there is 87 boroughs and the reasons are as I posted a while back..[ not necessarily the .gov fault, more scientists needing to mop up all information and following their code of trust nothing unless facts prove otherwise some 2 -3000 "rich Indians" chartering flights and melting into English countryside .. where do they go TO HIDE! in areas of thecountry with high density populations of their own race Bolton...Blackburn ...Darwen etc etc etc Bristol is heavy on Somalians and Etheopians SPARSE areas of other races!.... one report is 70% of all cases is now Indian variant but deaths are at nationally at single figures all cases? / races. just look at the tv coverage of the VACCINE ques …. pretty much all same race [ non British white ] .. most if not all of the stewards are white European? I am going to investigate getting on the follow up testing! give a spot of blood to test for anti bodies ...
So big brave Dominic Cummings is now trying to put the boot in once more when giving evidence to the handling of the pandemic, including his own parts in various Government failures. I can't help thinking that if he had done the honourable thing and resigned after making a trip of hundreds of miles up north, and then deciding to go on a joy ride to 'test his eyesight' whilst there, while during that time the rest of us were under strict instructions not to go out aside for absolute essentials, then people may take what he's saying more seriously now. Also, Boris could and should have sacked him at the time for what he did which would have avoided this tit for tat posturing. But now he just looks like a scumbag, and what's even funnier is that with no credible opposition party in place, the Tories will probably just brush this off again.
What an incredible take that is ^^^^ . Not like us to disagree mind please log in to view this image Some thing's never change eh
Angelic, I'm not so sure. No doubt Cummings is out for revenge but I want to hear the government's response today. I look at politicians from all sides with little respect and honestly wonder how they would cope in business and the real world in general. Since the start of the pandemic I've tried to cut the government some slack in a completely unprecedented situation. I have nevertheless cringed at some of the indecision throughout, the late 2nd lock down, the closing of borders especially the latest from India. I do agree with Cummings thoughts on the inward looking Civil Service. The only plus in all this has been the supply of vaccine and that was handled by experts from the private sector. It will be an interesting day for Boris and Hancock in particular but before I go completely overboard I want to hear their response.
Yeah without a doubt. We obviously lean on different sides of the political spectrum but there are very, very few politicians anywhere who would have the slightest clue of what it's like to live a 'normal' day-to-day life, both in work and socially. What are these rumours? Something about Boris not being able to afford to live on his current salary (rent free mind) and spending 27k on takeaways? Probably bollocks but when it comes to idiot politicians nothing surprises me. I'm sure Labour would be not far off as bad somewhere as well. With regard to Cummings, I can't stand the bloke but I'm inclined to think that what he said was a sugar-coated version of the truth. It's very difficult to sit for that many hours and outright lie in that much detail. Obviously it will be tainted to make himself look better but I've no doubt the government really were as **** as he was making out throughout the first half of the pandemic. Which is pretty terrifying. But as you say, let's see what Boris and hand on cock say.
Agree with all of the recent comments and this governments handling of it at times, but my point was that if there was a decent opposition party, then it would likely get a whole lot more interesting than it probably will. Hancock may or may not go, but Cummings didn't. Boris seems to have a huge reluctance to sack anyone, including Priti Patel who I'm sure is the bully she was made out to be.
True, I can't work out what Starmer's game is at all and I doubt he can either, useless so far. But until we hold the government to account they are basically untouchable. It's a grim state of affairs at the moment.
Watching Cummings and Boris slugging it out is, to me, like watching a tick fight it out with a louse, or a wasp fight with a horsefly. They are egomaniacs who are both willing to lie their way into getting what they want, with utter disregard for anything or anyone they break along the way. It's shocking that either of them came anywhere near running our precious country. I WILL give them (the Tories) the Vaccine programme though - that part has been handled well.
I think Cummings is a sulky, slimey ****, he is just trying to spread the load but there must be an element of truth amonst his tales of woe, obviously there is a lot more to hear before any judgements can be passed, it's a case of wait and see. It was a pity but Labour MP's hardly redeemed themselves, their main interest seemed to be wasting their time trying to blacken Boris's character instead of investigating Cummings claims, typical weak opposition tactics.
