Must be Johnson's worst day in office and there have been some humdingers.
Will it move the polls though? I wouldn't bet on it.
Yes, he will get away with it
Just watched MSM TV news for the first time in ages
General jollity at his incompetence, plus the gorgeous weather, the Germans are drowning (always a nice distraction), suddenly loads of British sport - with big crowds - golf, F1, cricket - and we won at least two of those - then more nice weather news, then the thought of total unlockdown, yay!
The British people want to relax and to drink beer in the sun. Boris will be forgiven. He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
Of course, if Covid returns to ravage us.....
Maybe that's as good an explanation for Johnson's bulletproof poll ratings as any. Personally I can't stand the man, even when he was Mayor of London and supposedly a liberal and my kind of politician. Basically it boils down to not finding him funny. I will forgive a lot of someone who makes me laugh. If you play for laughs and it falls dead, what else have you got? You just look false.
First dose percentage in Lambeth of 70-90 year olds is ~80%. Quite a few of the 20% are going to die.
Such a senseless waste when we have the vaccines available.
In order to turn that around, what is the reason for as high as 20%
I don't know the situation in Lambeth, so there may be some percularalatys, but i suspect that overall teh rats are vaccination are higher than reported but the number of people is suspect.
for the 70-90 age groups, in England 95% or slightly over are reported as having had the vaccine, but when ONS did their big antibody servery 98% of that age group had antibody's.
One answer that 3 out of 5 of unvaccinated have had it already, which does not sound credible.
Another is that would be that 98%ish have had the vaccine and the population extimant is about 3% to high.
First dose percentage in Lambeth of 70-90 year olds is ~80%. Quite a few of the 20% are going to die.
Such a senseless waste when we have the vaccines available.
Anyone got a list of the highest and lowest areas for vaccination ?
Might show some interesting correlations to demographics, housing, voting etc.
There does seem to be quite some correlation between a high Remain vote and the lowest rates of vaccination.
Age being the dominant factor, I suspect: younger people are less likely to be vaccinated (both because of likely effects of covid being milder, and because they've had less opportunity to do so) and to vote Remain.
On topic, how reliable do we think a poll taken on a (very nice) Sunday is? @Isam always says that the politically engaged are always over represented in polls; it may be even more true for this one.
Ah, @Isam still banned. Don't know why, but more's the pity.
yes it's bollocks. STOP BANNING ISAM
You could offer to take his place on the banned list, like some sort of hostage exchange?
It seems pretty easy going here. What do you have to do to get a ban ?
Repeatedly point out the boss is wrong
Suggest radiohead are a crap band or python isn't the best programming language.....
Python isn't always the best programming language.
On topic, how reliable do we think a poll taken on a (very nice) Sunday is? @Isam always says that the politically engaged are always over represented in polls; it may be even more true for this one.
Ah, @Isam still banned. Don't know why, but more's the pity.
yes it's bollocks. STOP BANNING ISAM
You could offer to take his place on the banned list, like some sort of hostage exchange?
It seems pretty easy going here. What do you have to do to get a ban ?
Repeatedly point out the boss is wrong
Suggest radiohead are a crap band or python isn't the best programming language.....
Python isn't always the best programming language.
But it usually is.
We don't have to worry now with GPT3 powered github copilot.....
First dose percentage in Lambeth of 70-90 year olds is ~80%. Quite a few of the 20% are going to die.
Such a senseless waste when we have the vaccines available.
Anyone got a list of the highest and lowest areas for vaccination ?
Might show some interesting correlations to demographics, housing, voting etc.
There does seem to be quite some correlation between a high Remain vote and the lowest rates of vaccination.
Age being the dominant factor, I suspect: younger people are less likely to be vaccinated (both because of likely effects of covid being milder, and because they've had less opportunity to do so) and to vote Remain.
Yes its the oft-mentioned 'education' effect again.
