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

[faithlilly]

Now this is leadership and solid, sensible proposals to protect jobs and lives.

https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Labour%E2%80%99s-Economic-Plan-for-Individuals-Affected-By-Coronavirus-Final.pdf

[Venturi Swirl]

The amount of deaths are going up day on day. How many of those were AVOIDABLE we will only see in the fullness of time. That Johnson has changed the direction of travel on the virus this week ( remember I started this thread 6 days ago ) suggests that a change was needed. Perhaps the scientist pointing out he was making a hash of it changed that direction....who knows...but the fact that frontline NHS workers still have inadequate protection and are not being tested for the virus suggests that Johnson’s slow response is still impacting on those bearing the heaviest burden.

I noticed Johnson talked this afternoon about remote briefings....he really doesn’t like scrutiny, does he ?

Being flexible, not dogmatic, acting on new information, all to be applauded.  I really can’t stand people who are using this crisis to score political points and promote their own ideology.  Now is not the time.   We’re all in this together, we’re all human, we all need to be a bit more understanding and accept that these are unprecedented times.  Take a leaf out of Andy Burnham’s book on QT last night.  He managed to discuss the issue constructively without playing the blame card (too much).  Should the Government have put the country on complete lockdown from Day One like happened in Wuhan?  Well it certainly seems to have worked there but would people here have acquiesced meekly, done as they were told, without criticism?  Highly unlikely! 

[Venturi Swirl]

Now this is leadership and solid, sensible proposals to protect jobs and lives.

https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Labour%E2%80%99s-Economic-Plan-for-Individuals-Affected-By-Coronavirus-Final.pdf

Watch the briefing tonight.  Government has recognized their are holes in their support package and hopefully these will be plugged by their new measures. 

[Venturi Swirl]

Something to note is that even if we get to grips with the virus and manage to get to a point where we can return to some level of normality in this country (say in 3 months), it doesn’t mean that parts of the rest of the world won’t still be struggling with it and that therefore a ban on international travel esp. for holidays is likely to be in place for much longer.

[faithlilly]

Watch the briefing tonight.  Government has recognized their are holes in their support package and hopefully these will be plugged by their new measures.

Let’s hope so.

[faithlilly]

Something to note is that even if we get to grips with the virus and manage to get to a point where we can return to some level of normality in this country (say in 3 months), it doesn’t mean that parts of the rest of the world won’t still be struggling with it and that therefore a ban on international travel esp. for holidays is likely to be in place for much longer.

If disruption to our holiday plans is the worst effect we suffer then I think that we can all agree that we have got off very lightly.

[faithlilly]

Being flexible, not dogmatic, acting on new information, all to be applauded.  I really can’t stand people who are using this crisis to score political points and promote their own ideology.  Now is not the time.   We’re all in this together, we’re all human, we all need to be a bit more understanding and accept that these are unprecedented times.  Take a leaf out of Andy Burnham’s book on QT last night.  He managed to discuss the issue constructively without playing the blame card (too much).  Should the Government have put the country on complete lockdown from Day One like happened in Wuhan?  Well it certainly seems to have worked there but would people here have acquiesced meekly, done as they were told, without criticism?  Highly unlikely!

It’s not playing the blame card to point out that when push came to shove the free market ideology so beloved of this government had nothing to offer. That’s simply fact.

[faithlilly]

Nailed it.

https://youtu.be/-Ai7gwV7glE

[Venturi Swirl]

It’s not playing the blame card to point out that when push came to shove the free market ideology so beloved of this government had nothing to offer. That’s simply fact.

Don’t be silly please. 

[faithlilly]

Don’t be silly please.

In what way is that silly ?

[Venturi Swirl]

In what way is that silly ?

In what way is it true?  You are using an international crisis, a completely extraordinary situation that demands completely extraordinary measures to promote your socialist agenda.   You seem to be suggesting that had Labour won the election everything would be so much better.  You seem to be suggesting that the Conservatives are now all socialists.  If that’s the case you should be delighted and supportive but I don’t get that sense at all.  You actually seem to be enjoying this crisis as it’s giving you and your fellow Tory bashers plenty to crow about.  I wish you’d all grow up and behave with some decency and understanding.  Fat chance of that though! 

[barrier]

I think Johnson and his government are stepping up to the oche.

[faithlilly]

In what way is it true?  You are using an international crisis, a completely extraordinary situation that demands completely extraordinary measures to promote your socialist agenda.   You seem to be suggesting that had Labour won the election everything would be so much better.  You seem to be suggesting that the Conservatives are now all socialists.  If that’s the case you should be delighted and supportive but I don’t get that sense at all.  You actually seem to be enjoying this crisis as it’s giving you and your fellow Tory bashers plenty to crow about.  I wish you’d all grow up and behave with some decency and understanding.  Fat chance of that though!

I’m not suggesting any of the above. I am suggesting that a socialist solution had to be put in place when the market could not offer one....the end.

I’m not sure why you think Johnson should be immune from criticism....especially the criticism of experts.

[Venturi Swirl]

I’m not suggesting any of the above. I am suggesting that a socialist solution had to be put in place when the market could not offer one....the end.

I’m not sure why you think Johnson should be immune from criticism....especially the criticism of experts.

It’s not a socialist solution, it’s the ONLY solution.  Criticising Johnson at a time when he is struggling to do the best for the country is not really helping.  Do you really think the government has done nothing right in the last week?  How about some credit where it’s due, or are you simply too churlish to do that?

[Venturi Swirl]

Let’s hope so.

So my employee will definitely better off than me now thanks to the latest government announcement

“There is mounting anger among the self employed over what they regard as insufficient support for them in the emergency measures announced this evening in the UK by chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The self employed will gain access to the equivalent of Statutory Sick Pay, and be given tax deferrals, but are not part of the 80% earnings pledge.
The Federation of Small Business said: “The question at this point is – with firms beingforcedto close – why have the self-employed been excluded from the commitment to pay 80% of earnings?

“It cannot be right that an employee currently earning £25,000 a year could access £20,000 per annum through the new job retention scheme, while someone who’s self-employed earning the same sum might only access around £5,000 worth of support.”

Phillipa Childs of the Bectu union, which covers thousands of freelancers in the entertainment and media industry, added: “The Chancellor’s support package for workers will come as a devastating blow to freelance and self-employed workers who needed much more support than they are being given.

“He must urgently revise his income support plan to include these workers and not force them onto the welfare system and we will be making urgent representations to government to make sure all our members are protected during this crisis.”