The impotence of the Labour party is much of the reason we find ourselves stuck with Boris and his bunch of clowns. W@nk3r though he is, Boris is really the only option - and it hurts. You can see people's despair in their voting habits, with the Green party starting to gain votes. I hope the Labour party sorts itself out soon, not because I particularly like Labour, but because we desperately need a strong opposition to hold the government to account. Rob is right - right now they can do what they want largely unopposed.
l Tories are not exactly shining examples at the moment but can you imagine an opposition of Jeremy Corbyn, Keir Starmer, Caroline Lucas, Ian Blackford and the biggest puffball of all Ed Davey leading our country, we are doomed. please log in to view this image
That's exactly my point - they were unelectable under Corbyn - and still are under Starmer - although I find Starmer slightly less awful than Corbyn - at least he doesn't support the IRA. Still unelectable though. And any party with Diane Abbott as a member is unelectable!!!
To be honest I know the lot of you hate Corbyn, but I liked his policies, and at least he actually stood for something, even if you didn't like it. Starmer is basically incompetent in the same way but I have no idea what he stands for. Which in some ways is even worse. When it comes to potential replacements... any thoughts on Andy Burnham? I've always thought he speaks pretty well and seems a bit more down to earth than the rest of them. Not that I have any clue as to his competence mind.
I'm afraid that I've become so disillusioned with politics that I couldn't comment - I don't follow it any more to be honest - apart from, rather selfishly, the bits that directly affect me like Brexit (with my Spanish retirement plans) and the Covid travel rules. For me, the last Labour politician who I thought would make an excellent Prime Minister - head and shoulders above any of the others - was Hilary Benn. That speech in particular that he made about sending the RAF to Syria was one of the greatest speeches I have ever heard in my lifetime and gave me shivers down my spine listening to it. Here it is if you haven't heard it: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj7oYqo6OnwAhXN8OAKHdaICIwQwqsBMAB6BAgHEAE&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_dRCzd19Uc&usg=AOvVaw13rJiCOQq_9XP11V6itlCZ Corbyn had him immediately stripped of his role and consigned to the back benches in punishment - and he seems to have now faded away. As for the Tories, Boris, despite his lies and bungling, oozes charisma, which is why he remains so popular, but a stateman he is NOT. In fact, I can't think of any current politician from any party who actually IS statesmanlike (apart from Benn).
sorry.... cant accept this statement …. do you watch PMQ's / Westminster channel at all? .. Cummings is a bitter bitter peson, even more so when he does not get positive press or the comments he makes are merely taken as pinch's of salt. He has to elaborate even more wildly [lying? ] to try and enhance his stab thrusts so that peeps will take notice … but the peeps have only visions of him flouting the rules whilst he suffered... Boris, a little bit of marmite to some! …. He gets lambasted by sir stammer every week... [ should get 6 questions usually has 6 goes in stammering out one!!!!] Boris states the basic facts... last pandemic was 100 years ago … this is a new beast that needs to be tamed! I [ Boris ] accept and am very remorseful of the death's of so many, yet you mr Rear view just keep on with the same " i support it / we should do this on one day and when it fails ignore the fact it was your support/idea and accuse the .gov of failure. At a time when you should support the rebuilding of the countries economy you stand there trying to score political points … we move on [ .gov ] vaccinating [ which had you been in power would be worse off than the EU as you voted for EU vaccination scenario ] putting people back in jobs moving the economy forward ….etc etc etc I do not think you can accuse Boris [ .gov] of lying .. they are being very transparent, sticking to a plan [ might not in hindsight have had the right answers at the right moment ] which has got us to here. 2 MILLION PEOPLE IN Indian COVID AREAS? after 15 months people should now realise following the rules is the way to win … they don't … we live in a free world [ UK] and cant go on forever demanding that people stayed locked up! … you are denying 1,999, 123 people freedom because of the selfishness off 877 … or less!
Its the same groups as before who have not followed the rules since day 1, live in multi generational housing, mix freely and without care, and some of whom are refusing the jabs. As for Cummings, he should crawl back under the stone he came from.
So infection rates are up 49% in a week and 73% of those infected with the Indian variant have not been vaccinated, there's a surprise.
That would suggest that 27% of the infections have been found in people who HAVE been vaccinated. That's surprising - and a bit worrying to be honest. Also, I've read on various news reports that the Indian variant is infecting a lot of younger people - who would be too young to be eligible to receive the vaccine anyway.
A lot might be people having had only 1 vaccination, the most worrying part is the predictable areas where the Indian variant is prevalent and the low take up rates in those areas.
I am not being racist here but strangely enough we have the identical ethnic situation over in Canada which is high rates of the variant plus the lowest vaccination take up. Could someone please explain the reason for 9 family members having to travel to India for another relative's illness and going against all that is sane and reasonable in the Covid world?