
Everyone else should be welded into a small, sealed metal box until all COVID cases are zero, everywhere on the planet.
I have urgent business reasons to hold a rave for 4,000 people on Bora Bora.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
Firstly, it shows a majority wanting normality by the summer, secondly it's fickle - polling leads to a "when did you stop beating your wife?" type response, and doesn't match people's own behaviour - and finally whenever I speak to "normal" people down my way their perceptions and behaviours change as soon as those who they are worried about in their immediate circle have had the vaccine.
As always these polls tell us that people want hard-line restrictions for other people, not themselves.
Of course it is. As was an airport on an island surrounded by birds and unexploded bombs with no local workforce, a bridge with no traffic, and a cable car that doesnt go anywhere.
The problem is that the PM loves these flights of fancy and has never suffered previously from the time and £millions wasted on them.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
I understand you're pissed off with Government supporters on pb.com.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
I don't think so - the lockdowners who I know (the majority of my friends and acquaintances, including most of the younger colleagues at work) are more extreme then me about avoiding any contact whatsoever - I'll pick up a parcel on the doorstep without putting a mask on, but my landlady always puts one on just in case the postman hasn't backed off yet. It sounds silly, but her husband has cancer and she feels why take any risk whatever?
I think Marquee Mark's explanation is more accurate - the 20% who don't favour stricter measures have a big overlap with people who are paying less attention to the rules themselves, and it doesn't take many to keep the disease spreading. I'm not sure what would change their minds.
my landlady always puts one on just in case the postman hasn't backed off yet. It sounds silly, but her husband has cancer and she feels why take any risk whatever?
The "cost" of putting a mask on to pickup the parcel is zero, for her. It doesn't seem silly at all, to me.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
Alastair, I completely agree that the government's performance has been woeful.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Couldn't have put it better myself. All governments are influenced by unelected people, but the elected prime minister gets to decide who influences them and the prime minister is the one held to account. Don't like the decisions taken by the prime minister (on whoever's advice) then call for the prime minister to go and vote him out at the next election or - if a Con MP - put your letter in.
(The same of course or those obsessing about unelected SAGE - if you don't like their input, then push for a leader who will choose other advisors)
The IoM tunnel plan is a marvellous idea for a number of reasons:
1. Completely fixes the NI Protocol issues. There is no need for the customs and standards checks that we insisted be imposed if its a land border! 2. Resolutely ties NI into the Union. Why would people need to consider those cross-border links when now they can spend an hour driving through a tunnel? 3. Brings historical oddities like the Isle of Man into His remit. Not only are the IoM government bound to give permission to tunnel underneath their island, they will get their own exit from the roundabout. And should there be bad weather during TT week a few high speed laps of the roundabout will be a great alternative 4. It links to all the important places of the Union with absolutely no Welsh exceptions. Taffy needs to know his place 5. Its a marvellous British project for the modern world as will be demonstrated when the contract is handed to the Chinese government via Boris's "special envoy" who being Boris's best friend's wife's tennis coach's dog trainer was in no way responsible for the £17bn consultancy fee received.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men
Not just a Covid specific rule, that.
It would be funny if true but I certainly haven't seen that. The worst thing sticking out in my mind was the old woman walking around my local shop with her hand over her mouth as a face covering and she'd gone in just to buy cigarettes. To be honest I've not seen many middle aged men but then I have been doing the home daily walk grocery shopping duties. I have noticed lots of old couples shopping togethe even where it is stated to shop alone Perhaps AM is going to specific places where obnoxious middle aged men congregate?
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
I understand you're pissed off with Government supporters on pb.com.
Would you care to answer my wider point?
What is your wider point?
There’s plenty of polling showing that the public is unimpressed with the government’s handling of the pandemic. There’s plenty of polling showing that lots of voters are sticking with the government anyway.
If you’re not going to reconsider your voting intention when a government has negligently killed tens of thousands, you can be safely labelled a blind partisan. There are, we now know, an awful lot of them.
This will lead to bad government, since ministers can see that they can be incompetent and corrupt without consequence. But that’s of no real concern to the blind partisans, who may get as far as tutting but that’s about it.
I`m having a to-and-fro with a friend about the percentage of population that travel abroad at least once in a typical year. He reckons over 60%. I think that`s absurd and reckon less than 30%. Anyone know the answer?
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
I understand you're pissed off with Government supporters on pb.com.
Would you care to answer my wider point?
What is your wider point?
There’s plenty of polling showing that the public is unimpressed with the government’s handling of the pandemic. There’s plenty of polling showing that lots of voters are sticking with the government anyway.
If you’re not going to reconsider your voting intention when a government has negligently killed tens of thousands, you can be safely labelled a blind partisan. There are, we now know, an awful lot of them.
This will lead to bad government, since ministers can see that they can be incompetent and corrupt without consequence. But that’s of no real concern to the blind partisans, who may get as far as tutting but that’s about it.