Its not about education or willingness to be vaccinated, its a proxy for age.
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
Must be Johnson's worst day in office and there have been some humdingers.
Will it move the polls though? I wouldn't bet on it.
Yes, he will get away with it
Just watched MSM TV news for the first time in ages
General jollity at his incompetence, plus the gorgeous weather, the Germans are drowning (always a nice distraction), suddenly loads of British sport - with big crowds - golf, F1, cricket - and we won at least two of those - then more nice weather news, then the thought of total unlockdown, yay!
The British people want to relax and to drink beer in the sun. Boris will be forgiven. He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
Of course, if Covid returns to ravage us.....
Maybe that's as good an explanation for Johnson's bulletproof poll ratings as any. Personally I can't stand the man, even when he was Mayor of London and supposedly a liberal and my kind of politician. Basically it boils down to not finding him funny. I will forgive a lot of someone who makes me laugh. If you play for laughs and it falls dead, what else have you got? You just look false.
But others are clearly charmed.
I saw the same broadcast (BBC evening news) as Leon and the public didn't look amused at all, nor especially surprised or angry - just politely exasperated. I also tend to think it'll have no poll impact, but it will reinforce the general impression of incompetence, which has its long-term risks.
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
That's really rather good... I like Cameron as Charles I.
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
That's really rather good... I like Cameron as Charles I.
When do we get to execute him?
And can we say Clegg's analog is the Duke of Buckingham? Or is that a bit too mischievous...
First dose percentage in Lambeth of 70-90 year olds is ~80%. Quite a few of the 20% are going to die.
Such a senseless waste when we have the vaccines available.
Anyone got a list of the highest and lowest areas for vaccination ?
Might show some interesting correlations to demographics, housing, voting etc.
There does seem to be quite some correlation between a high Remain vote and the lowest rates of vaccination.
Age being the dominant factor, I suspect: younger people are less likely to be vaccinated (both because of likely effects of covid being milder, and because they've had less opportunity to do so) and to vote Remain.
It's a good example of how they don't practise what they preach, so-to-speak. On social media they're probably the loudest supporters of vaccination, but somehow they forget to actually get vaccinated in the real world.
There's no excuse for a place like Cambridge, for example, having such a low vaccination rate the last time I checked the figures.
The Tory media are pretty grumpy and calling on government to bring forward the August date. I have read small print of front pages, it’s almost if the writer is incredulous, it’s a no brainier the government need to do it, by yesterday if possible.
I have been thinking about pingdemic, and what the way out is. Picking solution isn’t helped by government not really explaining why it’s a month later than freedom day, and their inaction to tackle pingdemic despite the toasting they are getting.
For example, to say any grouping, jabbed or otherwise no longer need to self isolate if in contact with a case might not actually be simple solution to pingdemic, because firstly it would be the government officially confirming let it rip/herd immunity policy - sure you can say but it is, but if it remains unofficial and needs a u turn they can deny that ever was a policy.
Secondly, I suspect lots of fierce argument behind scenes on stopping need to self isolate after Covid contact, you can imagine political cabinet in favour, but SAGE not in favour? Why would SAGE not be in favour? Many of them may not at all agree on let it rip/herd immunity, after all the whole point of test trace isolate is that it supports policy of containment, to restrict number of Covid cases, in other words to support the very opposite of herd immunity just let it rip policy. Even though vaccines have worked, the NHS shouldn’t be overwhelmed and death toll suddenly go Brazilian, some SAGE members may still be putting reasons forward not to let rip, the danger of UK spawning a nasty variant is science fact for example, new Boris variant is a huge political risk too, if it happened, just as there is such a thing of vaccine bounce there has to be a ‘you gone and ****** it’ shellacking in opinion polls.
Thirdly, how set in stone is Freedom Day 2 in August. I’m not convinced it will happen if it means decommission test trace isolate as both policy, app and greatest moon shot project UK has ever achieved (we don’t actually know the full cost yet?) lay people off, drop the infrastructure in a skip or desktop trash, right on the cusp of autumn and winter. You are confident they will do just that in August?
