The Politics Thread 2020

[1of4]

2 hours ago, Norman said:

It's a prison. We have no choice. We're in operational mode. If we refuse to work we can be sacked. They have legally cancelled 3 weeks leave for me in April and May. The bonus makes it impossible to turn down. 

We won't be able to take all the holiday. That's my point. I've got 215 hours to use. I already have 2 weeks in September booked, 1 in October, 1 in December and 1 in January. With a week of nights and a rest week in February. 

Just to clarify, a chunk of that 215 is in Toil. But still, my main point is they will cancel our leave legally, then when this is all over they will be inundated with leave requests that they won't be able to honour. 

Plus I have carried over a lot of holidays. But not really my point lol. My point is I will apply for leave and not get it due to 150 others wanting a break all at the same time. 

Sorry to hear you're being made to work long hours without time off. Done similar myself, so know the toll it takes on both body and mind. At least you can console yourself, in that you are going to be paid a generous bonus. Which is probably something many others working throughout this crisis won't be getting. 

[G STAR RAM]

As you are probably aware, I was a Conservative voter at the last General Election but I've got to own up and admit I'm becoming increasingly annoyed with the daily bluster on the tv screens.

I'm genuinely interested in what the medical advisers have to say but the ******** coming from the daily representative from Cabinet roulette is getting on my tits now.

Now is not the time for Government spin.

I don't want to know about medical equipment and tests that are going to be available in weeks/months time, I want to know what was made available yesterday/today/tomorrow.

There are tens of thousands of NHS literally putting their lives on the line every day that they go in and carry out their minimum wage job.

The Government should be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until these heroes can go to work knowing they are properly protected.

I'm reaching the stage where I will be viewing any NHS staff death as being blood on the hands of the Government.

[BaaLocks]

Boris should be back at work today then, Government advice suggests that you are no longer infectious after seven days. WHO says fourteen days but what do they know......

[Van der MoodHoover]

8 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

As you are probably aware, I was a Conservative voter at the last General Election but I've got to own up and admit I'm becoming increasingly annoyed with the daily bluster on the tv screens.

I'm genuinely interested in what the medical advisers have to say but the ******** coming from the daily representative from Cabinet roulette is getting on my tits now.

Now is not the time for Government spin.

I don't want to know about medical equipment and tests that are going to be available in weeks/months time, I want to know what was made available yesterday/today/tomorrow.

There are tens of thousands of NHS literally putting their lives on the line every day that they go in and carry out their minimum wage job.

The Government should be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until these heroes can go to work knowing they are properly protected.

I'm reaching the stage where I will be viewing any NHS staff death as being blood on the hands of the Government.

This government will be the fall guys for the previous decade. In the way that Brown was the fall guy.

There has to consistency in their treatment. In the way that the financial crisis was portrayed as "Labour's Fault" so should this crisis be seen as a consequence of Conservative policy choices.

Brown tried to portray himself as a hero and was ridiculed. There should be no attempts to lionise Johnson. 

Fat chance with our press I imagine....

[G STAR RAM]

14 minutes ago, BaaLocks said:

Boris should be back at work today then, Government advice suggests that you are no longer infectious after seven days. WHO says fourteen days but what do they know......

I'd imagine that Boris has taken his advice from medical experts but what do they know...

Also, genuine question, have the WHO covered themselves in glory over this pandemic? That is a genuine question as I don't know exactly what their remit is.

[Stive Pesley]

29 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

Also, genuine question, have the WHO covered themselves in glory over this pandemic? That is a genuine question as I don't know exactly what their remit is.

They don't seem bothered about My Generation

[Stive Pesley]

14 hours ago, Paul71 said:

duck that I'm off to the blue lagoon,  always had a thing for brooke shields 

Erm...you know she was 14 when she filmed the Blue Lagoon?

 

 

[maxjam]

30 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

I'd imagine that Boris has taken his advice from medical experts but what do they know...

Also, genuine question, have the WHO covered themselves in glory over this pandemic? That is a genuine question as I don't know exactly what their remit is.

I think their remit is to do whatever China tell them to do;

https://www.cfr.org/blog/who-and-china-dereliction-duty

[ariotofmyown]

51 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

As you are probably aware, I was a Conservative voter at the last General Election but I've got to own up and admit I'm becoming increasingly annoyed with the daily bluster on the tv screens.

I'm genuinely interested in what the medical advisers have to say but the ******** coming from the daily representative from Cabinet roulette is getting on my tits now.