See also the 2005 GE. That Labour won a 66 seat majority after Iraq shows just how much partisanship counts for.
It is time some people relaxed and see these stories as a way to lighten the mood
They are not going to happen nor should they be taken seriously
Maybe they are to wind up those with no humour
Looking at it as objectively as I can the route that would make the most economic sense (or least "unsense") would be a NI tunnel to the tip Kintyre (only 12-14 miles with approaches, I think) and then a bridge to the Isle of Arran and then a further bridge or tunnel to West Kilbride.
That would at least nominally link two large cities - Belfast and Glasgow, that tot up to over a million people combined (and a bit more with the wider "metro" areas) - and at around 140-150 miles which you could drive the lot in 2.5-3 hours, which is enough to kill off flights and make it feasible for weekend trips and the occasional commute.
I'm off, at least for a while. Being retired, I have things to do and can't spend the whole day here. (Sarcastic sod). Wonder what tomorrows subject will be?
Coming at this from a different perspective, is the current setup in Boris's best personal interest?
There have been Prime Ministerial Partners before who have been politically switched on- Phillip May and Cherie Blair are the obvious examples. They understood the game and could offer advice from an informed amateur perspective.
But they weren't active players in the way that Carrie is. They weren't part of the Westminster Bubble, as someone (I forget who) repeatedly put it.
So at the end of the day, however fleetingly, most PMs have had someone to remind them of the rest of their life. Dennis could give Margaret a whisky or three. Phillip could amuse Theresa with his uncanny Arthur Askey impersonation. Whatever Carrie does for Boris (no sniggering), she can't take him out of the political game, because she's part of it herself. This isn't healthy, especially for someone as prone to chaos and blurred lines as Boris.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
Alastair, I completely agree that the government's performance has been woeful.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Thanks to Leavers, I no longer have a direct interest in the running of the EU and its member states. I will therefore concern myself with the many ineptitudes of the UK government.
Quite why Leavers remain so obsessed with the EU is remarkable. It’s almost as though they regret their decision at a primal level and are continuing to cast around for rationales to justify a decision made on fathomless hatred rather than cool logic.
It is time some people relaxed and see these stories as a way to lighten the mood
They are not going to happen nor should they be taken seriously
Maybe they are to wind up those with no humour
Looking at it as objectively as I can the route that would make the most economic sense (or least "unsense") would be a NI tunnel to the tip Kintyre (only 12-14 miles with approaches, I think) and then a bridge to the Isle of Arran and then a further bridge or tunnel to West Kilbride.
That would at least nominally link two large cities - Belfast and Glasgow, that tot up to over a million people combined (and a bit more with the wider "metro" areas) - and at around 140-150 miles which you could drive the lot in 2.5-3 hours, which is enough to kill off flights and make it feasible for weekend trips and the occasional commute.
But, it's way way clear of England.
And both Kintyre and Arran are going to be well pleased at becoming waystations for fleets of HGVs going back and forth to NI.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
I understand you're pissed off with Government supporters on pb.com.
Would you care to answer my wider point?
What is your wider point?
There’s plenty of polling showing that the public is unimpressed with the government’s handling of the pandemic. There’s plenty of polling showing that lots of voters are sticking with the government anyway.
If you’re not going to reconsider your voting intention when a government has negligently killed tens of thousands, you can be safely labelled a blind partisan. There are, we now know, an awful lot of them.
This will lead to bad government, since ministers can see that they can be incompetent and corrupt without consequence. But that’s of no real concern to the blind partisans, who may get as far as tutting but that’s about it.
My wider point is that the public gives the Government the benefit of the doubt and isn't really going to revisit its voting intention as a result. It goes way beyond partisanship, and extends as a mood into the country at large.
It is time some people relaxed and see these stories as a way to lighten the mood
They are not going to happen nor should they be taken seriously
Maybe they are to wind up those with no humour
Looking at it as objectively as I can the route that would make the most economic sense (or least "unsense") would be a NI tunnel to the tip Kintyre (only 12-14 miles with approaches, I think) and then a bridge to the Isle of Arran and then a further bridge or tunnel to West Kilbride.
That would at least nominally link two large cities - Belfast and Glasgow, that tot up to over a million people combined (and a bit more with the wider "metro" areas) - and at around 140-150 miles which you could drive the lot in 2.5-3 hours, which is enough to kill off flights and make it feasible for weekend trips and the occasional commute.
But, it's way way clear of England.
And both Kintyre and Arran are going to be well pleased at becoming waystations for fleets of HGVs going back and forth to NI.
Well, of course. Few people like major construction or development taking place near them.
It's probably a non-starter simply because the Scottish Government would have no political interest in accommodating or facilitating it.
Surely it is the friends and family of the dead who should be bitter. That you can utterly dismiss their lives and their loss for political point scoring should be an outrage, but little is these days.
The abhorrent political points scoring is coming from both sides and is frankly unnecessary
The world is in a pandemic which is far from over and neither sadly is a rising worldwide death toll
If you're happy to score points on account of the vaccines success, then you can hardly object if the other side of the coin is examined.
