The UK response to Covid-19 [MOD WARNING 1ST POST]

It is not surprising that Johnson is standing by Cummings, but the way he chose to go about it is really odd.

He could have easily diffused the entire thing, or at least taken the sting out of it, by taking a much more concilitory approach. Which would make sense given the hardships that people have gone through, the understanding that there is a need to keep the public on their side to ensure compliance (that was the reason given for the delayed lockdown, was in part to not start too early so people wouldn't run out of patience), and simply from an empathy point of view.

But instead he basically told everyone that they were wrong, that Cummings was simply doing what a real parent would do (there is more than a whiff of the JRM remarks about common sense ignoring the experts advice at Grenfell) and that in reality the rest of the country were wrong to have interpreted the rules the way they had and if they missed out on funerals, seeing loved ones etc then it is simply because they don't care enough or have the right instincts.

Had he held his hands up, brought in the extraordinary circumstances, the fear he had knowing how sick Johnson was, having had direct access to all the expert advice and fearing that both he and his wife could potentially die or end up in ICU any day and leave their child alone, he made a decision that was wrong. He knew it was wrong, he apologies for putting others at risk, and he simply asks that others try to understand how traumatic it all was. He knows others have done better, and he and the country are proud and thankful that the country is made up of many that handled it so much better so that the occasional misstep, whilst unwelcome, is understandable and he has learnt from it.

If that is the play that Cummings came up with to handle this then he is nowhere near the genius that people seem to give him credit for. A 1st PR professional would have given better advice.

devnull wrote: »

Interesting tweets.
https://twitter.com/BBCSimonMcCoy/status/1264599075934154752

Not really sure the place to have that discussion is on twitter, probably should have took it to DM.

It's also not a geat look for the BBC, especially considering the backlash Laura has got.

Jesus that journalist is making some fool of himself. The BBC have been pathetic ever since Brexit

political analyst wrote: »

It was feared that the virus would kill 250,000 people in the UK if there hadn't been a lockdown. Out of a population of 66 million, that's hardly apocalyptic - only 0.3% of the population.

That's an absurd thing to say about the death of 250000 people.

https://twitter.com/weegingerdug/status/1264626582876049408

Jim_Hodge wrote: »

That's an absurd thing to say about the death of 250000 people.

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

Would you have the same attitude if it was your mother/father/brother/sister/wife/child amongst that number?

It was a projected number but not necessarily the number of people who would have died of Covid without there being a lockdown. Cocooning would still save many or most of those lives.

Keir Starmer response to today,

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1264640874165743616?s=20

Two police officers knocking on the door of DC. Couldn't be about breaking lockdown rules as that doesn't appear to be a concern for them judging by what else you see in the clip.

https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1264662457902960640

Beasty wrote: »

Boris can be colourful when he says stuff, but he's still working to a script. I'm sure that's why he's left a lot of the briefings to other members of the cabinet. His only response to "difficult" questions is to bluster. That's why Kier Starmer has him in his sights. Corbyn was predictable and in no way forensic allowing Boris to brush him off easily. Without his close advisers helping him out Boris cannot handle detailed scrutiny. Unlike Trump, he cannot appoint his chosen ones to important roles (beyond Cummings I guess), meaning he's getting the sort of scrutiny he simply cannot handle. His superficiality worked fine with a simple message like "Get Brexit Done", but the current situation is way to complex for him to get his lazy (albeit bright) head around

I am not so sure about the bright comment.
I just think he is a bit of a spoofer, definitely wiley.
I love this story about a letter his dad received about him at Eton.
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/letter-to-boris-johnsons-dad-from-eton-college-resurfaces-online-and-it-explains-a-lot/25/03/

"Boris really has adopted a disgracefully cavalier attitude to his classical studies . . . Boris sometimes seems affronted when criticised for what amounts to a gross failure of responsibility (and surprised at the same time that he was not appointed Captain of the School for next half): I think he honestly believes that it is churlish of us not to regard him as an exception, one who should be free of the network of obligation which binds everyone else.”

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Daily Mail tomorrow - never thought I would see them turn on Johnson

https://twitter.com/BigBurn80/status/1264669497211879429

Yikes....that is a huge about turn!

Enzokk wrote: »

You need to be clearer in what you are trying to say. Are you saying the press needs to be locked up because they didn't observe social distancing? Or is it that the police were not adhering to the rules?

Also, can you quote the rules or laws you think is being broken here?


There is a quote or two from Cummings parents, it seems like they are saying we shouldn't be focusing on the family because his uncle passed away on the 5th April. I don't see what else they are trying to say here.

https://twitter.com/harrytlambert/status/1264650700883136514?s=20

The only thing I have seen from this article is how out of touch this family is. I understand they are grieving, but this doesn't allow you to break the rules that you yourself are behind.

That's all i get from it too. Because her brother died 7 weeks ago Morag Cummings thinks they should be cutting her son some slack. The rest is just self serving, self pitying waffle.

The Mail asking for him to resign or be sacked, highly surprising!!

Here is another scientist on the damage done by Johnson and Cummings today,

https://twitter.com/AdamJKucharski/status/1264650504388427783?s=20


In fairness to Cummings he only broke the rules/guidance. The response from the UK Government has done so much damage. From the cabinet tweeting their support of him, especially the Attorney General. Then you had Shapps rewriting the lockdown rules yesterday as the press briefing was going on.

Today Johnson undermined that even further and now it is at a stage where they are probably undermining their own track and trace program as it requires the public to adhere to the guidance as much as possible.

The joke of this all is, had they come out and said when asked that he had made a mistake but he was worried about his son and who will look after him it would have made some headlines but would have been over by now. By making no comment and allowing Ferguson to be thrown to the wolves to take attention away from the UK death rate at the time, they created most of the trouble for themselves.

Also, I don't think the concern was about their child. I think he wanted to be close to his family and he thought the rules doesn't apply to him so that is why they went. The tried to use their child as a shield and now that this has failed as their story is inconsistent they have tried to shield themselves by using their uncle who passed away. I have very little sympathy for him or his family. They are the very people that he rants about, the wealthy elite who think the rules doesn't apply to them.