Daily Press Conferences (Debate)

Sat 6 Jun 2020, 14:19 (last edited on Sat 6 Jun 2020, 14:29)

Chris, I think that the third paragraph of my post of 29th April may be relevant. 
You can find it here: https://www.charlbury.info/forum/6632#37170

Sat 6 Jun 2020, 13:58 (last edited on Sat 6 Jun 2020, 14:01)

Must be Robert Court's fault!

Sat 6 Jun 2020, 10:29

Anybody have any ideas why the UK seemed to lack enough chemicals for testing and PPE for NHS staff and Care workers at the beginning and height of the pandemic? 

Sat 6 Jun 2020, 08:36

I made it clear that I did not support Johnson but my view remains a Corbyn government would have been a financial disaster for the country and reduced our ability to support companies and employees If the extreme left had not high jacked the Labour Party we might be in a different position. I think that if Starmer had been leader at the election Labout might have won or at the least caused a hung parliament. I noted the comment from one of the new labour front bench 'I have always thought that a party looking to govern should be interested in the creation of wealth as well as its fair distribution' Not a concept that McDonald espoused!

Fri 5 Jun 2020, 16:30

And presumably cutting the top rate of income tax and defunding the NHS has prepared us well for this financial and health crisis? 😆

Please tell me more about how pumping money into network rail, whilst private companies reap all the profits is a sound economic policy. 

Did you know that on Wednesday 3rd June, the UK had more covid deaths (359) than Finland has had since this all began (322)? But I'm guessing that has absolutely nothing to do with social-democratic government or health funding!

Fri 5 Jun 2020, 15:46

Whilst I have no time for Johnson, I would point out that if Corbyn had won the election his spending proposals for tuition fess, nationalisation, pension compensation etc etc would have led to massive borrowing, a run on the pound and a loss of faith in the UK economy. When Corvid arrived we would have not been in a position to provide the furloughing and business support that has given businesses breathing space

Fri 5 Jun 2020, 15:34

He was articulate when he lied about weapons of mass destruction, ignored the UN and took us into an illegal war to help his US mate.

Not sure hindsight was necessary to realise that killing many young British soldiers needlessly was a mistake

He has been strategic in making his fortune advising political criminals providing they paid him enough

Not absolutely sure he's a role model or someone I would compliment!

Fri 5 Jun 2020, 14:07 (last edited on Fri 5 Jun 2020, 14:13)

Not to mention – allegedly! – finishing a book for which he’d been paid a large advance. 

Whether true or not, what a contrast hearing Tony Blair this morning.  We’re all aware of TB’s ‘big mistake’ (all political careers etc) and he had the good grace not to condemn but to acknowledge that hindsight is a wonderful thing.  But instead of waffle, bluster and no grasp of the facts he was articulate, knowledgeable and took a strategic view. 

And also spoke (blush – as I did a few weeks ago) of the experienced Tory ex-ministers who might usefully have been asked to help.  For dealing with this thing isn’t – or shouldn’t be –  so much about party politics (and far less about Leavers v Remainers) as about competence, about getting things done.  As Terry Thomas might have put it, and as far as I’m concerned, this lot are ‘just an ebsolute shaar’!

Thu 4 Jun 2020, 14:26 (last edited on Thu 4 Jun 2020, 14:35)

Maybe if Boris hadn't been away on country retreats sorting out his affair / divorce / marriage / child situation, and missing global COBRA meetings on covid, then we might've acted a bit quicker... see the *Times* article. 

Quite simply, the Conservatives have prioritised one advisor above ensuring consistent public health messaging during a pandemic — and you leap to your local forum to defend the man.  It does make you wonder how far people will go on toeing the line 🤦

Genuine question: If breaking the rules of the lockdown (that you drafted); breaking the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers; lying to the public about it repeatedly; consequently causing an increase in deaths (due to the lack of willingness among the public to continue to comply, as well as general confusion over messaging); doesn't mean you should be sacked or resign,  what does?

Even Piers seems to get it 😆https://twitter.com/Haggis_UK/status/1267352969109962753?s=20

Thu 4 Jun 2020, 09:20

Now that's a different issue all together!

Back in Jan/ Feb, those people should not have been allowed to return from Wuhan until they had quarantined there for two weeks. Likewise, the borders should have been closed immediately in line with other countries.

Why would I blame Labour? 

In terms of the high death toll, there are many reasons to consider, all of which I'm sure will be properly analysed when things have calmed down. I'm baffled at how Spanish football fans were allowed to go to a match at Anfield at a time when Spain was rife with infections - it's events like that that haven't helped

Wed 3 Jun 2020, 18:53

Impressive use of mind-boggling logic and distraction there Carl. 

