Brexit, for once some facts.

[oyster]

What a selfish way of putting it!

Johnson says he is 'reconciled' to prospect of tighter restrictions soon

Marr asks if there may be a tier 5 set of restrictions in the near future. Johnson says that he still expects things to be better by Spring but says: “It may be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country, I’m fully fully reconciled to that.”
He declines to set out what kind of tougher measures might be part of that package and notes that ‘tier 5’ is Marr’s phrase not his.

How about the rest of the bloody country? Why should we give a damn about his personal reconciliation? He was elected and is paid to do the job. Which does not include moaning to the rest of us that he has found it difficult to reconcile himself to do what is needed.

 

[oyster]

In the Guardian. Thought you checked origin of your propoganda.

I guess you thought no-one could read the link I included in the hope everyone would be able to see where it came from.

Plenty of other sources. If you wish to criticise the analysis, point at Focaldata.

UK PM Johnson could lose his seat and majority at next election: Poll

Neither of the U.K.'s two main political parties is likely to win an outright majority at the next general election, not due until 2024, according to a poll.

www.cnbc.com

Warning for PM as poll finds Labour would reclaim Red Wall in election

The research, carried out by Focaldata for the Sunday Times, will cause consternation in Downing Street after a tumultuous first year in power.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[oldgroaner]

Just watched Boris on the Marr show . Ye gods he even tried to get away with the lies about Free Ports and Pulse fishing.
And grinned like an idiot through out. And he claimed he intends to carry on even after Marr suggested his delay tactics to save the economy had cost thousands of lives.

 

[oldgroaner]

I managed to use the slider thingy to get to the train - quite quickly - so missed everything else.

Click is incredibly annoying. If it is something interesting it deserves more than the few seconds it gets. If it isn't, why does anyone bother?

The attention span of the average person is maybe not longer than a few seconds, perchance?

 

[oldgroaner]

My morning best wishes to Dom
Gerald Bell@GOldcodger

Happy New Year to Dominic Cummings! that little stunt with the cardboard box so you could run the country from home was inspired, wasn't it? Hassle free now, what's not to like eh?

 

[Zlatan]

I guess you thought no-one could read the link I included in the hope everyone would be able to see where it came from.

Plenty of other sources. If you wish to criticise the analysis, point at Focaldata.

UK PM Johnson could lose his seat and majority at next election: Poll

Neither of the U.K.'s two main political parties is likely to win an outright majority at the next general election, not due until 2024, according to a poll.

www.cnbc.com

Warning for PM as poll finds Labour would reclaim Red Wall in election

The research, carried out by Focaldata for the Sunday Times, will cause consternation in Downing Street after a tumultuous first year in power.

www.dailymail.co.uk

My apologies Oyster, thought OG had posted Guardian link.. He had a go at me for posting OECD /PwC/Unherd articles claiming they are biased.

 

[oldgroaner]

My apologies Oyster, thought OG had posted Guardian link.. He had a go at me for posting OECD /PwC/Unherd articles claiming they are biased.

I had a go after checking the site and realising just what they were, not before checking as you did

 

[oldgroaner]

What a selfish way of putting it!

Johnson says he is 'reconciled' to prospect of tighter restrictions soon

Marr asks if there may be a tier 5 set of restrictions in the near future. Johnson says that he still expects things to be better by Spring but says: “It may be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country, I’m fully fully reconciled to that.”
He declines to set out what kind of tougher measures might be part of that package and notes that ‘tier 5’ is Marr’s phrase not his.

How about the rest of the bloody country? Why should we give a damn about his personal reconciliation? He was elected and is paid to do the job. Which does not include moaning to the rest of us that he has found it difficult to reconcile himself to do what is needed.