The disease is nature.
The vaccine is humanity.
Be pissed off with nature of you want but I'm not sure what good it does.
In that well known classic Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery day Piglet gets into a bit of bother during the flood and Owl somewhat pompously announces "Don't worry Piglet, a rescue is being thought of". Can't think how that might be applied to the current NI situation but it came to mind.
I`m having a to-and-fro with a friend about the percentage of population that travel abroad at least once in a typical year. He reckons over 60%. I think that`s absurd and reckon less than 30%. Anyone know the answer?
In 2019, the average UK resident was abroad for a total of 9.7 nights and spent £670 while there. In total, 93.1 million trips were taken.
Spain is way out front with France a solid second with Ireland, US, Italy fighting for third.
The question of course is the skew. Because.... FoI request to DfT reveals 10% most frequent flyers took more than half of flights abroad in 2018
ABTA research for 2018 found that 60% of the population took a foreign holiday in the past 12 months – the highest figure since 2011
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
Alastair, I completely agree that the government's performance has been woeful.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Thanks to Leavers, I no longer have a direct interest in the running of the EU and its member states. I will therefore concern myself with the many ineptitudes of the UK government.
Quite why Leavers remain so obsessed with the EU is remarkable. It’s almost as though they regret their decision at a primal level and are continuing to cast around for rationales to justify a decision made on fathomless hatred rather than cool logic.
And people on here still talk about the USA, but we lost them over 200 years ago. I was just curious as to how you viewed the actions of other governments.
Ultimately governments will get an easier ride on this simply because it was inflicted upon them (in a way that, say, Iraq wasn't). Perhaps it shouldn't be like that, but then that's democracy for you.
I`m having a to-and-fro with a friend about the percentage of population that travel abroad at least once in a typical year. He reckons over 60%. I think that`s absurd and reckon less than 30%. Anyone know the answer?
I think your mate's right.
According to https://www.abta.com/news/more-brits-heading-holiday(who are doubtless biased, but still): 51% of Brits took a package holiday abroad in 2019. Add to that those who went abroad other than as part of a package holiday, and I'd expect it to be over 60%
Oh, and Alastair, given your views on Brexit and the supply of medicines, you should show some humility when it comes to the EU and vaccines. Their actions could have led to people like my parents not getting their shots. So, actually, they are very much relevant to us.
Covid vaccines have had a significant impact on the risk of serious illness in Scotland, an analysis shows.
The work led by Public Health Scotland found by the fourth week after the first dose hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively.
So how many people have Macron and Handelstwatt killed ?
It is time some people relaxed and see these stories as a way to lighten the mood
They are not going to happen nor should they be taken seriously
Maybe they are to wind up those with no humour
Looking at it as objectively as I can the route that would make the most economic sense (or least "unsense") would be a NI tunnel to the tip Kintyre (only 12-14 miles with approaches, I think) and then a bridge to the Isle of Arran and then a further bridge or tunnel to West Kilbride.
That would at least nominally link two large cities - Belfast and Glasgow, that tot up to over a million people combined (and a bit more with the wider "metro" areas) - and at around 140-150 miles which you could drive the lot in 2.5-3 hours, which is enough to kill off flights and make it feasible for weekend trips and the occasional commute.
But, it's way way clear of England.
And both Kintyre and Arran are going to be well pleased at becoming waystations for fleets of HGVs going back and forth to NI.
Well, of course. Few people like major construction or development taking place near them.
It's probably a non-starter simply because the Scottish Government would have no political interest in accommodating or facilitating it.
Even if it made sense - which it doesn't - that spur to Heysham seems particularly pointless.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
Alastair, I completely agree that the government's performance has been woeful.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Our government ordered the NHS to send elderly patients back into care homes. A direct instruction - https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-care-homes-discharge/ Which directly killed tens of thousands. If the government wasn't responsible for the absolutely avoidable slaughter in care homes then who was?
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men
Not just a Covid specific rule, that.
It would be funny if true but I certainly haven't seen that. The worst thing sticking out in my mind was the old woman walking around my local shop with her hand over her mouth as a face covering and she'd gone in just to buy cigarettes. To be honest I've not seen many middle aged men but then I have been doing the home daily walk grocery shopping duties. I have noticed lots of old couples shopping togethe even where it is stated to shop alone Perhaps AM is going to specific places where obnoxious middle aged men congregate?
There are plenty of wealthy middle aged men on PB (I would bet a majority). Plenty of those are full on curtain-twitching why is that person going out let's lock ourselves down until further notice until not one iota of a Covid spore remains.
Of the few non-wealthy middle aged men I have come into contact with, they are pretty ambivalent and are waiting to see what the new rules bring but just about all hope for an early end to lockdown. Whether that is the same as being anti-lockdown I'm not sure.