For your next trick, can you explain how over 50,000 covid deaths in the UK isn't such a bad thing? Or how it's all Labour's fault?

Mon 1 Jun 2020, 16:02

Carl, I’m sure you could sell yourself as a cure for insomnia. 🥱 

Mon 1 Jun 2020, 13:05

Cummings admitted himself that in hindsight, he could have probably done things differently but as said earlier, he isn't being prosecuted. And of course the inbox of the Biased Broadcasting Corporations' Radio 4 programme is full of complaints!

Dominic Cummings is an adviser to the Prime Minister. He is not part of the Government nor does he play any part in drafting legislation, or indeed voting it through parliament - he advises. 

Now, I'm all for criticism and debate, but the same criticism should be dished out fairly. What about all the sitting members of parliament  who have been caught out? They are after all, lawmakers and should set an example not just to their own constituents but the nation as a whole. From past opinions on here, if Robert Courts had broken the rules there'd be huge calls in Charlbury for his resignation!

Whether a particular MP voted for a Bill or not is irrelevant, they MUST set an example. So Cummings aside, how about a bit of criticism for the following:

STEPHEN KINNOCK (Labour)

The MP son of Neil Kinnock, the former Labour leader went on “non-essential” travel during the lockdown after going to celebrate his father’s 78th birthday, 150 miles away.

IAN BLACKFORD (SNP)

Travelled 600 miles from his home in London to the Isle of Skye to self isolate. Was this necessary?

ROSIE DUFFIELD (Labour)

Rosie Duffield broke lockdown rules by meeting up with her partner, who lives in another household. A petition is out in her constituency to resign - I bet she doesn't!

KEVAN JONES (Labour)

Went to a birthday party... was this "necessary"? 

There are more but I won't go on. Haven't found any Liberal Democrats (yet) but I suppose there are only 11 of them. Todays relaxing of the rules at least means that more than 50% of their parliamentary party can gather.

Sun 31 May 2020, 13:01 (last edited on Sun 31 May 2020, 20:58)

I responded to Carl’s earlier post mainly because of his implied suggestion of hypocrisy elsewhere (of well intentioned people who complied with the Regulations).  Views differ – and may be entrenched – but let’s ask ourselves where the real hypocrisy lies – and why it’s important.

First no-one is ‘entitled’…

Long post - click to read full text

Sun 31 May 2020, 11:33

Sorry Carl - I hadn't seen your amendment before I pressed the post button but it's good to be clear that both the Prof whose name I forget and Mr. Cummings are supposed to be advisors or informers not policy makers.  

Listening to the radio this morning I've been trying to work out how to behave -  in a moderately high risk group, surrounded by others in a moderately high to severe risk group without any testing, tracing or knowledge about who has been in contact with the virus and who has had it.  I'm told we won't have a reliable test and trace system in place until the end of June.  I think I'm going to be waiting for that regardless of what the daily briefings say.

Sat 30 May 2020, 18:06

“We know that Mr Cummings has no moral compass”

oh no we don’t 

Sat 30 May 2020, 17:53

Regardless of the ethics of Cummings and others, it's 2020, Carl: is 'a fancy piece from the office' appropriate language to describe the woman in question (or anyone), who presumably is also an adult capable of making her own decisions. This isn't the Benny Hill Show.

Sat 30 May 2020, 15:23

Previous comment edited in correction Alice Brander

Sat 30 May 2020, 15:01

Plus he wasn’t the chief scientist, he was a professor of mathematical biology and a co-opted volunteer on the Cobra committee and he had already had Covid.  He must have been delighted to step back from such a set up role.  

Sat 30 May 2020, 14:58 (last edited on Sat 30 May 2020, 15:00)

Comment withdrawn.

Sat 30 May 2020, 14:21

He had to! Having a bit of 'hows your father' with a fancy piece from the office is slightly different to trying to do the best for your 4 year old son. Incidentally, after an investigation by Durham Police, DC is not facing any criminal proceedings. So aside from the 'liberal' resentment for the man, why should he resign?

Shouldn't the focus be on the COVID-19 situation and not the witch hunt of a single man (who does happen to be a human being and is entitled to make an error in judgement)? For every hour the Prime Minister has to spend answering pathetic questions about DC's actions, the less time he has to dedicate to continuing getting the country back on its feet.

Anyone know what's going on in Hong Kong by the way? You have to delve to the mid-section of the newspapers to learn about that...

