COVID-19 UK & Beyond

[Manxberry]

26 minutes ago, woolley said:

I think people have always been able to see this. Meanwhile Premier League clubs are furloughing their staff falling back on the taxpayer to fund 80% of the cost while at the same time continuing to pay players an average 60k per week. 

I laughed so hard at that. Headline was "Footballers to take big paycut" and you would assume that would be them down to £2500 a week, same as the rest of the UK.

Nope. "Talks to reduce their salary by up to 25%" was the full story... 

[woolley]

5 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

Yes, as pongo has pointed out there are still flights (albeit a reduced number).  The Channel Tunnel remains open as do the sea ports as far as I am aware.  The biggest restriction on travel at the moment is being able to travel from your home to a port/station but the borders do remain open. 

 

Yes. Interesting. I hadn't done a check. One wonders what the loadings are like through the tunnel.

[manxman1980]

36 minutes ago, woolley said:

I think people have always been able to see this. 

No, they really haven't.  Think of the reaction there is to nurses, firefighters, police officers and even teachers when they talk about how poorly paid, treated and respected they are.  People are slowly starting to realise that the jobs these people do are critical to our society.  

38 minutes ago, woolley said:

Meanwhile Premier League clubs are furloughing their staff falling back on the taxpayer to fund 80% of the cost while at the same time continuing to pay players an average 60k per week. 

Football clubs are no different from other private enterprise.  Many have lost their main source of income and are now cutting back on costs which means that employees are being furloughed.  The Italian and Spanish clubs are cutting the wages of playing staff so it will also happen here.  Don't forget though that they are comparable to execs and bankers who are probably not being furloughed either. 

[Rog]

1 hour ago, Freggyragh said:

Troll

Droll

[Rog]

1 hour ago, P.K. said:

I think my perfect administration would have been a hung parliament, the Lib Dems hold the balance of power and John Smith (1938 - 1994) is Prime Minister.

That's not what I asked.

[finlo]

41 minutes ago, Manxberry said:

I laughed so hard at that. Headline was "Footballers to take big paycut" and you would assume that would be them down to £2500 a week, same as the rest of the UK.

Nope. "Talks to reduce their salary by up to 25%" was the full story... 

£2500 a week!  Where was your last job?

[Manxberry]

oh, hah, I meant month

[P.K.]

17 minutes ago, Rog said:

That's not what I asked.

I chose John Smith because he had everything that is so badly missing right now.

For sheer honesty and integrity his record is head and shoulders above the current shower.

Sure in totally amoral narcissistic serial philanderer and inveterate liar Boris Johnson the "ineffective" bar in parliament has never been set lower. Certainly in my lifetime.at any rate. As I have posted before his "avoid going down the pub" address to the nation was absolutely abysmal. I've NEVER seen anything as bad as that from a UK Prime Minister. Add to that the fact that he just can't be taken seriously and a further weekend and more was unnecessarily added to the spread of the infection. Isn't that right Roger...?

Unfortunately the rise of Johnson has also seen the fall of honesty and integrity in the tory ranks.

A situation like this needs real leadership. Lots of it. A quality Johnson not only completely lacks but almost certainly doesn't even understand.

So I suppose the only leader that they had left with any respect was Ken Clarke. But understandably enough a man like him would want nothing whatever to do with people like Johnson...

So on the face of it they are pretty much all crap. With the only obvious leader being the politically inexperienced Johnny Mercer.

But hell, he couldn't possibly make a bigger mess of it...

[Rog]

44 minutes ago, P.K. said:

I chose John Smith because he had everything that is so badly missing right now.

For sheer honesty and integrity his record is head and shoulders above the current shower.

Sure in totally amoral narcissistic serial philanderer and inveterate liar Boris Johnson the "ineffective" bar in parliament has never been set lower. Certainly in my lifetime.at any rate. As I have posted before his "avoid going down the pub" address to the nation was absolutely abysmal. I've NEVER seen anything as bad as that from a UK Prime Minister. Add to that the fact that he just can't be taken seriously and a further weekend and more was unnecessarily added to the spread of the infection. Isn't that right Roger...?

Unfortunately the rise of Johnson has also seen the fall of honesty and integrity in the tory ranks.

A situation like this needs real leadership. Lots of it. A quality Johnson not only completely lacks but almost certainly doesn't even understand.

So I suppose the only leader that they had left with any respect was Ken Clarke. But understandably enough a man like him would want nothing whatever to do with people like Johnson...