As for the subject at hand, I have no idea whether it's Carrie who is the puppet-master but I can certainly believe that Boris breathed a sigh of relief when Dom went and that has translated into an improvement in government. He (Boris) is still manifestly unfit to be PM of course.
Surely it is the friends and family of the dead who should be bitter. That you can utterly dismiss their lives and their loss for political point scoring should be an outrage, but little is these days.
The abhorrent political points scoring is coming from both sides and is frankly unnecessary
The world is in a pandemic which is far from over and neither sadly is a rising worldwide death toll
Political point scoring?
You agree that the death toll in Wales is unacceptably high due to the egregious incompetence of the First Minister. You also accept that the high death toll in England/ the UK as a whole, is simply down to the nature of the virus and the worldwide pandemic.
Surely what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
Alastair, I completely agree that the government's performance has been woeful.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Our government ordered the NHS to send elderly patients back into care homes. A direct instruction - https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-care-homes-discharge/ Which directly killed tens of thousands. If the government wasn't responsible for the absolutely avoidable slaughter in care homes then who was?
I don't disagree. Perhaps there will be prosecutions when this is all over.
Covid vaccines have had a significant impact on the risk of serious illness in Scotland, an analysis shows.
The work led by Public Health Scotland found by the fourth week after the first dose hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively.
So how many people have Macron and Handelstwatt killed ?
I’m not going down that particular rabbit hole but I was surprised to see the AZ being more effective than the Pfizer.
It is time some people relaxed and see these stories as a way to lighten the mood
They are not going to happen nor should they be taken seriously
Maybe they are to wind up those with no humour
Lets see how much public money gets wasted, before being so blasé.
This is what I don't get about Big G. He literally howls in rage at Drakeford and the Welsh government. Yet if Shagger wants to spaff vast sums of Big G's money up the wall on stupidity or corruption (or usually both) he takes the opposite line and gives it at least tacit approval.
If you're against wasting money then you're against it in all circumstances. If you're against politician/party x wasting public money but not your favoured politician/party then you're a hypocrite.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
Alastair, I completely agree that the government's performance has been woeful.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Our government ordered the NHS to send elderly patients back into care homes. A direct instruction - https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-care-homes-discharge/ Which directly killed tens of thousands. If the government wasn't responsible for the absolutely avoidable slaughter in care homes then who was?
Yes. The care homes will likely be the smoking gun, if everyone can snap themselves out of the euphoria of being free in time to come.
I`m having a to-and-fro with a friend about the percentage of population that travel abroad at least once in a typical year. He reckons over 60%. I think that`s absurd and reckon less than 30%. Anyone know the answer?
I think your mate's right.
According to https://www.abta.com/news/more-brits-heading-holiday(who are doubtless biased, but still): 51% of Brits took a package holiday abroad in 2019. Add to that those who went abroad other than as part of a package holiday, and I'd expect it to be over 60%
That`s interesting, you`ve linked to exactly the same source my mate did. It says: "More than six in ten Brits (64%) took a foreign holiday in the 12 months to July 2019".
However, when you look more deeply you see this is a survey, N=2000, was conducted by what looks like a media PR organisation rather than a bona fide polling organisation. The cynical me says that this was commissioned by ABTA to puff up its own importance.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men
Not just a Covid specific rule, that.
It would be funny if true but I certainly haven't seen that. The worst thing sticking out in my mind was the old woman walking around my local shop with her hand over her mouth as a face covering and she'd gone in just to buy cigarettes. To be honest I've not seen many middle aged men but then I have been doing the home daily walk grocery shopping duties. I have noticed lots of old couples shopping togethe even where it is stated to shop alone Perhaps AM is going to specific places where obnoxious middle aged men congregate?
There are plenty of wealthy middle aged men on PB (I would bet a majority). Plenty of those are full on curtain-twitching why is that person going out let's lock ourselves down until further notice until not one iota of a Covid spore remains.
Of the few non-wealthy middle aged men I have come into contact with, they are pretty ambivalent and are waiting to see what the new rules bring but just about all hope for an early end to lockdown. Whether that is the same as being anti-lockdown I'm not sure.
As for the subject at hand, I have no idea whether it's Carrie who is the puppet-master but I can certainly believe that Boris breathed a sigh of relief when Dom went and that has translated into an improvement in government. He (Boris) is still manifestly unfit to be PM of course.
No one really minds being locked down in the middle of the freezing cold weather we had up until last week, if we get a spring anything like last years then I am guessing that things will change considerably. But I’m usually wrong about these things.
Covid vaccines have had a significant impact on the risk of serious illness in Scotland, an analysis shows.
The work led by Public Health Scotland found by the fourth week after the first dose hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively.
So how many people have Macron and Handelstwatt killed ?
I’m not going down that particular rabbit hole but I was surprised to see the AZ being more effective than the Pfizer.
Could be because of a differential in patient type given that the AZ vaccine came almost a month later.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
The public has been pretty good at following the given rules as applied from time to time.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We've been through a few weeks where new UK case numbers topped 50,000 every day. I doubt those arose from everyone following the rules.