Now is not the time for Government spin.

I don't want to know about medical equipment and tests that are going to be available in weeks/months time, I want to know what was made available yesterday/today/tomorrow.

There are tens of thousands of NHS literally putting their lives on the line every day that they go in and carry out their minimum wage job.

The Government should be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until these heroes can go to work knowing they are properly protected.

I'm reaching the stage where I will be viewing any NHS staff death as being blood on the hands of the Government.

Great post and fair play for posting it.

It makes me a little bit sick how we have to listen to a snake like Gove try to slither his way out genuine questions about saving lives. I always hoped chancers like him would get properly exposed, but not to do with people dying.

Whilst Johnson's response to the crisis has been highly questionable, I can feel some sympathy with him as this is also a huge failure of planning and preparation over years.

The Chancellor seems to have done well after been thrust into a impossible situation, as well as other brand new MPs suddenly speaking to nation in crisis. 

Whilst I would be happier now with May, Hunt, Hammond still around to lead in a crisis, it was on their watch that this situation was not planned for. Cameron and Osbourne too. Gove is one of the few characters who has been involved all along.

I can imagine the government story soon moving to blame of previous Tory administrations. It will take some of the pressure off the current lot (some of whom are fairly blameless) and help sure up some of the support of the new people who voted for them.

I still just can't understand though how you don't have lots of protective clothing for your nhs workers. It surely isn't that expensive relatively speaking. Stick it all in a couple of warehouses and ship it all out if something like this happens.

Coronavirus is clearly really bad, but what the hell would happen if we ever came across a deadlier virus with much higher death rates. We'd be wiped out straight away.

So to sum up...Tories: useless at planning for a crisis, hapless when managing a crisis.

Could be worse though, we could have had Trump in for the last 3 years.

[i-Ram]

Will probably be no new solid news on testing today, but I do expect the 5 o’clock briefing to inform us that the Government has stationed a couple of dinghies each end of Manchester Ship Canal to cut off illegal drug supply to the north west of England.

[GboroRam]

28 minutes ago, ariotofmyown said:

Great post and fair play for posting it.

It makes me a little bit sick how we have to listen to a snake like Gove try to slither his way out genuine questions about saving lives. I always hoped chancers like him would get properly exposed, but not to do with people dying.

Whilst Johnson's response to the crisis has been highly questionable, I can feel some sympathy with him as this is also a huge failure of planning and preparation over years.

The Chancellor seems to have done well after been thrust into a impossible situation, as well as other brand new MPs suddenly speaking to nation in crisis. 

Whilst I would be happier now with May, Hunt, Hammond still around to lead in a crisis, it was on their watch that this situation was not planned for. Cameron and Osbourne too. Gove is one of the few characters who has been involved all along.

I can imagine the government story soon moving to blame of previous Tory administrations. It will take some of the pressure off the current lot (some of whom are fairly blameless) and help sure up some of the support of the new people who voted for them.

I still just can't understand though how you don't have lots of protective clothing for your nhs workers. It surely isn't that expensive relatively speaking. Stick it all in a couple of warehouses and ship it all out if something like this happens.

Coronavirus is clearly really bad, but what the hell would happen if we ever came across a deadlier virus with much higher death rates. We'd be wiped out straight away.

So to sum up...Tories: useless at planning for a crisis, hapless when managing a crisis.

Could be worse though, we could have had Trump in for the last 3 years.

It's the dishonesty that gets to me too. Maybe I'm naïve but I'd prefer to be told the honest situation. Boris is more interested in preserving his Churchilllian appearance and spinning it. He'll be terrified of leaving a legacy of a PM who took office and saw the devastation of his country - not for the country's sake but for his own. 

[maxjam]

5 minutes ago, GboroRam said:

It's the dishonesty that gets to me too. Maybe I'm naïve but I'd prefer to be told the honest situation.

Normally I would wholeheartedly agree, politics has always been more of a side issue for me, I have always been far more concerned with the hypocrisy and dishonesty of politicians and the media etc.  

However, given that we're facing a pandemic we have no cure for and 1000s of people will die in the UK alone, it must be difficult to balance deliving honest updates whilst simulataneously offering hope to prevent mass panic and civil unrest. 

Once we through the other side, hopefully governments around the world will learn that situations like this don't just belong in the realms of fantasy novels but present a very real danager to us all and invest in future disaster planning.  Highly unlikely but I can dream.