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
Well, we don't know because it hasn't happened yet- but any successor who recalibrates the UK-EU relationship would no doubt be seen that way by many Conservatives...
But that's not going to happen. The next PM we all need is small, cute and can self-isolate by burrowing into a pile of straw and rolling up in a ball.
On topic, how reliable do we think a poll taken on a (very nice) Sunday is? @Isam always says that the politically engaged are always over represented in polls; it may be even more true for this one.
Ah, @Isam still banned. Don't know why, but more's the pity.
yes it's bollocks. STOP BANNING ISAM
You could offer to take his place on the banned list, like some sort of hostage exchange?
It seems pretty easy going here. What do you have to do to get a ban ?
I think he gets banned for saying Enoch was right when the topic is something else entirely.
Or maybe it's something else. Truth is I'm not sure.
First dose percentage in Lambeth of 70-90 year olds is ~80%. Quite a few of the 20% are going to die.
Such a senseless waste when we have the vaccines available.
Anyone got a list of the highest and lowest areas for vaccination ?
Might show some interesting correlations to demographics, housing, voting etc.
There does seem to be quite some correlation between a high Remain vote and the lowest rates of vaccination.
Age being the dominant factor, I suspect: younger people are less likely to be vaccinated (both because of likely effects of covid being milder, and because they've had less opportunity to do so) and to vote Remain.
It's a good example of how they don't practise what they preach, so-to-speak. On social media they're probably the loudest supporters of vaccination, but somehow they forget to actually get vaccinated in the real world.
There's no excuse for a place like Cambridge, for example, having such a low vaccination rate the last time I checked the figures.
That'll also be because students are registered there, but not resident.
Ran out of good Greek white wine, thought I'd have a whisky
Rarely drink it these days. Even tho I got a stock in years ago. Just guzzled two large tumblers of Macallan 18 while watching "Midway" - peak Late Middle Age Male? - and thought "ooh, this is unusually nice scotch"
Must be Johnson's worst day in office and there have been some humdingers.
Will it move the polls though? I wouldn't bet on it.
Yes, he will get away with it
Just watched MSM TV news for the first time in ages
General jollity at his incompetence, plus the gorgeous weather, the Germans are drowning (always a nice distraction), suddenly loads of British sport - with big crowds - golf, F1, cricket - and we won at least two of those - then more nice weather news, then the thought of total unlockdown, yay!
The British people want to relax and to drink beer in the sun. Boris will be forgiven. He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
Of course, if Covid returns to ravage us.....
He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
I'll point out that I made the Boris / Charles II comparison last week.
Very happy for others to use it but if it enters into general circulation I want my 15 minutes
No offence mate but I made the comparison when he got the job, and I sincerely doubt I was the first. Some analogies are just obvs
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
I didn't think James I & VI was dour. I had him down more as a fun-loving kinda guy. But he did have a reputation for not being able to say no when people asked him for money, so he was always running out. Some people might see a parallel there, but I couldn't possibly say.
Ran out of good Greek white wine, thought I'd have a whisky
Rarely drink it these days. Even tho I got a stock in years ago. Just guzzled two large tumblers of Macallan 18 while watching "Midway" - peak Late Middle Age Male? - and thought "ooh, this is unusually nice scotch"
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
I didn't think James I & VI was dour. I had him down more as a fun-loving kinda guy. But he did have a reputation for not being able to say no when people asked him for money, so he was always running out. Some people might see a parallel there, but I couldn't possibly say.
People are letting off fireworks in London, and driving round playing Sweet Caroline very loudly.
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
I didn't think James I & VI was dour. I had him down more as a fun-loving kinda guy. But he did have a reputation for not being able to say no when people asked him for money, so he was always running out. Some people might see a parallel there, but I couldn't possibly say.