And yet cases eventually dropped sharply when lockdown was finally reintroduced. The public follow rules well enough if they are given them.
Basically there are two speeds: free for all and lockdown. Sadly, the government didn't realise this earlier. But be under no illuson, a lot of people weren't following the rules in the autumn.
I fully agree with this and cannot understand people saying that they cannot understand the rules. A lockdown is simple by design, and if you can't read and understand the rules well enough as restrictions are lifted then by all means stay locked up and out of the way of everyone else until you can understand.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men
Not just a Covid specific rule, that.
It would be funny if true but I certainly haven't seen that. The worst thing sticking out in my mind was the old woman walking around my local shop with her hand over her mouth as a face covering and she'd gone in just to buy cigarettes. To be honest I've not seen many middle aged men but then I have been doing the home daily walk grocery shopping duties. I have noticed lots of old couples shopping togethe even where it is stated to shop alone Perhaps AM is going to specific places where obnoxious middle aged men congregate?
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
I understand you're pissed off with Government supporters on pb.com.
Would you care to answer my wider point?
What is your wider point?
There’s plenty of polling showing that the public is unimpressed with the government’s handling of the pandemic. There’s plenty of polling showing that lots of voters are sticking with the government anyway.
If you’re not going to reconsider your voting intention when a government has negligently killed tens of thousands, you can be safely labelled a blind partisan. There are, we now know, an awful lot of them.
This will lead to bad government, since ministers can see that they can be incompetent and corrupt without consequence. But that’s of no real concern to the blind partisans, who may get as far as tutting but that’s about it.
See also the 2005 GE. That Labour won a 66 seat majority after Iraq shows just how much partisanship counts for.
The 2005 GE was a particularly odd circumstance. Normally when the government does something stupid and unpopular, it loses support to the opposition. But IDS was in open full support for the stupid and unpopular thing, which rather negated it as a political issue. Yes, people headed off to vote LibDem (hurrah), but you coudn't argue for installing the other party into government because Iraq when they also supported Iraq.
It is a very clear historical lesson as why why Starmer shat the bed by backing the Brexit deal.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men
Not just a Covid specific rule, that.
It would be funny if true but I certainly haven't seen that. The worst thing sticking out in my mind was the old woman walking around my local shop with her hand over her mouth as a face covering and she'd gone in just to buy cigarettes. To be honest I've not seen many middle aged men but then I have been doing the home daily walk grocery shopping duties. I have noticed lots of old couples shopping togethe even where it is stated to shop alone Perhaps AM is going to specific places where obnoxious middle aged men congregate?
There are plenty of wealthy middle aged men on PB (I would bet a majority). Plenty of those are full on curtain-twitching why is that person going out let's lock ourselves down until further notice until not one iota of a Covid spore remains.
Of the few non-wealthy middle aged men I have come into contact with, they are pretty ambivalent and are waiting to see what the new rules bring but just about all hope for an early end to lockdown. Whether that is the same as being anti-lockdown I'm not sure.
As for the subject at hand, I have no idea whether it's Carrie who is the puppet-master but I can certainly believe that Boris breathed a sigh of relief when Dom went and that has translated into an improvement in government. He (Boris) is still manifestly unfit to be PM of course.
No one really minds being locked down in the middle of the freezing cold weather we had up until last week, if we get a spring anything like last years then I am guessing that things will change considerably. But I’m usually wrong about these things.
Yes good point no one has been too keen to get out into sub-zero temperatures and as you say that will change as and when the weather improves. If it bloody well ever does.
Covid vaccines have had a significant impact on the risk of serious illness in Scotland, an analysis shows.
The work led by Public Health Scotland found by the fourth week after the first dose hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively.
So how many people have Macron and Handelstwatt killed ?
I’m not going down that particular rabbit hole but I was surprised to see the AZ being more effective than the Pfizer.
Could be because of a differential in patient type given that the AZ vaccine came almost a month later.
Surely it is the friends and family of the dead who should be bitter. That you can utterly dismiss their lives and their loss for political point scoring should be an outrage, but little is these days.
The abhorrent political points scoring is coming from both sides and is frankly unnecessary
The world is in a pandemic which is far from over and neither sadly is a rising worldwide death toll
Political point scoring?
You agree that the death toll in Wales is unacceptably high due to the egregious incompetence of the First Minister. You also accept that the high death toll in England/ the UK as a whole, is simply down to the nature of the virus and the worldwide pandemic.
Surely what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
But, that is why there will be no repercussions.
The Tory, Labour & SNP parties are not going to have an inquiry which leads to Boris, Mark & Nicola sharing the same prison cell.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
That's because respondents imagine themselves continuing to make their own judgements while the restrictions continue to apply to everyone else.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
The worst offenders are wealthy middle aged men
Not just a Covid specific rule, that.
