[News] Covid response ‘one of UK’s worst ever public health failures’

[Notters]

Well done - I was thinking before I even opened this thread how many posts it would be before the B word was mentioned - 7! That's not bad for on here to be honest, my bet was 3.

I assume this is a criticism. But it's negatively effecting all of our lives and this needs to be stressed at every opportunity.
Whether you think a) all attempts should be made to reverse it, or b) the government should be doing something differently to stop these negative impacts, is another matter.

 

[Baldseagull]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/11/new-zealand-covid-update-country-on-knife-edge-as-cases-expected-to-rise-further

View attachment 141229

And I am certain that they will act to prevent the potential explosion. Aukland is 7 times the population of Brighton, and have had 7 covid deaths since may 2020, Brighton has had 7 in the last 30 days, and we are acting like it's over.

 

[lawros left foot]

Is anyone at all shocked by this?

Surely, the most prescient quote of this whole tragic episode was,

“Let the bodies pile high in their thousands “.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I totally disagree. I think the main problem this country faces is that Johnson has absolutely no idea what he wants this country to be. When he was mayor of London, he was so in favour in immigration that he wanted to give amnesty to all illegal immigrants, now he lets Prit Patel loose on them. He's in charge of a pro-business party but was quoted as saying "f*** business"; he says Sunak is doing a good job on keeping control of the economy and then backs Kwarteng that the purse strings should be loosened.

To keep it football related, he backed the Super League - until he saw the backlash and then quickly became against it. As people who have dealt with him have said, his view is that of the last person he spoke to.

Starmer doesn't need to have a vision. He (and he's not a solicitor BTW) tries to give off an air of competence, seriousness and calm. He wants to give a contrast with the meretricious charlatan on the opposite benches. Whether it will work or not is another matter but maybe the country needs another Attlee not a pound-shop Churchill.

That is definitely the case.

The one I remember hearing about at the time was one of the lockdowns. Apparently, after agreeing it, he left the office and went upstairs. It was leaked within the hour (by one of the cabinet) because they knew that by the next morning Carrie would have convinced him otherwise.

It was the one where they had to rush out a press conference at very short notice

 

[Deleted member 2719]

The report was far more balanced and nuanced than the headline siggrests but this thread is all about point scoring so do carry on...

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

Yes, and another anti-government political thread allowed to run on the main board.

At least the government are levelling up.

 

[portlock seagull]

Amazed this has got to 125 posts without being moved to Bear Pit.

Can we just get on with it, the suspense is killing me. Civil debate has no place on the Big Board.

 

[lawros left foot]

Yes, and another anti-government political thread allowed to run on the main board.

At least the government are levelling up.

Come on then Mouldy, what defence of the Government can you come up with?
This is 2 cross party committees led by Tory MPS that have levelled this quite damning criticism of the Government response to the pandemic.

I await your usual succinct and fair summing up of the reports.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Yes, and another anti-government political thread allowed to run on the main board.

At least the government are levelling up.

Which parts of the report particularly caught your attention

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I think NZ is held up as an example of success, as you point out that doesn’t necessarily bear scrutiny. My problem with our government is the reasons I believe they reacted how they did. Not least their rush to profit financially from the pandemic and once they’d realised they could, how rapidly they proceeded to do so and how their decisions were dictated by their desire to make sure they and their affiliates profited.

3rd February 2020 Ignore the lockdown and one country would have a huge advantage,

[tweet]1447792428656771075[/tweet]

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Yes, and another anti-government political thread allowed to run on the main board.

At least the government are levelling up.

It's not a political thread. It's a public health thread, albeit inseperable from the politicians doing the steering at the time the crisis called for firm leadership. Wasn't the first time BJ was accused of being a wonky trolley, certainly won't be the last

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

On advice from the Cardiology Department I have reported the conversation to PALS at the hospital. The man I spoke to who works at PALS was also pretty shocked. There is certainly an attitude from some that is distinctly unpleasant. Perhaps money is driving the policy at your university ?

There is no perhaps about it. They are crapping themselves that students will ask for their fees back. And they dress it all up in the most nauseating cant.

I hope you get someone bollocked for that.

All the best.

 

[Baldseagull]

Yes, and another anti-government political thread allowed to run on the main board.

At least the government are levelling up.

