Current Affairs

[Onelife]

That would require 'integrity' which is in short supply within Conservatism at the minute

I suspect that over something like that then it would be in short supply in all parties at any time. MPs are not renowned for resigning en masse over a single issue

I think it will be those of the voting public who have lost family members that will have the final say as to whether they trust their MP’s judgment/integrity … least they forget.

[Gill W]

If it is true that 60 Conservative MPs are going to rebel against the latest Covid measures then they should be big enough to resign if it turns out that the Omicron variant overwhelms the NHS.

If that happens and Labour vote with the government, I can almost guarantee that some will still find a reason to have a pop at Starmer, rather than criticise the Conservative MPs.

I see we have more news of social events at No 10 last year. Johnson hosting a segment of a quiz night. It would have been fair enough if it was a genuine Zoom even and had been held entirely on a virtual basis….. but the staff came into the office especially for the event! With the backdrop of all the other partying it’s not an isolated incident so it doesn’t paint an overal good picture. And it would beggar belief that Johnson didn’t know he had staff in the office taking part that evening. Seems like Westminster was awash with parties last Christmas, while everyone else was doing the right thing. They really are taking the p**s out of us all.

[towny44]

If it is true that 60 Conservative MPs are going to rebel against the latest Covid measures then they should be big enough to resign if it turns out that the Omicron variant overwhelms the NHS.

I watched an interview with a consultant in charge of a critical care unit in a London hospital yesterday, and he said that so far no omicron patient has been admitted to hospital, and of those covid patients in hospital less than 20% have had any vaccination, and none of those are needing ventilation. Which all suggests that the vaccines are doing their job.

[david63]

he said that so far no omicron patient has been admitted to hospital

That, not unsurprisingly, has now changed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59627188

Seems like Westminster was awash with parties last Christmas

And nowhere was?

Let's stop deluding ourselves - there were many who last Christmas/New Year totally ignored the rules and had parties and/or visitors

[poole boy]

our next door neighbour is chairman of the local labour party and had 18 people to partys at his house over the christmas day and boxing day of which 3 were family sounds like pot calling the kettle black to me

[towny44]

our next door neighbour is chairman of the local labour party and had 18 people to partys at his house over the christmas day and boxing day of which 3 were family sounds like pot calling the kettle black to me

A lot of that goes on from some on this forum, they must wear very blinkered glasses.

[Onelife]

If it is true that 60 Conservative MPs are going to rebel against the latest Covid measures then they should be big enough to resign if it turns out that the Omicron variant overwhelms the NHS.

If that happens and Labour vote with the government, I can almost guarantee that some will still find a reason to have a pop at Starmer, rather than criticise the Conservative MPs.

I see we have more news of social events at No 10 last year. Johnson hosting a segment of a quiz night. It would have been fair enough if it was a genuine Zoom even and had been held entirely on a virtual basis….. but the staff came into the office especially for the event! With the backdrop of all the other partying it’s not an isolated incident so it doesn’t paint an overal good picture. And it would beggar belief that Johnson didn’t know he had staff in the office taking part that evening. Seems like Westminster was awash with parties last Christmas, while everyone else was doing the right thing. They really are taking the p**s out of us all.

Hi Gill,

Whilst I understand opposition parties have an obligation to highlight what they believe are failings within the Conservative party (and there are many) I would however, like to see Starmer come up with something that isn’t a labour party aspirational interview.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about Boris knowing the truth but isn’t prepared to say it.

[Stephen]

he said that so far no omicron patient has been admitted to hospital

That, not unsurprisingly, has now changed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59627188

Seems like Westminster was awash with parties last Christmas

And nowhere was?

Let's stop deluding ourselves - there were many who last Christmas/New Year totally ignored the rules and had parties and/or visitors

The difference David is, Janet and John down the road don’t run the country the government do and should be leading by example. If they can’t get it right then there’s no hope.

[Kendhni]

Let's stop deluding ourselves - there were many who last Christmas/New Year totally ignored the rules and had parties and/or visitors

That is very much the case otherwise the police would not have been handing out thousands of pounds in fines last Christmas. The fact there were multiple parties is mountains and molehills ... it is the continual lies coming from Johnson and his cohorts treating the public as if they are idiots (some do seem to believe him so he is getting away with it on them). He has tried every distraction tactic in the book to try to get this to go away, including the sacrificial lamb (Stratton), and he is just digging himself in deeper ... if he had have been honest on day 1 this would have been over in a flash ... but he has gone with his usual tactic of 'if you repeat your lies often enough the public will start to believe it' ... he could even have got away with the old civil service trick of saying 'lessons will be learned' which translates to 'we intend to do nothing and will learn nothing'.

I still think there is some orchestration going on here (from within Conservatism), each time the PM denies something, more evidence is produced.

[Onelife]

Let's stop deluding ourselves - there were many who last Christmas/New Year totally ignored the rules and had parties and/or visitors

The difference David is, Janet and John down the road don’t run the country the government do and should be leading by example. If they can’t get it right then there’s no hope.
[/quote]

I agree....now can we have our manhole covers back

[Gill W]

The difference David is, Janet and John down the road don’t run the country the government do and should be leading by example. If they can’t get it right then there’s no hope.