It would be funny if true but I certainly haven't seen that. The worst thing sticking out in my mind was the old woman walking around my local shop with her hand over her mouth as a face covering and she'd gone in just to buy cigarettes. To be honest I've not seen many middle aged men but then I have been doing the home daily walk grocery shopping duties. I have noticed lots of old couples shopping togethe even where it is stated to shop alone Perhaps AM is going to specific places where obnoxious middle aged men congregate?
There are plenty of wealthy middle aged men on PB (I would bet a majority). Plenty of those are full on curtain-twitching why is that person going out let's lock ourselves down until further notice until not one iota of a Covid spore remains.
Of the few non-wealthy middle aged men I have come into contact with, they are pretty ambivalent and are waiting to see what the new rules bring but just about all hope for an early end to lockdown. Whether that is the same as being anti-lockdown I'm not sure.
As for the subject at hand, I have no idea whether it's Carrie who is the puppet-master but I can certainly believe that Boris breathed a sigh of relief when Dom went and that has translated into an improvement in government. He (Boris) is still manifestly unfit to be PM of course.
No one really minds being locked down in the middle of the freezing cold weather we had up until last week, if we get a spring anything like last years then I am guessing that things will change considerably. But I’m usually wrong about these things.
Yes good point no one has been too keen to get out into sub-zero temperatures and as you say that will change as and when the weather improves. If it bloody well ever does.
This week will be warm, but long range forecast currently flagging two risk points for a cold snap, the first for the weekend after next, and the second at the back end of March.
My immediate office is going to reach herd immunity quite quickly with just myself unvaxed for a few months. I'm in at the moment due to a remote audit taking place but only colleague u50 is JCVI6.
The odd thing about unlockdown is how out of step the commentariat is with the public. Polling shows that the public are a lot more cautious than (affluent, mobile) commentators and politicians:
It is time some people relaxed and see these stories as a way to lighten the mood
They are not going to happen nor should they be taken seriously
Maybe they are to wind up those with no humour
Lets see how much public money gets wasted, before being so blasé.
This is what I don't get about Big G. He literally howls in rage at Drakeford and the Welsh government. Yet if Shagger wants to spaff vast sums of Big G's money up the wall on stupidity or corruption (or usually both) he takes the opposite line and gives it at least tacit approval.
If you're against wasting money then you're against it in all circumstances. If you're against politician/party x wasting public money but not your favoured politician/party then you're a hypocrite.
Big G doesn't do consistency; that much we already know.
All that reminds me of Gordon Brown over the Global Economic Crisis.
Brown's failings were before the financial crisis.
Johnson wasn't even PM a year before this. Between vaccines and genomic sequencing he's ensured we are well placed to come out of it first though.
Hmmm, I’m not sure which claim is sillier the idea that he had no influence on policy before he became PM or the idea that he was personally involved in vaccines or genomic sequencing.
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to set up and pay for COGUK?
You think Boris had nothing to do with setting up and paying for the vaccine taskforce?
You think Boris had nothing to do with the decision to reject opposition advice about joining the EU scheme instead?
The Kumbaya boys are back! ....Felix....Sandpit.....
Given how many pbers regard the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands as excusable and something to be discreetly forgotten as quickly as possible, to the point of snarling viciously at anyone who has the effrontery to mention it, you’re not likely to find a balanced assessment of the government’s role from the site’s government supporters.
Ok, but do you have any evidence to the contrary from the electorate at large on this?
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
What we’ve learned in the last year is that there is a substantial cohort of voters (well-represented on pb) for whom anything this government does, up to and including negligently killing tens of thousands, is excusable. Can you imagine how they would have reacted if Jeremy Corbyn had presided over the shambles we’ve seen this last year?
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
Alastair, I completely agree that the government's performance has been woeful.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Our government ordered the NHS to send elderly patients back into care homes. A direct instruction - https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-care-homes-discharge/ Which directly killed tens of thousands. If the government wasn't responsible for the absolutely avoidable slaughter in care homes then who was?
I don't disagree. Perhaps there will be prosecutions when this is all over.
If you agree, why did you call out the idea that the government is responsible for killing tens of thousands? I don't care what they do in Europe, that's not our responsibility. Nor is it an either/or - BOTH things can be true.
As I keep pointing out, the roll-out of the vaccine has been a massive success. That in no way negates the general chaos and mass slaughter before it - we could have done things responsibly for a year and THEN had a massive success with vaccination. It isn't an either/or...
Comments
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-boris-johnson-lockdown-poll-b1804659.html
The empty vessels are making a lot of noise.
Phyllis Stein.
If the public was really quite so pro-lockdown perhaps we wouldn't be where we are today.
If Britain didn’t have a PM who is so pathetically keen not to be disliked, many more people would be alive today.
We need:
* To get schools and Universities back to classrooms and tutorials soonest.
*To get shops, restaurants, bars and cafes open in time for Easter even if they still have all the social distancing paraphernalia.
* To get offices, factories and public transport back to something like normal by the end of May/early June.