He was big on banning things that gave other people pleasure. I'd tag that as dour.
The Tory media are pretty grumpy and calling on government to bring forward the August date. I have read small print of front pages, it’s almost if the writer is incredulous, it’s a no brainier the government need to do it, by yesterday if possible.
I have been thinking about pingdemic, and what the way out is. Picking solution isn’t helped by government not really explaining why it’s a month later than freedom day, and their inaction to tackle pingdemic despite the toasting they are getting.
For example, to say any grouping, jabbed or otherwise no longer need to self isolate if in contact with a case might not actually be simple solution to pingdemic, because firstly it would be the government officially confirming let it rip/herd immunity policy - sure you can say but it is, but if it remains unofficial and needs a u turn they can deny that ever was a policy.
Secondly, I suspect lots of fierce argument behind scenes on stopping need to self isolate after Covid contact, you can imagine political cabinet in favour, but SAGE not in favour? Why would SAGE not be in favour? Many of them may not at all agree on let it rip/herd immunity, after all the whole point of test trace isolate is that it supports policy of containment, to restrict number of Covid cases, in other words to support the very opposite of herd immunity just let it rip policy. Even though vaccines have worked, the NHS shouldn’t be overwhelmed and death toll suddenly go Brazilian, some SAGE members may still be putting reasons forward not to let rip, the danger of UK spawning a nasty variant is science fact for example, new Boris variant is a huge political risk too, if it happened, just as there is such a thing of vaccine bounce there has to be a ‘you gone and ****** it’ shellacking in opinion polls.
Thirdly, how set in stone is Freedom Day 2 in August. I’m not convinced it will happen if it means decommission test trace isolate as both policy, app and greatest moon shot project UK has ever achieved (we don’t actually know the full cost yet?) lay people off, drop the infrastructure in a skip or desktop trash, right on the cusp of autumn and winter. You are confident they will do just that in August?
If SAGE aren't in favour then the government should still do the right thing.
Advisors advise, ministers decide.
Time to end people who aren't even definitely positive from being required to isolate.
Must be Johnson's worst day in office and there have been some humdingers.
Will it move the polls though? I wouldn't bet on it.
Yes, he will get away with it
Just watched MSM TV news for the first time in ages
General jollity at his incompetence, plus the gorgeous weather, the Germans are drowning (always a nice distraction), suddenly loads of British sport - with big crowds - golf, F1, cricket - and we won at least two of those - then more nice weather news, then the thought of total unlockdown, yay!
The British people want to relax and to drink beer in the sun. Boris will be forgiven. He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
Of course, if Covid returns to ravage us.....
He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
I'll point out that I made the Boris / Charles II comparison last week.
Very happy for others to use it but if it enters into general circulation I want my 15 minutes
No offence mate but I made the comparison when he got the job, and I sincerely doubt I was the first. Some analogies are just obvs
A quick google suggests that the media hasn't noticed it much. There's this from David Starkey:
Ran out of good Greek white wine, thought I'd have a whisky
Rarely drink it these days. Even tho I got a stock in years ago. Just guzzled two large tumblers of Macallan 18 while watching "Midway" - peak Late Middle Age Male? - and thought "ooh, this is unusually nice scotch"
So I checked the price. £300 a bottle
"ran out of good Greek wine".
My god, I hope you are not talking about retsina.
Tsk.
Greek wine is now excellent, and sometimes, now, quite exceptional
I reckon they are making the most interesting high quality white wines on the planet, with the possible exception of England
Must be Johnson's worst day in office and there have been some humdingers.
Will it move the polls though? I wouldn't bet on it.
Yes, he will get away with it
Just watched MSM TV news for the first time in ages
General jollity at his incompetence, plus the gorgeous weather, the Germans are drowning (always a nice distraction), suddenly loads of British sport - with big crowds - golf, F1, cricket - and we won at least two of those - then more nice weather news, then the thought of total unlockdown, yay!