That's what I was going to say. What with that and the institutional lack of honesty in the government, it's no way to lead a country.

What I still can't get my head around is that there are people who are complaining about what Janet and John did or what the local Labour Party leader did, but still can't bring themselves to acknowledge in public that Johnson and Co's behaviour is reprehensible. Its Whataboutery on steriods.

Hi Gill,

Whilst I understand opposition parties have an obligation to highlight what they believe are failings within the Conservative party (and there are many) I would however, like to see Starmer come up with something that isn’t a labour party aspirational interview.

I wholeheartedly agree with you about Boris knowing the truth but isn’t prepared to say it.

At this stage, I think that we are so far from a general election, that anything Starmer might say on policy matters would sound aspirational. I have to admit that I'm not really interested in that sort of thing at present. If we come to an election I'd listen to all parties manifestos so that I could decide who to vote for, buy, at present, I think Starmer's main role as leader of the opposition is to hold the government to account- and with our current government, that is a more than full time role!

[towny44]

I would prefer Starmer to do just that Gill, if he stuck to things like Brexit and the NI protocol, the lack of levelling up, and wasting efforts on fisheries. However just trying to find issues over who paid a decorating bill or sanctioned a Xmas party might be media fodder, but hardly worthy of a true opposition leader.

[Onelife]

I’ll give Starmer some credit, he hasn’t to my knowledge come out and said Boris should resign…he must know his best chance of winning will be if Boris is still in post.

[Gill W]

However just trying to find issues over who paid a decorating bill or sanctioned a Xmas party might be media fodder, but hardly worthy of a true opposition leader.

Those issues relate to corruption and flouting the rules that they themselves put in place during a health emergency. Which would be bad enough. But then the untruths and obfuscations to try and cover it up. What sort of opposition leader would Starmer be if he turned a blind eye?

In fact, what sort of person, turns a blind eye? I think this sort of thing still matters to decent people, even if some of them can't quite admit to it.

[screwy]

I’m just amazed that people can’t believe that politicians tell lies.

We’ll, no sh*t Sherlock.

[towny44]

I’m just amazed that people can’t believe that politicians tell lies.

We’ll, no sh*t Sherlock.

I seem to recall someone saying, "I did not have sex with that woman", mind you he was a Democrat so perhaps that's allowed. However I doubt that obfuscation from a politician is ever likely to stop, it is after all their stock in trade.

[Mervyn and Trish]

So is anyone going to question the motives behind Boris's announcement tonight? Or is that okay?

[Onelife]

So is anyone going to question the motives behind Boris's announcement tonight? Or is that okay?

The message came over loud and clear….lets just hope they can deliver by the New Year.

[Gill W]

The message came over loud and clear….lets just hope they can deliver by the New Year.

It’s a tall order. They are already working flat out, so I’m wondering how they are going to do more, as if a tap is being turned on.

19 days between now and New Years Eve, and it’s Christmas as well.

I think it needs to be done, but wonder if it’s humanly possible

[Onelife]

The message came over loud and clear….lets just hope they can deliver by the New Year.

It’s a tall order. They are already working flat out, so I’m wondering how they are going to do more, as if a tap is being turned on.

19 days between now and New Years Eve, and it’s Christmas as well.

I think it needs to be done, but wonder if it’s humanly possible

If they are going to get anywhere near the numbers they have quoted they need to blow caution to the wind and do away with the 15 minutes waiting time after injections…sleaves up, injection in and on your way… or close schools and use their facilities, seating etc.

[Kendhni]

I’ll give Starmer some credit, he hasn’t to my knowledge come out and said Boris should resign…he must know his best chance of winning will be if Boris is still in post.

Indeed, more and more people are finally waking up to the fact that they have been well and truly conned by Johnson .

[Mervyn and Trish]

Sadly we now have a death from Omicron. No details yet but hope there will be a reason such as a pre-existing condition or no jabs. Seems to have come very quickly so maybe Omicron has been around longer than we knew.

Meanwhile people who've resisted being jabbed are now rushing to get done. Hopefully that'll help stave off the worst effects.

And thanl goodness Sir Hindsight is taking it more seriously for once by echoing Boris's message rather than nit picking. I can't help thinking if he'd done that from the beginning some people may have been less inclined to ignore guidance.

[CaroleF]

It would be good to know, which we won't, if the person who has died had any other conditions, if they were fit and healthy before they court the variant. So many people died with Covid, in addition to prevailing illnesses, rather than of Covid.

Carole

[barney]

Sadly we now have a death from Omicron. No details yet but hope there will be a reason such as a pre-existing condition or no jabs. Seems to have come very quickly so maybe Omicron has been around longer than we knew.

Meanwhile people who've resisted being jabbed are now rushing to get done. Hopefully that'll help stave off the worst effects.

And thanl goodness Sir Hindsight is taking it more seriously for once by echoing Boris's message rather than nit picking. I can't help thinking if he'd done that from the beginning some people may have been less inclined to ignore guidance.

Weird that South Africa have hundreds of thousands of reported cases but no deaths and hardly anyone in hospital.
Our Omicron level is still relatively low and we apparently have folk in hospital and a fatality.

[david63]

Meanwhile people who've resisted being jabbed are now rushing to get done.

Nothing to do with Christmas and New Year on the horizon then