What Next, Politically, With Coronavirus?

[BB_Bino]

Ok, I’ve bit my tongue on this for a week but when I see that newspapers like the Daily Mail full of Boris The Clown’s baby, rather than what is really going on, then I just want to explode. I know nobody here knows me but I’m hoping this is somewhere I can vent my fury and my concerns.

 

So 6 weeks ago, Boris The Clown put us in lock down, he was vague in what a key worker was, and companies being companies grudgingly followed the very loose terms of a lockdown that were announced and closed, with the exception of, by and large, supermarkets.

 

However, as time has gone on, many self employed have returned to work because they were not entitled to money through the furlough scheme. This angered some but it’s my view that these people are putting their life at risk but what can they do? They need to earn money to live and to support families, so they are doing what I would do, but they shouldn’t have to, they should be in a position to remain safe and “stay at home”.

 

So over the last couple of weeks, we’ve had small business, who are not key workers, returning to work, we now have big business sticking 2 fingers up and putting safety measures in place so they can now re-open. B&Q is the latest along with various McDonald stores. Greggs staff are returning next week to re-open stores nationwide and Tim Martin has already been on record to say that Weatherspoons are working on plans to re-open in the coming weeks.

 

Now what I can see is a stealth unlock. Businesses are now forcing people to return to work, yet actually we are no further forward than where we were when lock down was first announced. The number of those effected continues to rise, the highest in Europe, there is still no vaccine and still every day there are reports of new cases. So what is going on? It’s clear to me that big business are driving the unlock of the nation and Boris The Clown is the puppet and big corporations are pulling the strings. Nicola Sturgeon had the opportunity to take a different path, but it seems she is allowing the same thing to happen in Scotland, despite saying it wouldn’t be the case. She comes out of this whole saga with credit yes but this next phase......I’m not sure.

 

I’m totally baffled by this, am I missing something? My question is, what do you think will happen next?

 

I think, if things are as bad as we are to believe, we need at least another 3 weeks in lockdown but if people are slowly returning to work, we have no lockdown, just at the time where we are anticipating the highest point of the annual flu outbreak (which promoted flu vaccines for the most vulnerable in the first place).

 

I know I’m rambling now, and I know you are probably thinking I’m some mad man, but I genuinely am worried, for workers, for our communities and for me and my family because the government, both Tory and SNP, don’t seem to be able to be in control of the situation, corporations do.......wtf?

[KingRocketman II]

just briefly and I accept there have been very few opportunities (if any) to do so, but I wonder if any of our brave media will ask Johnson whether he regrets his earlier approach to Coved-19 and in fact reference his boasts of shaking hands with Covid-19 patients in the hospital. He will not be able to come out with the standard "following the science" line and I can't wait to hear what new sound bite is invented for this response - should he of course be put on the spot. 

It seems largely forgotten that not only did the Govt put large swathes of the population at risk with their cavalier approach but also their approach resulted in Johnson, Cummings and Hancock probably contracting it themselves. Beggars belief that they are held up as some kind go emerging heroes, notwithstanding the 30k (plus - imagine it is significantly higher) dead. 

[Granny Danger]

19 minutes ago, KingRocketman II said:

just briefly and I accept there have been very few opportunities (if any) to do so, but I wonder if any of our brave media will ask Johnson whether he regrets his earlier approach to Coved-19 and in fact reference his boasts of shaking hands with Covid-19 patients in the hospital. He will not be able to come out with the standard "following the science" line and I can't wait to hear what new sound bite is invented for this response - should he of course be put on the spot. 

It seems largely forgotten that not only did the Govt put large swathes of the population at risk with their cavalier approach but also their approach resulted in Johnson, Cummings and Hancock probably contracting it themselves. Beggars belief that they are held up as some kind go emerging heroes, notwithstanding the 30k (plus - imagine it is significantly higher) dead. 

Someone will ask.  He will give a waffled reply and ruffle his hair whilst grinning.  The people out clapping for the NHS will turn to each other and say “good old Boris” and vote Tory at the next GE.

 

[Billy Jean King]

You do realise none of the business you mention needed to close in the first place and were allowed to trade whenever they wished under the "lockdown". I agree though plenty smallish companies have restarted but again they are entitled to do so if not capable of home working and they can comply with social distancing. The big issue was the vague nature of the legislation rushed through to back up the lockdown.

Ok, I’ve bit my tongue on this for a week but when I see that newspapers like the Daily Mail full of Boris The Clown’s baby, rather than what is really going on, then I just want to explode. I know nobody here knows me but I’m hoping this is somewhere I can vent my fury and my concerns.
 