[Tamworthram]

1 hour ago, G STAR RAM said:

I'd imagine that Boris has taken his advice from medical experts but what do they know...

Also, genuine question, have the WHO covered themselves in glory over this pandemic? That is a genuine question as I don't know exactly what their remit is.

I don’t think they have. I understand the latest is that wearing masks might actually be the right thing to do as the virus may be able to travel further in the air than previously thought.

[ramit]

USA keeping medical aid from reaching Cuba in time of crisis is despicable criminal behavior.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/cuba--new-us-interference-during-special-situation-by-covid19-20200401-0002.html

[GboroRam]

7 minutes ago, maxjam said:

Normally I would wholeheartedly agree, politics has always been more of a side issue for me, I have always been far more concerned with the hypocrisy and dishonesty of politicians and the media etc.  

However, given that we're facing a pandemic we have no cure for and 1000s of people will die in the UK alone, it must be difficult to balance deliving honest updates whilst simulataneously offering hope to prevent mass panic and civil unrest. 

Once we through the other side, hopefully governments around the world will learn that situations like this don't just belong in the realms of fantasy novels but present a very real danager to us all and invest in future disaster planning.  Highly unlikely but I can dream.

Yes, that's what I was also thinking. Maybe the country isn't ready for the truth.

Could do without the union flag and the statesmanlike desk for Boris to sit behind. A nice, simple, honest face-to-viewer shot being frank but upbeat would suit me. I hate the whole "Spirit of Churchill" thing that he's aiming for. 

[Sith Happens]

1 hour ago, SchtivePesley said:

Erm...you know she was 14 when she filmed the Blue Lagoon?

 

 

no way is that true?

In my defence i havent seen it since i was about the same age.

I wont put it on my watch list then...

 

[G STAR RAM]

13 minutes ago, Paul71 said:

no way is that true?

In my defence i havent seen it since i was about the same age.

I wont put it on my watch list then...

 

Just out of interest is there a way of deleting history of things that you've mastur...I mean watched on your laptop?

Asking for a friend.

[G STAR RAM]

14 minutes ago, GboroRam said:

Yes, that's what I was also thinking. Maybe the country isn't ready for the truth.

Could do without the union flag and the statesmanlike desk for Boris to sit behind. A nice, simple, honest face-to-viewer shot being frank but upbeat would suit me. I hate the whole "Spirit of Churchill" thing that he's aiming for. 

I'd say that 'less than 20,000 deaths...' warning was pretty truthful.

[Archied]

2 hours ago, G STAR RAM said:

As you are probably aware, I was a Conservative voter at the last General Election but I've got to own up and admit I'm becoming increasingly annoyed with the daily bluster on the tv screens.

I'm genuinely interested in what the medical advisers have to say but the ******** coming from the daily representative from Cabinet roulette is getting on my tits now.

Now is not the time for Government spin.

I don't want to know about medical equipment and tests that are going to be available in weeks/months time, I want to know what was made available yesterday/today/tomorrow.

There are tens of thousands of NHS literally putting their lives on the line every day that they go in and carry out their minimum wage job.

The Government should be working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until these heroes can go to work knowing they are properly protected.

I'm reaching the stage where I will be viewing any NHS staff death as being blood on the hands of the Government.

Although I’m sure many on here would have me down as right of centre ,I voted labour ,always have and probably always will , what can I tell you ,I’m a working man from a working class background and believe a fairer society with the chance for all to live decent productive lives is how humans should be ,

that said I’ve never been blind to the fact that not all conservative policies are wrong and not all labour are right , there is a middle ground somewhere,

for me the problem is and has been for some time the quality of politicians on all sides that we seem to be infested with , as I’ve stated before we are being run in the main by I’m a celebrity wanna be s , is that as much our own faults as anything else? They say we get the politicians we deserve? Me I think boris is a clown but then would I trust Diane abbot to run a bath?     Would I fluck 

pour health service has been cut to the bone over many years and we are paying the price for that now and we can argue party politics on it but in the crisis and the lead up since dec/jan it’s not really party based but rather the poor poor quality of politicians we have.

please discard the above as unworthy if the spelling or grammar is not up to scratch?

[Gritstone Ram]

2 hours ago, BaaLocks said:

Boris should be back at work today then, Government advice suggests that you are no longer infectious after seven days. WHO says fourteen days but what do they know......

So long as he hasn’t taken a turn for the worst. 7 days with minor symptoms. Ask those in hospital how long they have had it?

14 days incubation period.