And how many could there possibly be ... ... you've no idea. How many people wouldn't go to hospital if they were dying from COVID. From the UK government website, "The majority of deaths due to COVID-19 (where the coronavirus was the main cause) occurred in hospitals and care homes, "
I'm shocked at this revelation HGV driver shortage: How IR35 tax changes fuelled the lorry driver crisis ‘I work for a company that lost at least 250 drivers due to the tax changes – European drivers have all gone back home because of this’ A change to the tax code – rather than Brexit or the pandemic – has prompted truck drivers to leave the industry in huge numbers, i analysis shows. HGV driver shortage: How IR35 tax changes fuelled the lorry driver crisis (inews.co.uk)
Pretty much and because of the differences in registering Covid deaths it is highly unlikely they'll ever get an accurate figure that can be relied on with confidence.
That sounds pretty conclusive providing you fail to mention that the same article goes on to say "While Brexit has been cited as a factor in HGV driver shortages – alongside the pandemic and complaints over poor working conditions – IR35 is seen by many as having had a bigger impact." Also strange that the government should choose to force drivers off the road at a time when they're claiming to do everything possible to make it easier for them
Interesting Netherlands nation of 17mill but nearly the same death rate as Uk, then Germany investigation ongoing from under reporting covid deaths as other causes please log in to view this image The true COVID death toll: Which country saw the highest excess deaths during the pandemic?Euro news next
Those two studies contradict each other regarding Germany. The figures you have for the UK are contradicted by the UK government. https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths
To be fair, compared to his compulsive lying, arranging to have a journalist beaten up and impregnating 2 mistresses whilst his wife was suffering from cancer, Bonko's penchant for holidays pales into insignificance
The reason why in my earlier post, I did not bring stats into it, is that there are massive problems with international comparisons. Covid19 hit the elderly worst (although lots of other age groups suffered as well). Covid19 if you had other health problems could easily push you over the edge. So there was often several reasons stated on a death certificate. Undoubtedly some countries wanted to downplay the impact of the pandemic. So there are different views about what are covid deaths. IIRC a better international comparison was how big was the increase from normal/average deaths in each country. We did not do well using this measure.
I guess it's easy to pick apart the faults, certainly most people tend to focus on the negatives more than positives in life. Take Labour's last stint... Despite proof to be false claims of WMD's and being unsanctioned by the UN, Blair still sent British troops to Iraq. This cost many a soldiers life and who knows how much tax payers money. He also sent soldiers to Afghanistan because the good old US of A wanted to after the attack on the twin towers. Yes, it was an atrocity but where were the Yanks when we were fighting the IRA in Ireland? The current President might be able to answer that question... Anyway, nearly 500 UK military lives lost between those 2 wars and a total of 300,000 people died in Iraq alone. Blair faced war crimes for the above. The only PM ever! Blair actually started the privatisation of the NHS. I may as well throw the fuel duty crisis of 2000 in there. Even though Britain's petrol prices were already the highest in Europe, Blair refused to cut fuel duty to lessen the burden on drivers. Brown's recklessness and aggressive tax policies (global tax ranking dropped from 4th in 1996 to 92nd in 2010) as chancellor meant that economic growth steadily declined (the last year to exceed 3% being 2003) and that by 2004 inflation had exceeded economic growth and continued to do so. Blair wasted 10 billion on the NHS IT nationalisation which had to be scrapped in the end. Richard Bacon described it as “one of the worst and most expensive contracting fiascos in the history of the public sector" but then Blair did love the public sector. How about the recession? Just as an aside, our very own David Miliband allegedly quit his role at SAFC due to the Di Canio fiasco, yet it was announced long before that he was moving to America to take up his charity job. I guess the opportunity of sticking the knife in and getting in the news because of it was too much.
I agree with some of what you say but Blair has gone years ago though man. And Miliband’s role with us is totally irrelevant. With respect let’s compare the lying racist bastard and the cardboard cut out.
But that’s history man, it’s nice to remember what you’ve had so you have an idea what you are probably going to get again
I think the most pertinent point to take from @Gatesy 's post is that reprehensible things, corruption, and lies can and do occur under governments of all types. It doesn't make it right but it shouldn't be a surprise. For me, it makes comparison irrelevant as we'll never (or may never) know how corrupted or how inept people like Corbyn or Starmer (or even Duncan-Smith or Hague) would have become had they got their hands on the levers of power.
That’s true but I still like Gatesy version much better. and if nothing else have you noticed how quiet it’s gone
That’s very true but you have to admit that Boris’ level is lying I’d unprecedented and shameless abd even businesses today were pointing how how inept this government are. They’ve been inept with their Brexit, spending , health including Covid, education, the police, law and order and now their core bit of business . There’s no saying how bad the others have been of course but just judging their ability to govern you have to say they’ve been piss awful.