The British people want to relax and to drink beer in the sun. Boris will be forgiven. He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
Of course, if Covid returns to ravage us.....
He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
I'll point out that I made the Boris / Charles II comparison last week.
Very happy for others to use it but if it enters into general circulation I want my 15 minutes
No offence mate but I made the comparison when he got the job, and I sincerely doubt I was the first. Some analogies are just obvs
A quick google suggests that the media hasn't noticed it much. There's this from David Starkey:
I first made the analogy, on here, when he ascended the throne after Theresa "Charles 1" May - TMay was, like Charles 1, awkward, prickly, quite intelligent, haughty, autistic. Not a natural monarch. Boris Johnson in contrast has the ease and good humour and common touch (and strong libido) of Charles 2, with the same intriguing sense of faint melancholy behind the bonhomie. "Let Not My Poor Nelly Starve".
People warm to those who seem to love life, even if they do it in a selfish and cavalier way
For context, Henry VIII, a terrible autocrat, wastrel and tyrant, was arguably better loved than his brilliant but austere dad, Henry VII, who stabilised the English state and set it up for global fame down the line
The move from Blair to Brown was like the move from Charles 2 to James 1
Must be Johnson's worst day in office and there have been some humdingers.
Will it move the polls though? I wouldn't bet on it.
Yes, he will get away with it
Just watched MSM TV news for the first time in ages
General jollity at his incompetence, plus the gorgeous weather, the Germans are drowning (always a nice distraction), suddenly loads of British sport - with big crowds - golf, F1, cricket - and we won at least two of those - then more nice weather news, then the thought of total unlockdown, yay!
The British people want to relax and to drink beer in the sun. Boris will be forgiven. He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
Of course, if Covid returns to ravage us.....
He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
I'll point out that I made the Boris / Charles II comparison last week.
Very happy for others to use it but if it enters into general circulation I want my 15 minutes
No offence mate but I made the comparison when he got the job, and I sincerely doubt I was the first. Some analogies are just obvs
A quick google suggests that the media hasn't noticed it much. There's this from David Starkey:
I first made the analogy, on here, when he ascended the throne after Theresa "Charles 1" May - TMay was, like Charles 1, awkward, prickly, quite intelligent, haughty, autistic. Not a natural monarch. Boris Johnson in contrast has the ease and good humour and common touch (and strong libido) of Charles 2, with the same intriguing sense of faint melancholy behind the bonhomie. "Let Not My Poor Nelly Starve".
People warm to those who seem to love life, even if they do it in a selfish and cavalier way
For context, Henry VIII, a terrible autocrat, wastrel and tyrant, was arguably better loved than his brilliant but austere dad, Henry VII, who stabilised the English state and set it up for global fame down the line
The move from Blair to Brown was like the move from Charles 2 to James 1
There's something of a Henry VII / Thatcher comparison - both came unexpectedly to power and were highly able modernisers.
But how many people remember Henry VII now in comparison to his predecessor and successor ? Thatcher will never have that problem.
I like the Johnson as Charles II analogy - mistresses, fun, bluster, secret treaties, great art and the like.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
The analogy extends backwards:
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer 15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
May wishes she had the level of control over the British Isles the Protectorate managed.
Must be Johnson's worst day in office and there have been some humdingers.
Will it move the polls though? I wouldn't bet on it.
Yes, he will get away with it
Just watched MSM TV news for the first time in ages
General jollity at his incompetence, plus the gorgeous weather, the Germans are drowning (always a nice distraction), suddenly loads of British sport - with big crowds - golf, F1, cricket - and we won at least two of those - then more nice weather news, then the thought of total unlockdown, yay!
The British people want to relax and to drink beer in the sun. Boris will be forgiven. He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
Of course, if Covid returns to ravage us.....
He's Charles II, the Merry Monarch.
