Two books I ought to read are Go Big – Ed Miliband, and Seven ways to Change the World – Gordon Brown. Both were considered by the shit press to have been incompetent, but how we need either of them, or even someone with half their intelligence to lead us know! I said I ought to read, rather than have read! My attention span has never been good for academic books! Maybe one at a time, chapter at a time, or even page at a time!
CYNICISM
Why is the announcement about the future timetable for Covid restrictions being held at 6pm? It clashes with the Slovakia Poland game – perhaps he has put them on a new list?
The cabinet meeting was last night and with more leaks than a colander it has already been suggested that removing all restrictions will not happen for at least 5 weeks. Is it to give the Tory press time to concoct excuses to their readership whom they have been extorting to get out and party for the past month? Is it to protect the inadequate members of the Cabinet (just about all of them) from requests for media interviews, until they have had time to learn their lines. Lines that will deny that this is a prolonged lockdown and that really this is just another excuse to enjoy the sunshine.
Also bleating are business owners who claim to have spent thousands on preparations to open next week. Well all fool them, they had only to follow the stats and listenn to the experts to know that it was not looking good. Oh well, they probably do not believe the experts (as told not to by Johnson and Gove during the Brexit campaign).
And whilst on politics – what was Johnson doing taking his offspring to a meeting of world leaders? They must’ve been well pissed off at having to smile at Wilfred all the time. Maybe it was a diversionary tactic by Johnson to reduce opportunities to raise discussions about Brexit and Northern Ireland. None of the other leaders seemed to have brought their offspring along. There also seems to be a move to put Carrie at the centre of government as Trump did with his family. She should take a good look at how Melissa Obama did the second lady bit with aplomb and class. Perhaps she could set up and run a food bank, or grow some veg at number 10?
Incidentally where will Government Ministers be holidaying this year? Morally none of them should travel outside the UK
COVID – JUNE 13
The raw stats for North Somerset are 25 cases per 100000, total in last week 54 which is up 36. 5% have had Covid, 79% have had first jab and 60% second jab. What the stats do not tell us is the age of people who have contracted the virus, nor hospitalisations. It would seem reasonable to expect the younger age groups who are not vaccinated to have highest number of cases. It would seem that the delta strain is much more contagious.
I’M NOT RACIST BUT ….
Johnson backs Gillian Keegan (Education Minister – amazingly) by refusing to correct her assertion that taking the knee was divisive. It does not take an Einstein to notice that racism is divisive. Such a shame that there are still so many racist twats in this country. The football authorities should be able to identify them, name and shame them, and ban them.
BREXIT
Having spouted lies throughout I guess they thought they could just write the rules themselves. Sign the best deal, and then expect it to be altered at their whim and fancy.
Unfortunately they do not suffer like the people of Northern Ireland who are being driven back into the chasm. G7 is not designed to make decisions, just to develop friendships and lines of comnunication. Biden is therefore going be followed by Johnson like a bad smell! My friends in Europe want nothing to do with the duplicitous twerp, and Trudeau will not want to upset Biden.
STUDENT LOANS AND THE GENERATION GAP
It is suggested that students should start paying loans back at a lower threshold of £19000. Already priced out of the housing market, having a high unemployment rate, the young are being penalised for COVID which did not really impact on their health. A more sensible approach would be to increase tax on pensioners receiving over £30000 (or whatever is needed to restore an equable relationship between the generations. After all most, like me have paid off their mortgages (which were minuscule compared to what is required today). At present the children of wealthy parents have the distinct advantage.
TRUTH IS NOT A 4 LETTER WORD!
As knucklehead Johnson seems incredibly bad at Maths I thought I would point this out. Could we ask all politicians to take a lie detector test before elections.
The latest farce is Gove refusing to apologise regarding a contract awarded last year to cronies. A judge has found them guilty, but despite this they continue to deny responsibility. And later today we will see doormat Hancock denying that care homes had to accept untested patients from hospital, despite the evidence of numerous emails. Will he rely on the same excuse as last time “he was working very hard”. A phrase open to a lot of interpretation.
In many ways all is well in the world when national daily papers have anything about the royal family on them. Who gives a ****.
G7
Could be interesting. Biden does not seem to want to hang about – so Northern Ireland will possibly be explosive. Diplomats like to prevaricate, but Biden seems to want some action. Trade deals are imperative for the Johnson crew, so threats to that could make interesting reading. Johnson seems to want to keep tax issues as distant as possible whilst Biden has said he wants to increase them (Bezos, Buffet, Musk and 22 other very rich, paid just 3.4% tax over the last 5 years). I am not sure Israel will come up for discussion – but again could be interesting. Will the USA exert a greater influence over proceedings now that Trumps shadow is receding.
IN THE NEWS TODAY – 9 JUNE
Lots of potentially huge stories. Cabinet Office found guilty of concealing the work of one of its elements in obstruction Freedom of Information requests. NHS is to delay sharing patient data. Huge outage affects internet yesterday.
Covid remains dominant in the news, cases up, hospitalisation and death down. Now, more than ever we need clear and firm leadership. To the lay person like myself, it would seem that there is no real reason to carry on with restrictions. However even I can see some warning signs. Cases in North Somerset have doubled in the last week. One jab is only 50% effective. Some restrictions would seem sensible – social distancing where ever possible, mask wearing in crowded indoor areas. Vaccine passports are being used at Wembley for the Croatia game.
Meanwhile the NHS is 35000 nurses short and is recruiting poorly qualified people. And in Cornwall the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro is clearing wards in preparation for the influx of tens of thousands for the G7 conference. People have also even been warned to avoid calling 999.
Cicada – this year is the cycle of the 17 year cicada. Millions will come out, mate and die leaving their 500 eggs to hatch and then burrow into the ground for a 17 year wait.
Siri says it might rain this afternoon. I hope so – the water butts need filling!
My “Pardon the weeds – we’re feeding the bees” sign is on its way! I hope the pots follow soon, as I have at least 12 mints and herbs to repot.
TAKING THE KNEE
Thank you Lee Anderson, aka, knob. The continued discussion generated by taking the knee justifies its continuance. Those who claim it is a political movement are just looking for an excuse to justify their latent racism. And the morons who boo the England team, or any other, are basically announcing to the world that they are useless twats with nothing better to do than condemn someone for having a different coloured skin to their own. So Lee Anderson you can not watch England play football (I often would rather not …!), but your bigotry is offensive.