Category: Politics

Is that how you spell it? he won’t resign as any decent human being who had made such a crass statement would. He is confident that he has surrounded himself with such incompetence that there is no one who could readily replace him. Rumours that the Daily Mail is plotting to get Gove seem unlikely.

Did he say it? Probably as it fits his character, engaging brain before speaking is not his forte! there a lot of people who are anti the lockdowns, so maybe the damage is not so bad? In some ways the meeting about the ESL is more damaging voter wise? Especially in the northern former labour seats. Basically the red wall voters do not care about sleaze as it is sort of expected from politicians, and Johnson sort of gets away with it through humour. Climate change will see him having to adopt a much more intelligent role.

Firstly, recent demonstrations of both left (Stop the bill) and right (Stop the restrictions) have turned violent. Both have shown scant regard for others with little mask wearing or social distancing.

The government has shown gold medal winning brilliance at selfishness with contracts to mates. And yet we see the polls giving Captain Blunder a clear lead? When their only success is the roll out of the vaccine by the NHS and volunteers (and armed forces?) why are people still fixated on themselves and what they can do next? During the first lockdown people were genuinely helping each other, and looking out for the less fortunate.

This does not bode well for the future when a crisis of much greater proportion really starts to bite. Would anyone other than a fool really trust this government to make a positive impact on climate change. As evidence of their lust for greed we have the permission for a new coalmine in Cumbria, new road building, no back track on Heathrow extension – please Johnson, do as you promised, and go and lie infront of the bulldozers! The Stanley Johnson clause that allows travel to property owned abroad, but not family?

Whist in Germany the lead in the polls is taken by the Green Party. Sensibly they have a proportional representation system which elects a coalition government. Oh how we need that in the UK NOW! And before people revert to the vaccine argument for the competence of the government it is worth noting that Germany still has way fewer deaths than we do. Yes they have their bonkers fringe in Eastern parts of the country (Which I am not really understanding – why do the right wing parties do so well in the part of Europe most ravaged by right wing extremist parties in WWII?

And then our weird relationship with home ownership. For those who own property the last 15 years has seen its value rise at about 5% our year, whilst wages have been relatively stagnant. My house has doubled in worth in the last 20 years, I am not sure how much wages have risen in this time, but for those starting out in life or with uncertain income, it has been a pittance of this. Who owns property? Predominately the white, middle class and middle aged/old. Basically the young are disenfranchised by politics which are weighted in favour of these people (like me!).

I guess the bubble may burst – it seems to go against economic theory that house prices can keep rising ad infinitum. Oh supply and demand – I wonder if this is correct? 126000 more people have died from covid over the last year than would have otherwise have died? Most were old. So does this mean that potentially there are at least 50000 more houses o the market? Most will be in the poorer parts of town, but an impact? Will the UK become less popular now that we have left the EU and have stricter immigration, thus lowering the numbers of people moving in (and probably more moving out). Will London’s property bubble burst as people move out (I suspect that many are renting their houses rather than just selling up)? If the bubble does burst we could see a fall in property prices that becomes very geographical?

Well Johnson versus Cummings; everything to lose versus nothing to lose.

The problem with this issue at the moment is a) it probably is not illegal (even if morally wrong); and secondly most people do not care.

Senior government officials have stated that 2-10% of positive tests might be accurate (Cock up number 1 as this was likely), it is being rolled out for free for everyone (cock up number 2 – well actually it might be more of a fraudulent process?), then Johnson says he will consider relaxing the self quarantine imperative (Cock up number 3 – don’t consider it – just do it).

David Cameron did not (probably) break the law. However the law is often written by and for politicians. It is not against the law – in fact it is the law – to stone women to death in Saudi Arabia and other barbaric states. But morally??

Yes that is correct – the government need to learn the lessons of the past lockdowns – just turning up to the debate was not enough. A new variant in Wandsworth and Lambeth with 45-75 cases. Yet the government has not announced a local scheme for lockdown/testing.tracing.isolation – fines for those breaching the rules (e.g. going to a pub/restaurant outside the lockdown area. Such rigid enforcement should contain outbreaks and minimise the economic impact.

However the ministers seem to be too busy filling their boots to bring any bad news to the attention of the public.

Basically the whole Tory party is now tainted by sleaze. The latest being Cameroon whose lobbying may not have been illegal but was certainly immoral. The same goes for the MP’s claiming large amounts for flats in London whilst letting out properties elsewhere. Contracts without tender, and to mates. Manny Shinwell was correct when reprimanded in Parliament for calling the Tories liars – his response was ‘not all Tory MP’s are liars’

So tomorrow the lockdown is eased significantly. Even in places like Corby, Wakefield, Barnsley,Mansfield and Clackmananshire where cases are 3x national average and over 100 per 100000.

In the south-west the figures are much better with numbers below 15 per 100000. I would like to hear of a much more effective test and trace system. With numbers of 30 in the whole of North Somerset surely this would be possible, practical and with payments to ensure isolation, affordable.

The holiday season will bring challenges to the south-west. Litter being one of them. Social distancing will also be important to continue.

I was asked if I was 95% protected? Firstly that % is still not 100%. Secondly, it misses the point. The evidence seems to point that lockdown is the most effective aspect, aided massively by vaccines. Herd immunity (if it exists in this context), is unlikely to occur until a vaccine prevents rather than protects.

So is there a dilemma in me going to see my children and grandchildren? I basically should be ‘safe’ personally. I am unlikely to spread the virus as I am careful, and the infection rate here is low. So the odds are good all round. However there is a but. But the virus is still out there (and statistics show it still to be widespread); perhaps 50% of people are not getting tested if they have symptoms, and 50% may not have symptoms.

So am I likely to get or transmit the virus – No. If everyone in my position stopped being ultra cautious would the virus spread – Yes.

Then there are the variants which will continue to develop, but faster if there are more people with it. Then there is long-covid which I do not comprehend, but seems to affect a large number of people.

So basically I hope people will go out and visit pub gardens, etc. but must socially distance. the governments lateral test scheme seems to be more white smoke and unicorns.