So on the face of it they are pretty much all crap. With the only obvious leader being the politically inexperienced Johnny Mercer.

But hell, he couldn't possibly make a bigger mess of it...

Still not what I asked. Since Mrs T I can't think of any PM should could have performed better than BoJo given all the facts he had presented to him at the time though I do agree that Mercer is obviously a prospect for the Star Chamber but the importance of getting BREXIT and the intense demand for independence by the majority of the British people and especially the English people meant that BoJo was the obvious guy to bring the trophy home.

[P.K.]

7 minutes ago, Rog said:

Still not what I asked. Since Mrs T I can't think of any PM should could have performed better than BoJo given all the facts he had presented to him at the time though I do agree that Mercer is obviously a prospect for the Star Chamber but the importance of getting BREXIT and the intense demand for independence by the majority of the British people and especially the English people meant that BoJo was the obvious guy to bring the trophy home.

Personally I think Thatchers tenure was absolutely dreadful for exactly the same reason Johnson's is absolutely dreadful as well - total lack of any kind of empathy.

Sure the lack of empathy is for very different reasons but the disastrous result for the country is the same....

I answered your question. Now answer mine:

"Add to that the fact that he just can't be taken seriously and a further weekend and more was unnecessarily added to the spread of the infection. Isn't that right Roger...?"

Edited April 3, 2020 by P.K.

[the stinking enigma]

The queen to address the nation. Throw a few fucks about the place, smash a few heads together was my advice to her earlier.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52155430

[Rog]

39 minutes ago, P.K. said:

Personally I think Thatchers tenure was absolutely dreadful for exactly the same reason Johnson's is absolutely dreadful as well - total lack of any kind of empathy.

Sure the lack of empathy is for very different reasons but the disastrous result for the country is the same....

I answered your question. Now answer mine:

"Add to that the fact that he just can't be taken seriously and a further weekend and more was unnecessarily added to the spread of the infection. Isn't that right Roger...?"

Two separate issues. As to taking BoJo seriously,that depends on what someone expects from a man. BoJo very obviously is a complex person that enjoys a bit of fun while never taking his eye off the ball. It's something that a lot of people don't see, they did use him as beings bufoon and don't see that he is actually highly focussed on the main chance and avoids micromanaging which in the case of what to do over the Chinese Plage where he allowed "experts" to determine the detailed actions on the basis of him not being an expert has proven to be a big mistake though I do believe that trying to minimise the damage that would result from lockdown was a brave but wrong move. 

Empathy?  I have very little empathy at the best of times. That's something that I have no problem with.  Empathy comes at a cost and must be limited when the overriding importance is is maintaining the health of the economy first and foremost. Only when that is secure should other aspects of everything else is secure before anything else be considered and even then only the bare minimum of what people need to survive should be the objective.

As I've written before those who could work but don't work should not eat.

 

 

[manxman1980]

43 minutes ago, Rog said:

Empathy?  I have very little empathy at the best of times. That's something that I have no problem with.  Empathy comes at a cost and must be limited when the overriding importance is is maintaining the health of the economy first and foremost. Only when that is secure should other aspects of everything else is secure before anything else be considered and even then only the bare minimum of what people need to survive should be the objective.

How do you intend to maintain the health of the economy if significant parts of the workforce are falling seriously ill and even dying? 

What you really mean is "I don't give a toss about anyone else as long as I am okay.  Go screw yourselves".  You have admitted as much yourself a few weeks ago.  Now why don't you go back to soaking your shopping in dettol and cowering under your bed from all the nasty immigrants in Norfolk. 

[P.K.]

44 minutes ago, manxman1980 said:

How do you intend to maintain the health of the economy if significant parts of the workforce are falling seriously ill and even dying? 

What you really mean is "I don't give a toss about anyone else as long as I am okay.  Go screw yourselves".  You have admitted as much yourself a few weeks ago.  Now why don't you go back to soaking your shopping in dettol and cowering under your bed from all the nasty immigrants in Norfolk. 

Beat me to it.

As to this:

1 hour ago, Rog said:

Two separate issues. As to taking BoJo seriously,that depends on what someone expects from a man. BoJo very obviously is a complex person that enjoys a bit of fun while never taking his eye off the ball. It's something that a lot of people don't see, they did use him as beings bufoon and don't see that he is actually highly focussed on the main chance and avoids micromanaging which in the case of what to do over the Chinese Plage where he allowed "experts" to determine the detailed actions on the basis of him not being an expert has proven to be a big mistake though I do believe that trying to minimise the damage that would result from lockdown was a brave but wrong move. 