I'll point out that I made the Boris / Charles II comparison last week.
Very happy for others to use it but if it enters into general circulation I want my 15 minutes
No offence mate but I made the comparison when he got the job, and I sincerely doubt I was the first. Some analogies are just obvs
A quick google suggests that the media hasn't noticed it much. There's this from David Starkey:
I first made the analogy, on here, when he ascended the throne after Theresa "Charles 1" May - TMay was, like Charles 1, awkward, prickly, quite intelligent, haughty, autistic. Not a natural monarch. Boris Johnson in contrast has the ease and good humour and common touch (and strong libido) of Charles 2, with the same intriguing sense of faint melancholy behind the bonhomie. "Let Not My Poor Nelly Starve".
People warm to those who seem to love life, even if they do it in a selfish and cavalier way
For context, Henry VIII, a terrible autocrat, wastrel and tyrant, was arguably better loved than his brilliant but austere dad, Henry VII, who stabilised the English state and set it up for global fame down the line
The move from Blair to Brown was like the move from Charles 2 to James 1
There's something of a Henry VII / Thatcher comparison - both came unexpectedly to power and were highly able modernisers.
But how many people remember Henry VII now in comparison to his predecessor and successor ? Thatcher will never have that problem.
Having completed my ten days self isolation following a positive covid test in a 700sq ft flat without TV or Broadband the only analogy I think our current PM deserves is that of Edward II. If I understand correctly he fled to a "counrty retreat" as soon as things turned bad for him. I won't say 'pass me the poker' but I'll never vote for his party again as long as I live. (FAOD I voted Conservative in the last election).
Chester Cathedral tweeted a few hours ago that they were going to ring the bells to celebrate Freedom Day tomorrow (or later today now). After they were subjected to a torrent of criticism on the social media platform, they've now apologised for being insensitive and have decided not to ring the cathedral bells after all.
Let's all be miserable. Being happy isn't allowed.
Chester Cathedral tweeted a few hours ago that they were going to ring the bells to celebrate Freedom Day tomorrow (or later today now). After they were subjected to a torrent of criticism on the social media platform, they've now apologised for being insensitive and have decided not to ring the cathedral bells after all.
Let's all be miserable. Being happy isn't allowed.
And i bet hardly any of the accounts are in Chester.
Comments
But others are clearly charmed.
Cousin Alice from Nigeria told them not to be vaccinated and Jesus / Allah will save them anyway.
for the 70-90 age groups, in England 95% or slightly over are reported as having had the vaccine, but when ONS did their big antibody servery 98% of that age group had antibody's.
One answer that 3 out of 5 of unvaccinated have had it already, which does not sound credible.
Another is that would be that 98%ish have had the vaccine and the population extimant is about 3% to high.
Of course, it came tumbling down for the Stuarts a few years later when we let the Europeans take over. Who is James II?
But it usually is.
Its not about education or willingness to be vaccinated, its a proxy for age.
Johnson is a lucky General, we'll all be fine.
Oh and I've deleted the NHS app.
Protectorate - May; both authoritarian and lacking authority
Charles I - Cameron; caused the referendum civil wars in England and Scotland
James I - Brown; Scottish, dour, wisest fool
Elizabeth I - Blair; bit iffy this comparison but Andrew Adonis would like it
Edward VI / Mary - Major; turbulent unhappy time
Henry VIII - Thatcher; transforming game changer
15th century - 1970s; unhappy time of failure and civil strife
So who is James II ?
Well he was known as Seamus an Chaca after his desertion of his Irish supporters.
So who's the biggest shit in British politics ?
And thanks to Casino and Dixie who added input to the analogy previously.
When do we get to execute him?
There's no excuse for a place like Cambridge, for example, having such a low vaccination rate the last time I checked the figures.
My name is, my name is, my name is Boris Johnson.