He's the very model of a British first World War general

 

[Zlatan]

I had a go after checking the site and realising just what they were, not before checking as you did

So OECD requires criticism where as Focaldata(via Guardian) doesn't. That's prejudiced and you know it.
Oyster
And as for criticism of BJ on Marr this morning exactly what did you want him to say? He's said he might have to lockdown country and or close all schools. Saying he, s reconciled with that simply means it's open to him. Which it should be. Perhaps you, d rather him come on and him be set in his ways, one way or other. He, s leaving options open.
Yes,we are without doubt in a monumental mess. Caused not by Tories, or Labour, or people but caused by this stupid virus.
Government has been trying it's damndest to balance economy, health, job losses and god knows what else. Yes, mistakes have been made but those in charge have had to try and do their jobs in face of fake news, social media, anti vaxers, covid deniers,(including both Tories and Labour MPs) ridiculous campaigns by such as World Doctors Alliance, different modelling from every so called expert ,sustained negative media campaigns, (including BBC) and then criticism for using word reconcile.
We are all still here, as yet, but we sit in judgement with no answers.
This place has done nothing but moan moan moan about our government and probably done more damage to its message than the fool Cummings.
So, to both Oyster and OG, exactly what would you two have done to prevent this mess. I, m sure every country in world would love to hear. And don't quote NZ or Vietnam. We ain't either of those.
If it were so simple don't you think we, d have done it? Or France or Germany? Or States?
Strange isn't it how entire PHE/NHS/Political system of every country in world has no definitive answer. But a bloke sat in Hull and a few of his pedelec mates do..

 

[Woosh]

We are all still here, as yet, but we sit in judgement with no answers.
This place has done nothing but moan moan moan about our government and probably done more damage to its message than the fool Cummings.
So, to both Oyster and OG, exactly what would you two have done to prevent this mess. I, m sure every country in world would love to hear.

compulsory Covid app. The Chinese deployed that in Wuhan.
Stop people moving without valid reason.
Chinese did that in Wuhan, French do that too, you have to fill in a form to say why and where you are going before leaving home, if you then get pulled by the gendarmes, they will check the form and you get a fine if you are going not where you said on the form.
Beef up the NHS, more ICU beds, more nurses.
Lockdown early to save on long running cost. BJ opted for the opposite, hoping that herd immunity may just do the job for him. How wrong he was.

 

[Zlatan]

compulsory Covid app. The Chinese deployed that in Wuhan.
Stop people moving without valid reason.
Chinese did that in Wuhan, French do that too, you have to fill in a form to say why and where you are going before leaving home, if you then get pulled by the gendarmes, they will check the form and you get a fine if you are going not where you said on the form.
Beef up the NHS, more ICU beds, more nurses.
Lockdown early to save on long running cost. BJ opted for the opposite, hoping that herd immunity may just do the job for him. How wrong he was.

Agreed. Chinese lock up folk who speak against government. We should start that.
But fair comments.
Our society would not accept compulsory App but agreed we should come down harder on transgressors.
I, m not sure he would have got Lockdown earlier through parliament. At time many of both sides of House were against it as were swathes of public. We had to close our Windsurf group down,
80% were saying they would ignore
lockdown and still travel. (remember, it was only flu at time)
You can't improve NHS capacity in a month. That goes back way before this government.
Closing all social media down might have helped stop destroying government message and prevented so much mis information?

Say anything remotely positive on here and it's shot down in flames. Oxford A/Z MHRA/Government have done a fantastic job getting vaccine sorted and authorised. If you say so on here you are being jingoistic.
I, ve found it quite pathetic to be honest and it damages peoples states of mind, morale and government messages. No wonder some of you are so depressed.
Thought it might be better after being out for quite a while. Its worse.
Happy New year. Stay safe.

 

[flecc]

compulsory Covid app.

No, no, no! Not with the current utterly stupid way of designing apps so they can't be used via computers. The government claims of 95% mobile phone coverage are a nonsense and WiFi is often no substitute. A sizeable proportion of our population have no coverage as witness my area IN LONDON, the capital city. Most of our so called smart meters don't work either despite sustained effort by the supply companies, simply because they have to work via the unavailable mobile networks. In addition a fair proportion of owned mobile phones are not smartphones so cannot use apps, their often older owners having them for emergency outdoor use and using the reliability of their computers for internet access.

Example: I am one of the latter since I have no home coverage of any sort for a mobile or smart meter, but use the internet for almost everything. For years I communicated online with my doctor for medication repeats, appointments and advice, but no longer can. That's because an app called Doctor IQ has been introduced, but of IQ it has none. The idiots responsible for it have designed it in way that it superimposes on the website access page blocking all ways of access by that route. And like so many current apps it cannot be installed on a computer. Now after a year of complaints from myself and probably many others the position is still the same, invalidating your suggestion for the UK. As with so much, we simply don't do things well enough in this backward and incompetent country.

