O/T. The Government's handling of Covid

[ramAnag]

What I don't get is why kebab shop operators hold the key to the timing of his departure. ��

Ha ha...oops. I knew that looked wrong...give you that one.

[ramAnag]

displaced/ refugees? hilarious

Don't worry about me.
I've just left a beach BBQ and sat in a bar to watch some footy.
Catching up on the lemon trail in here.

Just like the USA, the republicans had done a decent job last term. But the blind hatred of Trump, over shadowed everything.
Now look at the idiot in charge. Be careful what you wish for.
You voted for Corbyn/Abbott/McDonnall/Thornberry last time.
My god, it doesn't bear think about.

I wasn’t...’worried’ about you.

Why do you keep bringing Trump up? Could it be because you actually can’t defend the donkeys we have in charge over here and are seeking to deflect yet again? This is about this (UK) Government, and you know perfectly well I have little time for three of the four Labour MP’s you mention.

[ramAnag]

I wasn't aiming to belittle rA, just offering my opinion, I'm actually trying to offer a bit more ying and yang to my responses, doesn't seem to be having much impact but I'll plug away. In a continued attempt to do that, there was a fellah being interviewed on BBC Breakfast this am who believed the Pooliss should be involved in the investigation into the Downing street (etc) party shenanigans, and that due process should take its course, despite the timescale - making the cutting comment to dear old Charlie that ALL police investigations relate to matters that have happened in the past...Now, I'm 100% with him on that whoever is 'fingered' for any crime, hopefully we can agree on that one.

Sorry...misunderstanding. I didn’t mean ‘belittle’ in personal terms. I meant, ‘belittle’ the significance of Thursday’s by-election result. It’s huge...the seventh biggest swing of all time I believe...the end/interruption of 200 years of Tory occupancy, and there can be little doubt that it’s a reaction to the double standards and ‘policy’ contradictions that are becoming more evident on an almost daily basis.

[Geoff Parkstone]

I wasn’t...’worried’ about you.

Why do you keep bringing Trump up? Could it be because you actually can’t defend the donkeys we have in charge over here and are seeking to deflect yet again? This is about this (UK) Government, and you know perfectly well I have little time for three of the four Labour MP’s you mention.

Which one of those 4 do you have any time for? I would have thought, as Abbot would say, you have no time for all 5 of them (PS in the interest of fairness, or all 7, or is it 2 of them as Raab would say)

[Geoff Parkstone]

My 10 pence worth on North Shropshire is that, as well as a serious kick in the goolies for the conservatives, there was a mass of tactical voting going on. The Tory share of the vote fell by 31%, but the labour share of the vote also fell by 12.4% as perhaps 9,000 votes were switched to the more credible Libdem challenge (nevre thought I'd write that!!)


The conservative vote fell from 35.4k to 12k = 66%
the labour vote fell from 12.5k to 3.7k = 70%

So both parties performance were influenced by tactical voting. Labour by switching to get the Tory out; Conservative by internal revolt. The turnout was down 32% over the previous general election. Statistically what does this mean for a general election - very little I would say.

Can I get a spin doctor job at SW1H 9HQ now please

[ramAnag]

Which one of those 4 do you have any time for? I would have thought, as Abbot would say, you have no time for all 5 of them (PS in the interest of fairness, or all 7, or is it 2 of them as Raab would say)

Apart from the fact that she’s a ‘Surrey gal’ ...I don’t think Thornberry is as poor as the rest. I wouldn’t say I’m a ‘fan’ but I don’t really know why we’re talking about any of them.
Like Trump (hopefully) they’re all yesterday’s news and are only mentioned as part of Tricky’s blatant attempt to deflect attention away from the failings of those currently in power.
Honestly...has there ever been a more hapless, hopeless and untrustworthy bunch than Johnson, Gove, Raab, Patel, Eustice, Truss, Schapps, Coffey, Cleverly, Dorries, Malthouse and Rees Mogg etc?

[ramAnag]

My 10 pence worth on North Shropshire is that, as well as a serious kick in the goolies for the conservatives, there was a mass of tactical voting going on. The Tory share of the vote fell by 31%, but the labour share of the vote also fell by 12.4% as perhaps 9,000 votes were switched to the more credible Libdem challenge (nevre thought I'd write that!!)


The conservative vote fell from 35.4k to 12k = 66%
the labour vote fell from 12.5k to 3.7k = 70%

So both parties performance were influenced by tactical voting. Labour by switching to get the Tory out; Conservative by internal revolt. The turnout was down 32% over the previous general election. Statistically what does this mean for a general election - very little I would say.

Can I get a spin doctor job at SW1H 9HQ now please

Probably.

But no one has said this was a good night for Labour.
Labour are largely irrelevant in areas like North Shropshire, Chesham and Amersham and the areas where you and I live.
I suspect you may be right about what those results mean for the next election...except in the marginals where there will be some very twitchy Tories, and that has implications.