I am happy to say that our Government made an excellent decision to fund Oxford Astra Zenica research and to pre order vaccines in development from various companies, made a good decision to use National Health England to coordinate the roll out, and made sensible decisions on the priority for vaccinations. This is a point you could have made, if you wanted to.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I totally disagree. I think the main problem this country faces is that Johnson has absolutely no idea what he wants this country to be. When he was mayor of London, he was so in favour in immigration that he wanted to give amnesty to all illegal immigrants, now he lets Prit Patel loose on them. He's in charge of a pro-business party but was quoted as saying "f*** business"; he says Sunak is doing a good job on keeping control of the economy and then backs Kwarteng that the purse strings should be loosened.

To keep it football related, he backed the Super League - until he saw the backlash and then quickly became against it. As people who have dealt with him have said, his view is that of the last person he spoke to.

Starmer doesn't need to have a vision. He (and he's not a solicitor BTW) tries to give off an air of competence, seriousness and calm. He wants to give a contrast with the meretricious charlatan on the opposite benches. Whether it will work or not is another matter but maybe the country needs another Attlee not a pound-shop Churchill.

Brilliant post.

In defence of [MENTION=33848]The Clamp[/MENTION], it may be that he sees that Boris acts as if he thinks has a clear vision, and that the issues you raise are not important to Boris. So, get Brexit done, as little interference as possible with individual freedoms, react nimbly to changes in circumstances (except when doing the right thing is unpalatable to him).

AKA as you say, on a daily basis, 'what he said'.

There are countless people, unfortunately, who regard this as a clear vision, leadership, courage and common sense.

 

[sparkie]

I never realised that Johnson had an account on NSC before but he's been posting away on the thread. Lol.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

That is definitely the case.

The one I remember hearing about at the time was one of the lockdowns. Apparently, after agreeing it, he left the office and went upstairs. It was leaked within the hour (by one of the cabinet) because they knew that by the next morning Carrie would have convinced him otherwise.

It was the one where they had to rush out a press conference at very short notice

A mate of mine told me one of his pals had to meet with mayor Boris and his team from time to time (some sort of planning meetings). The team would sit patiently while Boris outlined the issue. Boris would then fiddle with his phone for a bit, then say he had to leave. After that his team would say 'TFFT, we can now get on with doing the actual work'.

The man is all Big Picture and no detail. I'll leave it to others to decide whether it is a good picture, or even just the one picture.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

A mate of mine told me one of his pals had to meet with mayor Boris and his team from time to time (some sort of planning meetings). The team would sit patiently while Boris outlined the issue. Boris would then fiddle with his phone for a bit, then say he had to leave. After that his team would say 'TFFT, we can now get on with doing the actual work'.

The man is all Big Picture and no detail. I'll leave it to others to decide whether it is a good picture, or even just the one picture.

View attachment 141233

Similar story from a friend. Boris comes in ‘ talks bollocks for five minutes’ then pisses off. The real work then starts.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Yes, and another anti-government political thread allowed to run on the main board.

At least the government are levelling up.

How about some pro government bias from yourself? Facts would be nice. I see someone has given you a starter regards preordering vaccines. Come on don’t be shy I’m sure there are loads of examples of Boris doing a good job ……


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[lawros left foot]

Fear ye not, Sir Kneel will be along shortly to put everyone right.

View attachment 141219

So let me get this right.

Criticism in the early stages of the pandemic were scaremongering,

Criticism during the height of the pandemic, was ‘ unpatriotic’

Criticism now is ‘hindsight’

Yep, I think I’ve got it now.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

There is a reason he chose one of his middle names in politics, instead of Alec, Alex or Alexander, and it's clear in this thread.
Other PMs have been May, Cameron, Blair and Major.

He is referred to as Boris, but he's not your mate down the pub. It's all PR and marketing.

 

[Audax]

I am happy to say that our Government made an excellent decision to fund Oxford Astra Zenica research and to pre order vaccines in development from various companies, made a good decision to use National Health England to coordinate the roll out, and made sensible decisions on the priority for vaccinations. This is a point you could have made, if you wanted to.

Yep, happy to say that is one area our government managed to get pretty much spot on. Having said that, though, isn't it widely accepted that the reason for that is because it was taken *out* of the hands of Hancock and effectively run without direct government involvement for a long enough period that it could get itself firmly sorted out.