So 6 weeks ago, Boris The Clown put us in lock down, he was vague in what a key worker was, and companies being companies grudgingly followed the very loose terms of a lockdown that were announced and closed, with the exception of, by and large, supermarkets.
 
However, as time has gone on, many self employed have returned to work because they were not entitled to money through the furlough scheme. This angered some but it’s my view that these people are putting their life at risk but what can they do? They need to earn money to live and to support families, so they are doing what I would do, but they shouldn’t have to, they should be in a position to remain safe and “stay at home”.
 
So over the last couple of weeks, we’ve had small business, who are not key workers, returning to work, we now have big business sticking 2 fingers up and putting safety measures in place so they can now re-open. B&Q is the latest along with various McDonald stores. Greggs staff are returning next week to re-open stores nationwide and Tim Martin has already been on record to say that Weatherspoons are working on plans to re-open in the coming weeks.
 
Now what I can see is a stealth unlock. Businesses are now forcing people to return to work, yet actually we are no further forward than where we were when lock down was first announced. The number of those effected continues to rise, the highest in Europe, there is still no vaccine and still every day there are reports of new cases. So what is going on? It’s clear to me that big business are driving the unlock of the nation and Boris The Clown is the puppet and big corporations are pulling the strings. Nicola Sturgeon had the opportunity to take a different path, but it seems she is allowing the same thing to happen in Scotland, despite saying it wouldn’t be the case. She comes out of this whole saga with credit yes but this next phase......I’m not sure.
 
I’m totally baffled by this, am I missing something? My question is, what do you think will happen next?
 
I think, if things are as bad as we are to believe, we need at least another 3 weeks in lockdown but if people are slowly returning to work, we have no lockdown, just at the time where we are anticipating the highest point of the annual flu outbreak (which promoted flu vaccines for the most vulnerable in the first place).
 
I know I’m rambling now, and I know you are probably thinking I’m some mad man, but I genuinely am worried, for workers, for our communities and for me and my family because the government, both Tory and SNP, don’t seem to be able to be in control of the situation, corporations do.......wtf?

[Granny Danger]

11 minutes ago, Billy Jean King said:

You do realise none of the business you mention needed to close in the first place and were allowed to trade whenever they wished under the "lockdown". I agree though plenty smallish companies have restarted but again they are entitled to do so if not capable of home working and they can comply with social distancing. The big issue was the vague nature of the legislation rushed through to back up the lockdown.

As well as stipulating that some businesses (pubs, restaurants, most non-food retail) must close, the Scottish Government stated other non-essential businesses should close.  Nothing vague about that.

[peternapper]

About the only thing Johnson can say with any honesty is he has hardly had anything to do with it. He closed parliament & headed to the West Indies for a nice wee break. When he did return he managed to dodge most questions & delegated to anyone he could. Then of course he was allegedly at deaths door with the virus  had a few days in hospital where he happily made us aware that preparations had been made for his demise just to be sure to garner some sympathy from his loyal supporters, then panic over after a couple days not weeks like mere mortals suffering it, off to chequers to recoup=lie low and avoid questions letting others take the heat. Would imagine he will do a bit of flag waving  for VE Day for more brownie points and then drag things out until he can announce that he has sorted everything and its party time and prepare to get it done and dump the EU maybe after all the fruit & veg has been picked. You may think I would not trust or give the time of day to Boris but he is still dangerous as after either making a pigs ear of things or hiding away from his duty he still seems to  be able to con most of the English voters & would if he went to the country again would bullshit his way through it.

[Ad Lib]

Boris Johnson didn't "close Parliament".

Trust me, if he had, I'd have known about it.

[peternapper]

14 minutes ago, Ad Lib said:

Boris Johnson didn't "close Parliament".

Trust me, if he had, I'd have known about it.

Ok I stand corrected but he did not attempt to keep it sitting when obvious a major crisis looming.

[Detournement]

The main issue is whether the government issues bonds to pay off the BoE overdraft they are running up.

If they use traditional measures of deficit funding then there will be serious consequences for a long time.

[Ad Lib]

1 hour ago, peternapper said:

Ok I stand corrected but he did not attempt to keep it sitting when obvious a major crisis looming.

That’s the complete opposite of what you just said.

Yet, incredibly, no.

Parliament has had essentially its normal  sitting calendar, save for it rising slightly earlier than normal after they passed the Coronavirus Bill (basically because there was a risk it would become unsafe for them to sit).