* To get rid of the social distancing by end July allowing sporting events, nightclubs and festivals.
Lockdown for others always seems to be popular. After all, we always know when we are in the depths of lockdown because postcards from some UK holiday spot start arriving from one of PB's principal pandemic-panickers...
However, it is at times like these governments have to make decisions that may seem contrary to public opinion, but are necessary for the people's and the economy's best interests.
And for that reason I am glad I do not have the responsibility of these very difficult decisions to make
If not, what was the Covid Alert system for?
A highly transmissible disease doesn't need many who ignore the lockdown to do its job for it. Like the pillock who was feeling unwell, but that wasn't go to stop him going on his pub-crawl round the Valleys...
It’s no surprise that so many “lockdown sceptic” manbabies come in that section of society too.
I think Marquee Mark's explanation is more accurate - the 20% who don't favour stricter measures have a big overlap with people who are paying less attention to the rules themselves, and it doesn't take many to keep the disease spreading. I'm not sure what would change their minds.
Govts tend to fight the last war. And so it seems they are on this.
Will be interesting to see how many letters will be publicly written to Graham Brady...
But are you and roger the best ones to talk about vicious snarling(btl anyway) at others? Thatd be like me criticising uppity snideness.
The reality is that millions of us will continue to be cautious whatever the government "allows". Being able to do something within the law is not the same as it being a good idea at least for individuals. This hesitancy will be a drag on the recovery of the economy and there is little that the government can do about it other than (hopefully) point to the numbers which show the risk is no longer present.
Governments are not responsible for what we do. We are. Governments can set limits to what we can do but that is not the same thing.
https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1363775502960513025?s=20
Although, from my observation it is not unusual for people to buy take-away coffee from a stall and stand around talking to other customers, albeit at least 2ft or so.
In a small country with a lot of mobility, trying to graduate restrictions down to individual towns or counties was always stupid - and was only done to try and humour those Tory MPs with seats on the edge of larger cities who wanted looser restrictions for their own.
Because what we keep hearing from the LOTO's office is that voters are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt, and don't like it when they're attacked over the pandemic.
The public aren't much interested in a reckoning over the handling of the pandemic, save to honestly learn the lessons to prevent it ever happening again (which they will expect the Government to quietly bank).
Be a nice attack line for Starmer if there's more investment in rail under the Irish Sea than in Yorkshire.
They are not going to happen nor should they be taken seriously
Maybe they are to wind up those with no humour
This is of course utterly contemptible, but there are betting implications to be drawn from this level of loyalty.
I have urgent business reasons to hold a rave for 4,000 people on Bora Bora.
Firstly, it shows a majority wanting normality by the summer, secondly it's fickle - polling leads to a "when did you stop beating your wife?" type response, and doesn't match people's own behaviour - and finally whenever I speak to "normal" people down my way their perceptions and behaviours change as soon as those who they are worried about in their immediate circle have had the vaccine.
As always these polls tell us that people want hard-line restrictions for other people, not themselves.
The problem is that the PM loves these flights of fancy and has never suffered previously from the time and £millions wasted on them.
Would you care to answer my wider point?
The "cost" of putting a mask on to pickup the parcel is zero, for her. It doesn't seem silly at all, to me.
But, if you think our government is responsible for killing tens of thousands, presumably you think the same (if not worse) of the leaders in Europe who have pro-actively destroyed the reputation of a vaccine to the point that the people don't want it. I mean, that is fucking special.
Couldn't have put it better myself. All governments are influenced by unelected people, but the elected prime minister gets to decide who influences them and the prime minister is the one held to account. Don't like the decisions taken by the prime minister (on whoever's advice) then call for the prime minister to go and vote him out at the next election or - if a Con MP - put your letter in.
(The same of course or those obsessing about unelected SAGE - if you don't like their input, then push for a leader who will choose other advisors)
1. Completely fixes the NI Protocol issues. There is no need for the customs and standards checks that we insisted be imposed if its a land border!
2. Resolutely ties NI into the Union. Why would people need to consider those cross-border links when now they can spend an hour driving through a tunnel?
3. Brings historical oddities like the Isle of Man into His remit. Not only are the IoM government bound to give permission to tunnel underneath their island, they will get their own exit from the roundabout. And should there be bad weather during TT week a few high speed laps of the roundabout will be a great alternative
4. It links to all the important places of the Union with absolutely no Welsh exceptions. Taffy needs to know his place
5. Its a marvellous British project for the modern world as will be demonstrated when the contract is handed to the Chinese government via Boris's "special envoy" who being Boris's best friend's wife's tennis coach's dog trainer was in no way responsible for the £17bn consultancy fee received.
Huzzah!
There’s plenty of polling showing that the public is unimpressed with the government’s handling of the pandemic. There’s plenty of polling showing that lots of voters are sticking with the government anyway.
If you’re not going to reconsider your voting intention when a government has negligently killed tens of thousands, you can be safely labelled a blind partisan. There are, we now know, an awful lot of them.