I have been thinking about pingdemic, and what the way out is. Picking solution isn’t helped by government not really explaining why it’s a month later than freedom day, and their inaction to tackle pingdemic despite the toasting they are getting.
For example, to say any grouping, jabbed or otherwise no longer need to self isolate if in contact with a case might not actually be simple solution to pingdemic, because firstly it would be the government officially confirming let it rip/herd immunity policy - sure you can say but it is, but if it remains unofficial and needs a u turn they can deny that ever was a policy.
Secondly, I suspect lots of fierce argument behind scenes on stopping need to self isolate after Covid contact, you can imagine political cabinet in favour, but SAGE not in favour? Why would SAGE not be in favour? Many of them may not at all agree on let it rip/herd immunity, after all the whole point of test trace isolate is that it supports policy of containment, to restrict number of Covid cases, in other words to support the very opposite of herd immunity just let it rip policy. Even though vaccines have worked, the NHS shouldn’t be overwhelmed and death toll suddenly go Brazilian, some SAGE members may still be putting reasons forward not to let rip, the danger of UK spawning a nasty variant is science fact for example, new Boris variant is a huge political risk too, if it happened, just as there is such a thing of vaccine bounce there has to be a ‘you gone and ****** it’ shellacking in opinion polls.
Thirdly, how set in stone is Freedom Day 2 in August. I’m not convinced it will happen if it means decommission test trace isolate as both policy, app and greatest moon shot project UK has ever achieved (we don’t actually know the full cost yet?) lay people off, drop the infrastructure in a skip or desktop trash, right on the cusp of autumn and winter. You are confident they will do just that in August?
Night all.
But that's not going to happen. The next PM we all need is small, cute and can self-isolate by burrowing into a pile of straw and rolling up in a ball.
No quibbles, vote Nibbles.
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/3469938/#Comment_3469938
Rarely drink it these days. Even tho I got a stock in years ago. Just guzzled two large tumblers of Macallan 18 while watching "Midway" - peak Late Middle Age Male? - and thought "ooh, this is unusually nice scotch"
So I checked the price. £300 a bottle
My god, I hope you are not talking about retsina.
Maybe Freedom Day is actually a thing??
Advisors advise, ministers decide.
Time to end people who aren't even definitely positive from being required to isolate.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/07/13/priapic-emotional-desperate-unite-nation-boris-truly-modern/
but little else.
The Guardian compared Boris to Charles I though:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/29/boris-johnson-charles-i-king
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2021/07/18/duchess-sussex-pitched-david-furnish-netflix-project-pre-megxit/
Er.
What do we do now?
Greek wine is now excellent, and sometimes, now, quite exceptional
I reckon they are making the most interesting high quality white wines on the planet, with the possible exception of England
Like England, you have to choose carefully
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/dining/drinks/greek-wine-assyrtiko.html
It was good.
https://youtu.be/unsoSu8xtRg?t=2005
People warm to those who seem to love life, even if they do it in a selfish and cavalier way
For context, Henry VIII, a terrible autocrat, wastrel and tyrant, was arguably better loved than his brilliant but austere dad, Henry VII, who stabilised the English state and set it up for global fame down the line
The move from Blair to Brown was like the move from Charles 2 to James 1
Thousands of orders cancelled after Ocado robot fire
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57883332
https://twitter.com/benjaminbutter/status/1416896758106497026
But how many people remember Henry VII now in comparison to his predecessor and successor ? Thatcher will never have that problem.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/covid-vaccine-may-be-less-effective-on-older-people-say-israeli-experts-g2td6qc60
Better hope maternity services are alright in 9-10 months.
Chester Cathedral tweeted a few hours ago that they were going to ring the bells to celebrate Freedom Day tomorrow (or later today now). After they were subjected to a torrent of criticism on the social media platform, they've now apologised for being insensitive and have decided not to ring the cathedral bells after all.
Let's all be miserable. Being happy isn't allowed.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57883392