Stop people moving without valid reason.
Chinese did that in Wuhan, French do that too, you have to fill in a form to say why and where you are going before leaving home, if you then get pulled by the gendarmes, they will check the form and you get a fine if you are going not where you said on the form.
Beef up the NHS, more ICU beds, more nurses.
Lockdown early to save on long running cost. BJ opted for the opposite, hoping that herd immunity may just do the job for him. How wrong he was.

As for this, it depends on the balance we prefer, towards minimising either the human losses or the economic damage. With a virulent and evolving virus like Covid-19, ultimately there's no completely escaping both as the present situation worldwide shows only too clearly.

Most of the population understandably take the short term view of spending and doing whatever it takes to avoid the illness and death. A minority of us don't due to taking a longer term view.
.

 

[oyster]

So OECD requires criticism where as Focaldata(via Guardian) doesn't. That's prejudiced and you know it.
Oyster
And as for criticism of BJ on Marr this morning exactly what did you want him to say? He's said he might have to lockdown country and or close all schools. Saying he, s reconciled with that simply means it's open to him. Which it should be. Perhaps you, d rather him come on and him be set in his ways, one way or other. He, s leaving options open.
Yes,we are without doubt in a monumental mess. Caused not by Tories, or Labour, or people but caused by this stupid virus.
Government has been trying it's damndest to balance economy, health, job losses and god knows what else. Yes, mistakes have been made but those in charge have had to try and do their jobs in face of fake news, social media, anti vaxers, covid deniers,(including both Tories and Labour MPs) ridiculous campaigns by such as World Doctors Alliance, different modelling from every so called expert ,sustained negative media campaigns, (including BBC) and then criticism for using word reconcile.
We are all still here, as yet, but we sit in judgement with no answers.
This place has done nothing but moan moan moan about our government and probably done more damage to its message than the fool Cummings.
So, to both Oyster and OG, exactly what would you two have done to prevent this mess. I, m sure every country in world would love to hear. And don't quote NZ or Vietnam. We ain't either of those.
If it were so simple don't you think we, d have done it? Or France or Germany? Or States?
Strange isn't it how entire PHE/NHS/Political system of every country in world has no definitive answer. But a bloke sat in Hull and a few of his pedelec mates do..

He should take his feelings out of the equation.

He repeatedly says things like "I deeply regret...", "I hate to ...", etc., always putting his own feelings at the very start of the sentence, the response, the speech. Might not be so bad if he tacked that on as a minor afterthought to let us know he isn't enjoying these choices.

His wording of being reconciled isn't what we want to know - or care - about. We want to know:

What is happening, going to happen.
Why it is happening.
What the evidence is for it.

He actually needs us to be reconciled to the decisions.

And I'll point out that Wales went into firebreak ahead of England's move. I believe Wales wanted both to go together but was rejected. The effect was an already slightly too late action in Wales followed by a much too late action in England.

 

[oldgroaner]

So OECD requires criticism where as Focaldata(via Guardian) doesn't. That's prejudiced and you know it.
Oyster
And as for criticism of BJ on Marr this morning exactly what did you want him to say? He's said he might have to lockdown country and or close all schools. Saying he, s reconciled with that simply means it's open to him. Which it should be. Perhaps you, d rather him come on and him be set in his ways, one way or other. He, s leaving options open.
Yes,we are without doubt in a monumental mess. Caused not by Tories, or Labour, or people but caused by this stupid virus.
Government has been trying it's damndest to balance economy, health, job losses and god knows what else. Yes, mistakes have been made but those in charge have had to try and do their jobs in face of fake news, social media, anti vaxers, covid deniers,(including both Tories and Labour MPs) ridiculous campaigns by such as World Doctors Alliance, different modelling from every so called expert ,sustained negative media campaigns, (including BBC) and then criticism for using word reconcile.
We are all still here, as yet, but we sit in judgement with no answers.
This place has done nothing but moan moan moan about our government and probably done more damage to its message than the fool Cummings.
So, to both Oyster and OG, exactly what would you two have done to prevent this mess. I, m sure every country in world would love to hear. And don't quote NZ or Vietnam. We ain't either of those.
If it were so simple don't you think we, d have done it? Or France or Germany? Or States?
Strange isn't it how entire PHE/NHS/Political system of every country in world has no definitive answer. But a bloke sat in Hull and a few of his pedelec mates do..

