Coronavirus - political views - supporting or otherwise...

[GB72]

if I was being particularly generous to the government, I could actually see the current relaxation as a clever move. People were heading out in large numbers to beauty spots, parks and beaches and it is difficult to stop. One way of mitigating the problem to is allow people to meet in gardens in smaller groups. Yes you are easing the lockdown but you are also putting in place an option where people stay within their own boundaries and in smaller, easier to trace groups. it also gives people some social contact and this alone may leave people more willing to stay at home under lockdown conditions when they have not got people round.

As I said, probably me being over generous to those making policy but it may prove to be sensible to allow an early but more controlled relaxation of lockdown rather than watch it irrevocably crumble over the next few weeks.

 

[SocketRocket]

At first I thought the government were doing well in this crisis .
But my opinion has changed big time , they seem to be doing things off the cuff.
We are not ready yet .
I never belive what politicians say anyway ,any of them.

They will get it in the neck whatever they do, a number were saying we should get the ecconomy moving and let the vunenable stay locked down, this policy seemed to have a fair bit of support. Why are these people not supporting it now!

 

[GB72]

They will get it in the neck whatever they do, a number were saying we should get the ecconomy moving and let the vunenable stay locked down, this policy seemed to have a fair bit of support. Why are these people not supporting it now!

Plus from the end of next month, companies are going to have to start paying something towards furloughed employees. If they are not sufficiently up and running by then, companies are simply be going down the redundancy route. I appreciate that it is harsh to look at decisions made now as economic ones but it has to play a part. I know a number of people who are more than happy to stay on furlough as long as necessary on 80% pay, especially now that they can meet up with friends all day and in 2 weeks time go shopping etc. You will be amazed how quick some of those attitudes will change when that £2500 a month on furlough changes to under £500 a month on income support.

At the moment at least it still remains down to people's choice. If you do not want to go out, you do not have to. You can protect and isolate yourself as much as you like.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I’d argue with what we know at this time that the Government have done a great job, yes, there has been some errors and yes, more errors may come out in the fullness of time, but still don’t believe anyone else would of done better.

The main area of concern for me has been communication, I believe some of the issues they brought on themselves by either poor communication, mixed messages or bad timing.

I’d of much preferred a harsher, tougher lockdown with big penalties, but they seemed to almost try and appease everyone which, imo, was wrong.

 

[GB72]

I’d argue with what we know at this time that the Government have done a great job, yes, there has been some errors and yes, more errors may come out in the fullness of time, but still don’t believe anyone else would of done better.

The main area of concern for me has been communication, I believe some of the issues they brought on themselves by either poor communication, mixed messages or bad timing.

I’d of much preferred a harsher, tougher lockdown with big penalties, but they seemed to almost try and appease everyone which, imo, was wrong.

I tend to agree with you. I feel, rightly or wrongly, that the lines are still drawn up following Brexit and many of the opinions for and against the government are based on that, as well as the traditional left/right divide which was almost as big as it ever has been between Johnson and Corbyn (or at least as big as it has been since the Thatcher years). it is the level of venom that gets me from both sides. If I agree or disagree with something, i can put across my view without threats or malicious language. I prefer to just argue my point.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

A good and sustained dose of rain and cooler weather would certainly help. People are far less likely to go to the seaside when it is 12°C and chucking it down.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Nicola taking no prisoners this morning, threatening to put the 5 mile advisory limit into law after a weekend of packed roads at Glencoe and Loch Lomond.

 

[clubchamp98]

They will get it in the neck whatever they do, a number were saying we should get the ecconomy moving and let the vunenable stay locked down, this policy seemed to have a fair bit of support. Why are these people not supporting it now!

Their mixed messages and lack of loopholes led to the Cummings incident.
Now they have very little authority to carry on the lockdown.
But the cases of Covid are still there .
Now the public are doing what they think is ok!
If we do lockdown again I think it will have to be harsher.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I tend to agree with you. I feel, rightly or wrongly, that the lines are still drawn up following Brexit and many of the opinions for and against the government are based on that, as well as the traditional left/right divide which was almost as big as it ever has been between Johnson and Corbyn (or at least as big as it has been since the Thatcher years). it is the level of venom that gets me from both sides. If I agree or disagree with something, i can put across my view without threats or malicious language. I prefer to just argue my point.

Unfortunately at times a lot on here is judged by the poster rather than the post, myself included.

I would like to believe we can all see beyond the headlines only some don’t try.

The whole scum media makes me smile, none of these people have an issue with the media when they are attacking their opposition.

 

[clubchamp98]

Plus from the end of next month, companies are going to have to start paying something towards furloughed employees. If they are not sufficiently up and running by then, companies are simply be going down the redundancy route. I appreciate that it is harsh to look at decisions made now as economic ones but it has to play a part. I know a number of people who are more than happy to stay on furlough as long as necessary on 80% pay, especially now that they can meet up with friends all day and in 2 weeks time go shopping etc. You will be amazed how quick some of those attitudes will change when that £2500 a month on furlough changes to under £500 a month on income support.

At the moment at least it still remains down to people's choice. If you do not want to go out, you do not have to. You can protect and isolate yourself as much as you like.

Yes think your correct .
It costs money to go to work , travel food etc so a lot are happy at home.
It’s not costing their employers much now.
But basic economics dictate this just can’t go on to long.
It’s a fine balanced line.

 

[GB72]

Unfortunately at times a lot on here is judged by the poster rather than the post, myself included.

I would like to believe we can all see beyond the headlines only some don’t try.

The whole scum media makes me smile, none of these people have an issue with the media when they are attacking their opposition.

To be fair, I was talking in more general terms than just on here but see your point.

I think that economically, the government have done pretty well. Without that early action, things would be a hell of a lot worse than they are now.