This will lead to bad government, since ministers can see that they can be incompetent and corrupt without consequence. But that’s of no real concern to the blind partisans, who may get as far as tutting but that’s about it.
That would at least nominally link two large cities - Belfast and Glasgow, that tot up to over a million people combined (and a bit more with the wider "metro" areas) - and at around 140-150 miles which you could drive the lot in 2.5-3 hours, which is enough to kill off flights and make it feasible for weekend trips and the occasional commute.
But, it's way way clear of England.
The fact that your cheerleaders have awarded you with 'likes', speaks volumes too, for where their moral compass points.
Time for work. Outrageous.
There have been Prime Ministerial Partners before who have been politically switched on- Phillip May and Cherie Blair are the obvious examples. They understood the game and could offer advice from an informed amateur perspective.
But they weren't active players in the way that Carrie is. They weren't part of the Westminster Bubble, as someone (I forget who) repeatedly put it.
So at the end of the day, however fleetingly, most PMs have had someone to remind them of the rest of their life. Dennis could give Margaret a whisky or three. Phillip could amuse Theresa with his uncanny Arthur Askey impersonation. Whatever Carrie does for Boris (no sniggering), she can't take him out of the political game, because she's part of it herself. This isn't healthy, especially for someone as prone to chaos and blurred lines as Boris.
Almost makes me feel sorry for him.
Almost.
Quite why Leavers remain so obsessed with the EU is remarkable. It’s almost as though they regret their decision at a primal level and are continuing to cast around for rationales to justify a decision made on fathomless hatred rather than cool logic.
That seems to upset you.
It's probably a non-starter simply because the Scottish Government would have no political interest in accommodating or facilitating it.
The vaccine is humanity.
Be pissed off with nature of you want but I'm not sure what good it does.
Spain is way out front with France a solid second with Ireland, US, Italy fighting for third.
The question of course is the skew. Because.... FoI request to DfT reveals 10% most frequent flyers took more than half of flights abroad in 2018
ABTA research for 2018 found that 60% of the population took a foreign holiday in the past 12 months – the highest figure since 2011
Ultimately governments will get an easier ride on this simply because it was inflicted upon them (in a way that, say, Iraq wasn't). Perhaps it shouldn't be like that, but then that's democracy for you.
According to https://www.abta.com/news/more-brits-heading-holiday(who are doubtless biased, but still): 51% of Brits took a package holiday abroad in 2019.
Add to that those who went abroad other than as part of a package holiday, and I'd expect it to be over 60%
Covid vaccines have had a significant impact on the risk of serious illness in Scotland, an analysis shows.
The work led by Public Health Scotland found by the fourth week after the first dose hospitalisations were reduced by 85% and 94% for the Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs respectively.
So how many people have Macron and Handelstwatt killed ?
Of the few non-wealthy middle aged men I have come into contact with, they are pretty ambivalent and are waiting to see what the new rules bring but just about all hope for an early end to lockdown. Whether that is the same as being anti-lockdown I'm not sure.
As for the subject at hand, I have no idea whether it's Carrie who is the puppet-master but I can certainly believe that Boris breathed a sigh of relief when Dom went and that has translated into an improvement in government. He (Boris) is still manifestly unfit to be PM of course.
You agree that the death toll in Wales is unacceptably high due to the egregious incompetence of the First Minister. You also accept that the high death toll in England/ the UK as a whole, is simply down to the nature of the virus and the worldwide pandemic.
Surely what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
If you're against wasting money then you're against it in all circumstances. If you're against politician/party x wasting public money but not your favoured politician/party then you're a hypocrite.
However, when you look more deeply you see this is a survey, N=2000, was conducted by what looks like a media PR organisation rather than a bona fide polling organisation. The cynical me says that this was commissioned by ABTA to puff up its own importance.
It is a very clear historical lesson as why why Starmer shat the bed by backing the Brexit deal.
Lets say R was increased to 1.1 with an infection cycle of a week and that current infections are 100k per week.
Week 1 110k
Week 2 121k
Week 3 133k
Week 4 146k
Week 5 161k
Week 6 177k
Week 7 195k
And during those weeks how many more millions of people will be vaccinated ?
The Tory, Labour & SNP parties are not going to have an inquiry which leads to Boris, Mark & Nicola sharing the same prison cell.
If the government are not unlocking they cry why aren't you doing so? What about holidays?
If the government aren't locking down they cry it's dangerous why isn't there a lockdown?
It doesn't matter what the government does, the commentariat will instantly say the opposite.
If yesterday they were crying for a lockdown and today there is one, today they will ask about holidays.
If yesterday they were asking about unlocking and demanding more and it was given to them then today the cries would be it's too much.
As I keep pointing out, the roll-out of the vaccine has been a massive success. That in no way negates the general chaos and mass slaughter before it - we could have done things responsibly for a year and THEN had a massive success with vaccination. It isn't an either/or...