Honest, hardworking, reliable - none of these words apply to Boris Johnson.

You have made the pretty much perfect "Pass the sick-bag Alice" post. Well done indeed....!

[P.K.]

I think that Thatcher's children, particularly the Woolster, need to explain what could possibly be excusable about this litany of obfuscation, incompetence and downright lies.

The first UK fatality due to Covid-19 took place on the 28th February so never forget that for every day of this shabby timeline the casualty list was growing...

Britain’s coronavirus testing scandal: a timeline of mixed messages

UK government accused of over-promising and under-delivering on a variety of claims in the past few weeks

Three weeks ago, the World Health Organization told countries battling Covid-19 to “test, test, test” for the virus. Since then, the UK government has been accused of issuing mixed messages, of over-promising and under-delivering – the UK’s daily testing rate has only just passed 10,000.

11 March: Tests to be expanded

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, insists the government is “rolling out a big expansion of testing” but declines to give a specific timetable. NHS England says there are plans to increase coronavirus testing to 10,000. The UK-wide death toll stands at eight – 1,215 people have been tested for coronavirus in the UK.

12 March: Tests to be restricted

The UK moves from the “contain” to the “delay” phase of its plan to tackle coronavirus. Boris Johnson announces that health workers will no longer test people for the virus in their homes, but will continue to test people already in hospitals.

16 March: WHO says ‘test, test, test’

The WHO urges countries to “test, test, test”. 3,826 people have been tested for coronavirus in the UK.

18 March: ‘Test 25,000 a day’ – but no timetable

Boris Johnson announces the ambition of carrying out 25,000 tests a day, but provides no detail. 5,779 tests are carried out that day.

19 March: ‘Antibody tests coming soon’ – but no timetable

The prime minister says mass testing to see if people have already contracted the virus, and are probably therefore immune, will take place relatively soon, which he says would be a game-changer. The UK death toll from coronavirus stands at 144.

24 March: ‘UK has 3.5m antibody tests’ – but no timetable

Matt Hancock announces the government has bought 3.5m antibody tests, which can determine if someone has had coronavirus. He repeats that general testing will be ramped up, but with no timeframe for deployment. 6,491 tests are performed.

25 March: ‘UK aiming for 250,000 tests a day’ – but no timetable

Johnson tells the daily Downing Street press conference: “We are going up from 5,000 to 10,000 tests per day, to 25,000, hopefully very soon up to 250,000 per day.” 6,583 tests are carried out.

25 March: ‘Antibody tests within days’ – then denied

Earlier that day, Prof Sharon Peacock, the director of the national infection service at PHE, says mass antibody testing in the UK will be possible within days. The government later takes a more cautious line, saying the tests will not be available so quickly.

27 March: ‘Dramatic increase planned’ – but no timetable

Michael Gove announces that a “new alliance” of businesses, research institutes and universities will boost antigen testing capacity (which checks if someone has the virus) for frontline workers. He says hundreds of people will receive the tests over the weekend and that there will be a “dramatic” increase in testing the following week.

31 March: ‘Testing hampered by chemical shortage’

Only 8,240 people are tested on this day. Gove says the availability of certain chemicals is limiting the ability to rapidly increase testing capacity.

1 April – Ministers admit only 0.4% of NHS staff have been tested

Despite its 27 March announcement, Downing Street confirms that only 2,000 people out of 500,000 frontline NHS England workers had been tested for coronavirus so far. Public Health England’s Prof Yvonne Doyle appears to confirm that the UK’s strategy is now to increase testing for the virus in the general population. A total of 9,793 tests are carried out.

2 April: Government sets new target – and admits 3.5m antibody tests don’t work

Testing passes 10,000 a day for the first time since the start of the crisis, with 10,215 carried out. Hancock sets a new government target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April – including both antibody and antigen tests. He says the UK wants to buy 17.5m antibody tests, “subject to them working”, and that early tests had been “poor”. None of the 3.5m tests bought by the government – and announced on 24 March – have been found to work so far.

3 April: 100,000 target clarified

Hancock tells broadcasters that the prime minister’s 25 March commitment to get to 250,000 tests a day “still stands”, but that he wanted to “put a very clear timeline” on the goal to get to 100,000 by the end of the month. He says it is “frustrating” that the first antibody tests have not worked. The prime minister’s spokesman is forced to clarify that the 100,000 target is for England only....