[swaledale]

displaced/ refugees? hilarious

Don't worry about me.
I've just left a beach BBQ and sat in a bar to watch some footy.
Catching up on the lemon trail in here.

Just like the USA, the republicans had done a decent job last term. But the blind hatred of Trump, over shadowed everything.
Now look at the idiot in charge. Be careful what you wish for.
You voted for Corbyn/Abbott/McDonnall/Thornberry last time.
My god, it doesn't bear think about.

The phrase, the Republicans had done a decent job last term is just hilarious!

Mind you I don't suppose you actually understand that the Democratic party is several degrees to the right of even the Tories?

[swaledale]

You what?
You think the Labour trouncing was just about Corbyn?
The whole party stance on Brexit/ the armed forces/ the Jews/ the shadow cabinet had nothing to do with it then?

When Tories swing to Labour in the same way as Labour voters did to the Tories, then you'd have a point.
The Lib Dems are a joke vote. No one has forgot free education and I'm going reverse Brexit unilaterrally stances.

Your points are all wishful thinking RA. Your blind hatred clouds whats under your nose at times.

Labour refused to remove Corbyn(momentum)
The Tories will remove Johnson in the same way as they did May if they have to,

As said before. -
Sort Brexit/ the migrant invasion/ and abandon this green farce and it will be forgotton.
It always is, because sleeze runs all the way through British politics. Pick a party, I'll show you something.

You do demonstrate how unaware of reality you are.

1. Sort Brexit? Bit difficult that as Brexit cannot be sorted, at least not in the way you and the other dimwits that believed the lies told and voted leave. At the moment its costing the Uk economy a minimum of £400 million every week, forcing inflation up and the utter stupidity of pretending the UK could thrive economically by pissing off its closet trading neighbours is slowly dawning on people. Of course those who engineered Brexit always knew that most of what they promised was unachievable, but they also knew the core vote was too thick to realise that, seems you have proven that point.

Anyway as was always going to be the case, the Government is slowly moving towards accepting reality, seems the NI protocol is here to stay (hence "Lord" Frost chucking in the trowel, an agreement has been reached with the French on fishing, before you know it we will be back in the single market!

2. Sort Immigration? Thought that had been done? I'm not using your overhyped (taken from right wing media) migrant invasion, because a, these are refugees not migrants as such, b, its not despite the hyperbole, an invasion - fact less than 50% are crossing by sea than used to cross by lorry and the UK has taken less refugees than 12 other EU countries and overall immigration is below what it was before all this nonsense started. Hence issues with shortage of labour and no increasing wages is not going to magic more bodies out of the woodwork, because they don't exist, still it will push inflation up so more good news for those leave voters!

It could be stopped quite simply - the UK could simply set up a system for processing refugees in France offering a safe, legal way for them to register and then process them in a humane manner that complies with international law - another fact, over 80% are accepted and actually as history shows go on to make a positive economic and social contribution to the UK.

3.Abandon this green farce? I take that your not convinced that climate change is a real threat? Ah but then I supposed a world renown intellectual such as yourself knows much better than others with perhaps just a bit more between their ears? But in any case surely being a world leader on "green" technology will bring economic benefits for the UK? If you don't believe in climate change, the shift to fuels that pump less pollution into the atmosphere must be a plus?

Granted there is a significant proportion of the population, probably around a third who are incapable of understanding the more complex issues in life until they get to experience the harsh reality themselves ( some still believe the world is flat) but there is also a significant proportion of the population who are capable of rational thought and aren't led by whatever the right wing media are feeding them that day and over time thankfully those people tend to be more likely to vote and have influence over society than the people you align with. Which is fortunate as I kind of guess society would be a lot less nicer to live in if your views held sway.

As for your claim that sleaze runs through British politics, well its true that there are politicians of most persuasions that can be found to have crossed the line in terms of their behaviour, they are after all human. However, when it comes to aligning themselves with the rich and powerful, the Tory's are clear winners every time.

The labour party may well do things I don't like, but on the whole I'm inclined to believe based on past history that they are far more aligned to the interests of the ordinary person, than a party which is bank rolled by tax exiled expats. But hey ho I'm sure your judgement is sound as always!

Its just shame that people who get shafted by the Tories time after time still vote for them, and indeed like yourself actually make excuses for them whilst being shafted!

Now if that is not the very definition of being dumb, I don't know what is!

[MadAmster]

Pounds for peerages. Coin for contracts. Parties but not for the plebs.

Lockdown for Christmas.

Yer man did deliver Brexit but the way that's turning into an exceptionally expensive exercise I'm not sure that can be seen as a success.

The vaccine rollout has been a success...... thanks to the NHS.

Furlough was good, I'll give 'em that.

On Christmas, all the news outlets over here are suggesting that there will be an announcement this evening saying that, as of this evening, only essential shops will be allowed to open. That means food shops, chemist's and the offie. I'm also hearing rumours online that the UK faces a similar fate.....

The rumours were right, we are now in lockdown until January 14th.