Is Boris’s Lax Leadership Putting Us All in Danger ?

[Carana]

I have sympathy with the people of Hong Kong, but how do the Brexiters who were primarily worried about the effects of continued immigration feel about this?

Boris Johnson has pledged to allow nearly three million Hong Kong citizens the right to live and work indefinitely in the UK, with a route to full citizenship, if China imposes a controversial new national security law on the city.

The prime minister described the potential move as "one of the biggest changes in our visa system in history".

Previously, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had only said the offer would be available to the 350,000 current holders of a British National Overseas passport in Hong Kong and their dependants.

However, Mr Johnson has said he would extend the same offer to a further 2.5 million people in Hong Kong who do not hold a BNO passport but are eligible for one.

https://news.sky.com/story/hong-kong-three-million-people-could-come-to-live-in-the-uk-if-china-imposes-new-law-11999525

[Venturi Swirl]

For me the main point was: "This fortress built by Nature for herself against infection". Islands or pensinsular countries tend to have a greater ability to control who comes in and out (due to limited means of access) than continental ones.

And my point was that being part of a global economy and a major hub for travel and commerce the fortress of which Shakespeare wrote no longer really applies.  Apparently Priti Patel wanted to close our borders months ago and was veto'ed by the swinging dicks on the cabinet.  Much reviled as she is, perhaps Priti (being the more sensible female of the species) had a point? 

[Carana]

And my point was that being part of a global economy and a major hub for travel and commerce the fortress of which Shakespeare wrote no longer really applies.  Apparently Priti Patel wanted to close our borders months ago and was veto'ed by the swinging dicks on the cabinet.  Much reviled as she is, perhaps Priti (being the more sensible female of the species) had a point?

Most of the now-industrialised world no longer lives in Shakespearian times. ;)



In Priti Pavel's favour, I suppose, is this from 25 March:


Priti Patel seeks block on passengers from coronavirus hotspots to help prevent spread of disease

The Home Secretary wants to bar passengers from countries like Iran and US where coronavirus has taken hold in a bid to prevent spread
By Charles Hymas, Home Affairs Editor 25 March 2020 • 9:30pm


Priti Patel wants to close UK borders to prevent thousands of passengers from coronavirus hotspot countries coming to Britain.

She believes visitors from nations such as Iran, the US and China should not be continuing to fly into the UK when the Government has put the country in lockdown to halt the spread of the virus.

She is seeking cross-Government support for the move that would stop the daily flights from Tehran, New York and Los Angeles - all suffering serious coronavirus outbreaks - as well as Beijing.

Britain’s open borders to the flights contrasts with the EU’s decision last week to ban virtually all travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/03/25/priti-patel-seeks-block-passengers-coronavirus-hotspots-help/


Did she speak up earlier than this? Most of Europe had already locked down.

[Eleanor]

"Why has “this fortress built by Nature for herself against infection”, as Shakespeare described our islands, succumbed to a greater extent than any other European nation to a foreseeable and containable pandemic?"

Fair question.

Too many Immigrants perhaps.  I don't know.  Someone must have come in with it.  It didn't generate by itself.

Someone arrived in UK with The Virus.  I don't know where they caught it.

In the end it is not very important.

[Carana]

Business News
June 2, 2020 / 6:38 PM / Updated a day ago

Britain, EU clash over financial market access: diplomats
Gabriela Baczynska, Huw Jones

BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) - Britain wants binding commitments from the European Union on financial market access to avoid the country’s finance industry suddenly being cut off from the bloc, a request Brussels has rejected, EU officials and diplomats said.


Britain left the EU in January and a transition period ends in December, when future access for banks, insurers and asset managers will be based on “equivalence,” a limited form of access used by the United States, Japan and Singapore.

Brussels grants market access to any “third country” if it deems its rules are equivalent or as robust as those in the EU.

But Britain wants special treatment to ensure its finance industry has more predictable access to the EU, which is Britain’s biggest financial services export market, worth about 26 billion pounds ($32.58 billion) annually.

“The UK is seeking co-management of financial equivalence decisions,” an EU diplomat said on Tuesday.