Testing and PPE were not so good but I am not sure whether anyone else would have done better.

They have achieved the first aim and stopped the NHS getting swamped.

Personality wise, they have not dealt with a few numpties as well as they could have.

It is a mixed bag but hindsight is a wonderful thing and others may have done better, they may have done worse.

 

[GB72]

Yes think your correct .
It costs money to go to work , travel food etc so a lot are happy at home.
It’s not costing their employers much now.
But basic economics dictate this just can’t go on to long.
It’s a fine balanced line.

It is, as I said, my concern is that there are quite a few people being vocal about how it is far too risky to go back to work when actually they are happy to admit that life on 80% salary is pretty OK as far as they are concerned, especially over summer and so the longer they can stretch this out for, the better.

 

[Deleted member 18645]

If the Government imposed draconian lockdown rules on us, people would complain.
If the Government allowed freedom of movement instead, people would complain.
If they kept the schools closed, people would complain.
If they re-opened them, people would complain.

No matter what action has or will be taken, people, egged on by social media and a hysterical press, will complain and say something different should have been done.
And to prove their apparent point, some statistic from somewhere else will be used, normally totally out of context.

Welcome to the United Kingdom 2020.

 

[GB72]

If the Government imposed draconian lockdown rules on us, people would complain.
If the Government allowed freedom of movement instead, people would complain.
If they kept the schools closed, people would complain.
If they re-opened them, people would complain.

No matter what action has or will be taken, people, egged on by social media and a hysterical press, will complain and say something different should have been done.
And to prove their apparent point, some statistic from somewhere else will be used, normally totally out of context.

Welcome to the United Kingdom 2020.

Certainly my comparative point on this is going to be the 1m distance. Much of the questioning at the moment is why we are insisting on 2m social distancing when surely it should only be one. Give it 2-3 weeks and it will be reduced to allow certain parts of the hospitality industry, hairdressers and others to open in a financially viable way. I am waiting for the headlines afterwards whereby the government are risking out lives to allow pubs to open.

 

[Deleted member 18645]

Piers Moron is bitching on Twitter that he cannot get a single Conservative MP to come on his show to defend the Government.
Personally I think this shows tremendous judgement by all 365 them to ignore the self-important pompous a-hole who would just shout them down anyway.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I’d argue with what we know at this time that the Government have done a great job, yes, there has been some errors and yes, more errors may come out in the fullness of time, but still don’t believe anyone else would of done better.

The main area of concern for me has been communication, I believe some of the issues they brought on themselves by either poor communication, mixed messages or bad timing.

I’d of much preferred a harsher, tougher lockdown with big penalties, but they seemed to almost try and appease everyone which, imo, was wrong.

You can't really communicate in advance about the decisions you will be making in a clear way unless you have a plan and a comms strategy around it. Of course there has to be some significant element of reaction to events around the pandemic, but it seems that some of the decision making we are seeing is in response to the actions of a somewhat confused UK population and political/economic imperatives.

Apparently we now (as of yesterday?) have the capacity to test 200,000 a day (which is a very good thing - though not sure how many tests are actually being carried out). That's very handy given it happens to meet what Johnson said would happen. But unfortunately - given the previous target on testing, Contact Tracing and the Dominishambles - I have reached the point that I frankly don't believe much of what I am hearing from the mouths of Johnson and the Quad. I found it telling that the Sunday Times reported yesterday that Vallance and Whiitey declined to be part of the briefing when Johnson 'cleared' Cummings of any wrong-doing.

BTW - before any attack me for being 'disrespectful' in referring to key ministers as 'the Quad'...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/04/18/boris-johnson-starts-take-back-control/

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Listening to Lord Sumption (a libertarian I believe) I am confused about the over 70s and the vulnerable in respect of shielding. Have these these groups been compelled to stay indoors or have they simply been advised to stay indoors. So much talk from those advocating a complete relaxation is about 'allowing' the vulnerable and the rest of us to go out of their homes - but surely they haven't been under 'house arrest'? So what are they being allowed to do that they previously absolutely couldn't

 

[GB72]

Listening to Lord Sumption (a libertarian I believe) I am confused about the over 70s and the vulnerable in respect of shielding. Have these these groups been compelled to stay indoors or have they simply been advised to stay indoors. So much talk from those advocating a complete relaxation is about 'allowing' the vulnerable and the rest of us to go out of their homes - but surely they haven't been under 'house arrest'? So what are they being allowed to do that they previously absolutely couldn't

I was under the impression that those who got the letter were told to stay at home and not leave the house for any reason with people picking up their shopping, medication the lot. I am not sure that it was a full house arrest type thing but I believe it was worded that if you left home there was a strong chance you could die. I think that they are a couple of steps behind the general population that they can now go outside and meet with one person.

 

[clubchamp98]

I was under the impression that those who got the letter were told to stay at home and not leave the house for any reason with people picking up their shopping, medication the lot. I am not sure that it was a full house arrest type thing but I believe it was worded that if you left home there was a strong chance you could die. I think that they are a couple of steps behind the general population that they can now go outside and meet with one person.

Yes that’s more or less the letter my wife got.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Listening to Lord Sumption (a libertarian I believe) I am confused about the over 70s and the vulnerable in respect of shielding. Have these these groups been compelled to stay indoors or have they simply been advised to stay indoors. So much talk from those advocating a complete relaxation is about 'allowing' the vulnerable and the rest of us to go out of their homes - but surely they haven't been under 'house arrest'? So what are they being allowed to do that they previously absolutely couldn't

Why are you, even now, lumping the over 70's together with those who were advised in writing by the DoH to self isolate due to their vulnerability arising from pre-existing conditions?
Those in the latter group are of all ages.
Two separate groups subject to different guidance.