Strangely enough since he finished speaking, I have had about 10 or 12 emails from French and English friends who are all asking is this bloke for real?
Had this sent to me by a friend in Watford. I don't know where it originated, who created it or even whether it is for real. If it is, it speaks volumes about the mindset of some people.
Frenchie, you confidently predicted the UK government had agreed to ask for an extension to the Brexit transitional period. Can I now advise Boris and the rest of the cabinet about that decision because they don't seem to know?
Yes, confirmed now by the civil service, but frightened to tell you yet. You are being spun a right old tune. Not my comment but I agree. "It has to be said - the wheels are starting to come off big style. All over this country people are sat now trying to make some sense of this and whether and how they are supposed to turn up for work and afraid that if they can't square that circle fast they lose their job. Worried sick. Johnson amply demonstrating that he doesn't really have any grasp of how people live and what they have to sort out to go to work. No practical experience at all. Leaving people in impossible positions."
The police force has now reacted. The view of Boris Johnson’s speech from senior police sources was that key parts of their role in enforcing the lockdown was effectively over. “Impossible”, said one senior source, referring to the prospect of enforcing the lockdown other than policing larger groups of people out of their homes. The dropping of the “stay at home” message, it is feared, will cause confusion, making the restrictions “unpoliceable”. New guidance was hurriedly being drawn up for officers around the country about the new rules, and what they should and should not police. One source with close knowledge of the police’s efforts enforcing coronavirus rules, asked how easy the new rules would be to enforce, said: “Not a chance in hell.”
I very much doubt our police will reach 1,000,000 fines to naughty people as dished out as in France.
Interesting that Johnson was speaking as the PM of the UK which he technically is. But with the three devolved governments taking a different view on the stay at home message he looks like just the PM for England. Strange to think that he unwittingly has created the situation where you can be arrested one side of the borders, but not the other.
I have just been in touch with our younger daughter and told her on no account to get on public transport and go to work... Crazy crazy advice from the PM... People have to go to work.. But not on public transport.. And what happens if they can't get in?? What about their children who are not at school... This is a mess and will lead to chaos
Amid all the hysteria over the supply of PPE equipment it is good to receive actual facts from a lengthy detailed report from the Health Service Journal. Three of its researchers conducted an exhaustive investigation into deaths of NHS staff from Covid-19. They concluded there were NO deaths of nurses or doctors from Covid-19 who had worked in intensive care. This firmly suggests an adequate supply of PPE was available for the staff working in these areas. One doctor commented it was more dangerous travelling to work on the underground than being at work. Other NHS staff have died, hospitals are rife with the virus, but the percentage of these deaths has been found to be no more than other workers in different areas or indeed those that stay at home. The journal states 'this is reassuring". This suggests the government has done a reasonable job in protecting the lives of health workers whilst suffering the breakdown of normal supply chains of PPE. NHS staff should continue to be applauded for the excellent work they do, political opportunism is not required during this difficult time.
If these workers were infected whilst going to work by public transport then this raises other questions SH. Whilst other countries were shutting down the images have been coming through of crowded tube trains with very few masks in sight in London - why has it not been compulsory to wear masks when using public transport ? The shutdown has been far too late and far too lax in the UK and now you are paying the price for that.
If the normal supply chain of PPE was available I'm sure the government would have recommended as you suggest at a much earlier date. PPE equipment has naturally been prioritised for health workers.
That's not quite answering the question SH. Why was the shutdown so late ie. at a time when most other European countries were through the worst and Britain was playing catch up. We know the answer - Bojo believed in the herd immunity theory because it was a convenient reason for doing nothing. We all know that calling lockdowns on the freedom of movement is likely to be unpopular with the electorate - but this is where coalitions have the advantage, because no one party will get the backlash for it. Coalitions are more free to make unpopular decisions which are in the public interest - a clown who is playing to the gallery isn't.
It is answering your question, PPE was not available to supply the whole nation, they had to priorities the health workers. As more product becomes available advice can be changed. There will be analysis on the performances of governments in all countries when this thing is over. Lessons will have been learnt. Nations will have realised they cannot rely on other nations for help when times are hard. Italy will not forget the absence of solidarity in the EU. The UK will never trust the supply of medical goods from China again. The Tories have a massive majority, they will take any criticism on the chin and just get on with running the country. The UK public are still well behind Boris and his government. A coalition government is not required, it is far better for Labour to hold the government to account. Now Labour has a coherent leader it will be much more effective.
So why was the shutdown so late and so lax ? As far as I can see this question has nothing to do with the availability of PPE. In Germany there is compulsory wearing of masks in all shops and on all public transport - but there is not enough PPE for the whole nation, and so people make their own. Why are planes still landing at Heathrow without any compulsory quarantine or testing ? Don't get me wrong - I am not blaming the Tory government, because every electorate gets the government it deserves, they voted for a clown and they got one !
.... And i feel very sorry for all those traveling to work today on public transport because they were told to go to work and they have no other way.. Have you seen the images.? They were told to go by some xxxxxxx they apparently voted for.... What a mess... And more people will die......
According to Raab this morning the people were not expected to go to work before Wednesday. Johnson said on TV last night that they should go back today. Sounds rather like making things up as they go along.
