O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[Geoff Parkstone]

"I don’t know...maybe you do, but perhaps you could then explain rather than jumping, as ever, to the government’s immediate defence."

Jumping to the government defence? That is ironic coming from someone who with every breathe jumps at the governments throat without anything more evidential than something in the (biased) press.

Vallance worked for GSK for 12 years when at the height of his earnings power (his 40s/50s). he headed up their research operations etc, a very senior figure, so its no surprise he had stock in the company. I dont see it at all unusual that this be the case that a senior figure from the industry has a stake in one of the major players. Is it a conflict? It isnt from the corporate point of view as he is not an executive director. It has potential to be if he is in a position to award contracts, but I dont imagine he does. He can advise on the efficacy of a particular treatment perhaps, even that of his former employer, but this is a totally different scenario to that of making political party donations in exchange for lucrative contracts

Its all to easy to criticise things from afar without any real understanding of what goes on - Im not claiming any greater understanding, but chose to have a little faith in existing control systems and "human nature". Maybe that makes me a naive fool, but sooner than that an outright cynic

[ramAnag]

"I don’t know...maybe you do, but perhaps you could then explain rather than jumping, as ever, to the government’s immediate defence."

Jumping to the government defence? That is ironic coming from someone who with every breathe jumps at the governments throat without anything more evidential than something in the (biased) press.

Vallance worked for GSK for 12 years when at the height of his earnings power (his 40s/50s). he headed up their research operations etc, a very senior figure, so its no surprise he had stock in the company. I dont see it at all unusual that this be the case that a senior figure from the industry has a stake in one of the major players. Is it a conflict? It isnt from the corporate point of view as he is not an executive director. It has potential to be if he is in a position to award contracts, but I dont imagine he does. He can advise on the efficacy of a particular treatment perhaps, even that of his former employer, but this is a totally different scenario to that of making political party donations in exchange for lucrative contracts

Its all to easy to criticise things from afar without any real understanding of what goes on - Im not claiming any greater understanding, but chose to have a little faith in existing control systems and "human nature". Maybe that makes me a naive fool, but sooner than that an outright cynic

‘Naive’! I hardly think so. You’re one of the most cynical on here except when it suits your ‘government apologist’ stance.

I’m neither ‘bored’ nor ‘picking holes’...and as you will see from this morning’s original post, I began by drawing attention to something and asking a question as a contribution to a thread entitled ‘The Government’s handling of Covid’.

Following on now from MA’s observations I am increasingly beginning to agree that the ‘government’s handling of Covid’ ‘stinks’.
I didn’t know about Cummings’ sister’s involvement with the failed app...or the £400k donation to the Tory Party...but if those things are true, along with the PM’s literal ‘right hand man’ and chief scientific adviser having a huge personal investment in one particular pharma company which, of course, the Health Secretary knew absolutely nothing about ‘until he read it in the papers’...then I think we are in serious trouble and are being ‘led’ by individuals who are as lacking in integrity and honesty as they are in ability.

P.S. You may wish to consider why we have never seen Ruth May (Chief Nursing Officer) on our screens since she refused to sanction or condone Dominic Cummings’ behaviour. In the words of Mike Gatting, ‘one rule for them...’.