“They want an in-built consultation process so that unilateral revoking of any licences would not be as easy as it is for third countries currently,” the person said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-finance-idUSKBN2392ET

Hmmm.

[Carana]

Too many Immigrants perhaps.  I don't know.  Someone must have come in with it.  It didn't generate by itself.

Someone arrived in UK with The Virus.  I don't know where they caught it.

In the end it is not very important.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_United_Kingdom#Late_2019:_suspected_cases

[Eleanor]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_in_the_United_Kingdom#Late_2019:_suspected_cases

So any old person.  Although why the World and his Wife was gallivanting in the middle of Winter is beyond me.  Probably sour grapes.

But there you go.  I am entirely fed up with people spreading this shite.

[Carana]

So any old person.  Although why the World and his Wife was gallivanting in the middle of Winter is beyond me.  Probably sour grapes.

But there you go.  I am entirely fed up with people spreading this shite.

Some would have had family or friends in China or vice versa (Western and Chinese New Year). Others travel for work, including those who get stuck next to others in stopovers.

Lots of people got the virus during early spring breaks in Europe. Some of the early holiday-makers couldn't have known, others just ignored lockdown rules (e.g on the Costa Brava).

[Carana]

So any old person.  Although why the World and his Wife was gallivanting in the middle of Winter is beyond me.  Probably sour grapes.

But there you go.  I am entirely fed up with people spreading this shite.

Should be ok now where you are, Eleanor. Just stay a cautious 1-2m away, with hand gel and a disposable mask at the ready.

[Eleanor]

Should be ok now where you are, Eleanor. Just stay a cautious 1-2m away, with hand gel and a disposable mask at the ready.

Don't you even dare to tell me.  Or do you think that I am stupid?

I think that you are probably  a really nice woman, but you know nothing of France.  Which is probably to your pity.

[faithlilly]

Don't you even dare to tell me.  Or do you think that I am stupid?

I think that you are probably  a really nice woman, but you know nothing of France.  Which is probably to your pity.

But this individual does, a comment in the Guardian :

‘Kier Starmer has yet to grill Boris on the international comparisons. He hinted at it in another verbal roughing-up a few weeks back when the UK had only just hit the number one spot in Europe on the grim tally of deaths. I live in France, identical population to the UK, pretty much same GDP. At the start of the lockdowns France had higher infection rates and more deaths. Today the UK has 100,000 more infections and 10,000 more deaths than France. I have grown up kids in the UK who report on the discipline around lockdown and the measures taken in supermarkets, the one place we all have to go. The day following Macron’s address to the nation here every supermarket had perspex barriers up at the checkouts and the staff had PPE..it was impressive but France had scenario planned this. Even so Macron has apologised to the nation to say we were not prepared enough. And Boris said today he and his government have done a good job!!!...Why are there not people on the streets over there demanding Johnson and his cabal step down. The UK looks a disaster area..And as for requiring 14 day quarantine for anyone coming in, what a joke!..The horse bolted months ago and has been prancing around the field for weeks..the idea that countries of LOWER infection rates are a risk to the UK..risible. I think we will live it a bit before we go visit the kids.’

Do you want a lodger Eleanor?

[faithlilly]

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-politics-polls/uk-support-for-johnsons-conservatives-falls-as-covid-deaths-rise-idUKKBN23D0UX

[faithlilly]

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/coronavirus-lockdown-government-death-toll-boris-johnson-a9551516.html

I think the answer to the OP is a definite YES.

[Miss Taken Identity]

It isn't just 'brexiteers' who are concerned about this particular move. Apart from the infrastructure /housing/education/health etc not being in good shape to cope with such an influx, it could be used by the Chinese to dump their hooligans/violent criminals, as Cuba did in the early 80's according to my uncle who lived in Florida when that was being done.

I am of the opinion that Hong Kong belongs to China, it is no where near the UK. We should just butt out!   The good and the great all ran over there when they were handed the Olympic games, so no point in playing the  we really care about your treatment!

[faithlilly]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/new-zealand-totally-free-coronavirus-22154463#ICID=Android_TMNewsApp_AppShare