Yes I did know what to do to bring this virus under control, it isn't rocket science.
What baffles me is that you blame people for reacting to a situation that is out of control because the idiots you make excuses for not only wanted to just let the virus kill enough to ensure a fictitious herd immunity and after that failed to take necessary action at the right time.
New Zealand and Japan did.
For goodness sake we all understand what human weaknesses lead to some pretty stupid actions.
But the most stupid action of all is to confuse cause and effect and make excuses for a man and his cabal that inevitably unless replaced will lead to the deaths of thousands more.
You refer to damaging this government's message
That is utterly ludicrous , would that be the one he extolled on Marr this morning or the one coming tonight?
Stop gaslighting for this Tory junta, it is simply insane

 

[oyster]

Oxford A/Z MHRA/Government have done a fantastic job getting vaccine sorted and authorised.

What is very difficult to judge is how fantastic the government job has been.

Yes to the AZ people. Probably to the MHRA. Dunno to gov.

But, given we have seen projected targets for vaccine delivery for quite some time, it seems a bit poor that things like required extra training for returnee GPs have not been looked at. That they have only just come up with a payment scheme for giving injections (£10 a shot, I think I read). That every day we see confusion about time between injections, use of two different vaccines, and numerous other issues.

It was being said from very early on that a vaccine will likely be essential. Things like working out who might be able to do them should have had plans in place - even if they need frequent revision. It certainly looks as if they are only now addressing the issues.

 

[oldgroaner]

Gerald Bell@GOldcodger
Replying to

@SkyNews

"The Brexit transition is ending - but we still don't know the destination of our journey " Congratulations! this country is now running on the logical imperatives that guide a dropout or tramp. Start the journey with empty pockets and head and scavenge for a living

 

[oldgroaner]

Here is another view see what you make of it!

https://buzzchronicles.com/CodyyyGardner/b/culture/5813/

 

[oldgroaner]

What is very difficult to judge is how fantastic the government job has been.

Yes to the AZ people. Probably to the MHRA. Dunno to gov.

But, given we have seen projected targets for vaccine delivery for quite some time, it seems a bit poor that things like required extra training for returnee GPs have not been looked at. That they have only just come up with a payment scheme for giving injections (£10 a shot, I think I read). That every day we see confusion about time between injections, use of two different vaccines, and numerous other issues.

It was being said from very early on that a vaccine will likely be essential. Things like working out who might be able to do them should have had plans in place - even if they need frequent revision. It certainly looks as if they are only now addressing the issues.

A touch of "Give us the job and we'll finish the tools"
Hmm that doesn't quite fit as you can't expect such little pricks to have sufficient imagination to organise mass application of needles can you?

 

[oyster]

Here is another view see what you make of it!

https://buzzchronicles.com/CodyyyGardner/b/culture/5813/

Not bad at all. We might have hoped that would have been in “I want to be an MP.” course 101 - to use an Americanism.

 

[oyster]

In an attempt to avoid the accusation of only seeing there could be an issue in hindsight, I'll put forward a concern which should already have been addressed. But we shall see...

When the wonderful AstraZenica vaccine, developed by the dedicated AstraZenica staff, and approved by the fantastic MHRA, arrives, there will be many questions about fairness.

Yes, the JCVI have prepared a document ranking us by age, state of health, etc., but what has been done to demonstrate fairness across those groups?

I foresee serious arguments that some areas have had as much vaccine as they want, while others are unable to achieve even the lowest levels of vaccination. That some areas have reached group 8 while others are struggling with group 2 ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-30-december-2020/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination-30-december-2020 )

I hope that this is handled proactively. First, by making public clear and accurate information. Second, by speedily doing something about inequalities that appear.

It is inevitable that there will be variations. Accept that. Don't hide them. Make sure the laggards (even if through no fault of their own) are enabled to catch up.

The JCVI could even help redeem reputations.

Sadly, I actually expect to see story after story after story about vaccination achievements - many highlighting genuine failures. But I hope otherwise.