I don't think it's right for the Government to tell people not to book holidays for the summer. Saying that taking a holiday is illegal is just moronic and heavy-handed too. We all know they are illegal NOW. If the Government is suggesting they will still be illigal by June/July/August, frankly they can f**k off. I'm getting more than a bit fed up with Authorities rubbing in how much they now control our lives. Essential rules should be applied with grave humility. But I'm getting the increasing impression that the rule-makers are becoming comfortable having so much unprecedented power. If the vaccine roll-out has not improved matters enough by this summer to allow the holiday industry to trade - and millions of people to have a badly needed break from pandemic drudgery, then to Hell with the whole thing. I'm not going to live like we are now indefinitely.
Already booked up a holiday in Scilly for June. I like the idea of confiscating the passports of anyone who sneaks in via another country, rather than hollow threats.
A 5-year international travel ban would be more realistic than threats of prison. There are lots of ocean-going dinghies for sale though ...
Victoria to enter lockdown but Australian Open unaffected https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-56035668 A hotel quarantine worker is apparently the source of a new Coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne. Result - the entire State of Victoria has been put back in Lockdown. That's fine. No problem there. Nip the thing in the bud. But the Australian Open Tennis Tournament can carry on. Spectators have been banned now of course, under lockdown rules. But all the staff, official and players can carry on, for the benefit of domestic and International TV o course. The message? Coronavirus is more important than the jobs and social lives of the little people in Australia. But not more important than a tennis tournament. Not more important than the embarrassment to Australia if the tournament has to be halted. And it was probably someone travelling to Melbourne because of the tournament who brought the virus back in. Some Australians did not want this tournament played at all, because of the risk of Coronavirus returning. Seems they were right. But once again it's #moneybeforelives
The Government's Safeguarding Minister was just interviewed on BBC breakfast TV; Q: Why are the UK quarantine restrictions less strict than those in Australia? A: none given - just a repetition of our restrictions. Q: Is Coronavirus not such a problem here as it is in Australia? A: none given - just more repetition of our restrictions. Q: How many more Police officers will be patrolling to enforce the UK quarantine restrictions? A: none given - it's an 'operational matter' for the Police chiefs to reveal. And this was not a spokesperson. It was the Government Minister responsible for Quarantine measures. Well I don't know about you, but I feel safer already
Listening to an Aussie on Radio 4, his experience was that quarantine doesn't work if it's applied in the way we're doing it.
Nigel Farage's REform Party is now campaigning against lock down. When restrictions are lifted he will claim credit.
He's a wily old codger, I'll give him that. Some recent Government comments about restrictions perhaps going on all year, and people not booking holidays for this summer, have gone down very badly with a lot of fed up people. Farage could make lots of ground with them if he plays his hand well. I'm certainly not in the mood to be under the thumb of a Covid Police State until 2022.
Lifting restrictions too early causes a country to go back into lockdown, like Johnson's "Merry little Christmas".
I agree. The current lockdown should probably run until the end of March, then phased easing of restrictions after that. Get the schools and the shops open, then the restaurants and pubs - preferably by the end of May, or June at the latest. Summer holidays again by the beginning of July. By that time all but the young and helathy folk in their 20's or 30's should have been vaccinated. There is bound to be some 'background noise' of COVID infections and hospitalisations. But in August 2020 (even with no vaccine) daily fatalities were down to single figures. I predict there WILL be a rising tide of feeling against lockdown restrictions, unless the Government plays public opinion as skilfully as Farage can. They must keep hope levels up, but not let them run away. Our domestic holiday industry can't survive a second written-off summer. People just won't accept it. And football grounds need to be open by the beginning of the 2021-22 season.
They are already playing public opinion skilfully by focussing attention on the culture war and patriotism. They are well ahead in the opinion polls despite us having the highest death rate per capita in the world and the biggest downturn in the economy for 300 years I think it was reported today. Credit where it's due.
Partly due to the pretty poor showing of Labour at the moment, and the total disappearance of the Lib Dems. The Government's relative popularity will soon falter when the real effects of millions of job losses kick in. Furlough ends in about 11 weeks, unless it is extended again. And of course we can expect truly nasty austerity for the next decade.
Partly, but there's no Jeremy Corbyn, antisemitism is being dealt with, so you have to give credit to the government's PR.
I gather the hard left in Labour are looking to oust the current leader ..... children with noses shouldn't be allowed to play with knives Do the hard left really believe they will ever be popular with middle Britain?
Keir Starmer hasn't landed a punch. He lacks political nous, and was voted in because he was the opposite of Corbyn. It's hard for him though, his fact-based style makes no headway against Boris's bullsh1t.
What her Agent should have said was that she was devastated that she was caught ... Amanda Holden 'devastated' at lockdown rule break - BBC News She clearly went home to celebrate a belated birthday with her parents!