Sat 30 May 2020, 13:58

As you said he resigned 

Sat 30 May 2020, 13:14 (last edited on Sat 30 May 2020, 15:22)

I don't recall the same treatment being dished out for one of the governments senior scientific advisers who actually played a part in devising the lockdown when he was caught out having a mistress around?

 I know he resigned but he got away with minimal criticism. 

A lot of the media hype in my view is the resounding bitterness that still remains amongst many of our impartial news outlets at the guy who managed to win a Brexit vote and get Boris into Downing Street!

Sat 30 May 2020, 11:30

Leaving aside the issue of moral conscience, a significant difference is that she wasn’t a member of the government (which Cummings is, in all but name) and therefore not guilty of hypocrisy or flouting her own rules.  

Sat 30 May 2020, 00:10 (last edited on Sat 30 May 2020, 00:11)

Maybe Carl that's because the earlier trip you mention fell (imho) within the 'reasonable excuses' for leaving home in Reg 6 [(2)(d) for chapter and verse] of The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 whereas at least one if not both of Cummings's did not.  And who in their right minds would 'test their eyesight' by driving for 30 miles?  'I say darling, I might hit a bus but let's go for a drive with our 4 year old son and find out shall we?'. 

Fri 29 May 2020, 15:44

Clive, I have said nothing on here that is not available to anyone who cares to look!

Just saying ...

Thu 28 May 2020, 13:05

Not so long ago, at the start of the lockdown, a woman posted on this very forum that she was planning a trip to Calais to distribute items to refugees. Several people condoned her intentions and I think I see some of the same names on here now condemning Dominic Cummings... funny that!

Wed 27 May 2020, 19:59

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfrThV6DJu4

Wed 27 May 2020, 10:21

I see that Robert Courts' BBC TV News interview has created quite a stir on the Parody Boris Johnson Twitter site:

 https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson_MP/status/1265399462794612736

Wed 27 May 2020, 10:08

Courts was also on R4 news yesterday defending the indefensible.  Extraordinary behaviour. 

My birding family & their friends are telling me that the fences and 'keep out' notices are going up around an important wetlands area of Teeside for this new free port.  They have been wondering how Nissan would be included because it's inland.  (Incidentally, free ports have always been allowed under EU rules, Southampton was a free port.)

I remember the words of Patrick Minford, the only economist supporting Conservative libertarians funding 'vote leave'.  Brexit would "mostly eliminate manufacturing", particularly referring to the car industry. Mrs May rushed up to Nissan and gave them an unspecified deal to stay in Sunderland making electric cars for a local market.  It could re-locate as it will be much smaller.   Obviously jobs will be lost.  So what other jobs might be created for a free port?  How about a deal between 2 huge pharmaceutical companies GSK & Sanofi to produce UK needs of vaccines.   Their letter of intent to work together signed 2 days after Mr. Cummings' visit.  What else might be located there?  Maybe a hydrogen plant using solar and wind energy to create very energy intensive hydrogen.  Toyota see that as the way forward rather than electric vehicles.  

And who is going to run the 'track & trace' programme?  Others may know more about that.  Wasn't Mr Cummings' sister was involved in the Vote Leave barrage of twittering.  

Mr Cummings was just working up in the North East.  I hope he has similar plans for the remaining parts of an industry generating £82 billion turnover per annum.  All very interesting, but I don't think we needed to leave the EU to do any of it.

Tue 26 May 2020, 23:02

I have just watched Courts’ grovelling appearance on the local BBC1 news and have written to tell him what I thought of it.  I also asked him for the statement in the Coronavirus regulations which allowed Cummings to travel 264 miles as I haven’t been able to find anything relevant, given it says very clearly that if anyone in a household has symptoms they MUST stay at home.

Tue 26 May 2020, 22:09

No PMQs this week, only the liaison committee which has been fixed so Johnson doesn't get too many tricky questions...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/may/26/boris-johnson-to-face-minimal-questions-on-cummings-conduct

Tue 26 May 2020, 21:33

I thought Cummings was following his mummy?

Tue 26 May 2020, 20:31

I do like Charlie M's recent posts.  Almost like he knows something we don't.  Follow up Barnard Castle, etc.  It's all like 'Deep Throat' in 'All the President's Men'.  At what point will Charlie tell us to 'follow the money'?

Tue 26 May 2020, 18:23

I think Johnson will have a very difficult PMQs tomorrow when facing Starmer's forensic questioning

Tue 26 May 2020, 14:45

Furthermore, from the information that I have seen, Johnson is never likely to sack Cummings. It would be inappropriate to place the reason here.

Tue 26 May 2020, 14:15 (last edited on Tue 26 May 2020, 22:21)

No, it seems he might not be that bright.  I had no idea until all this chaos that Glaxo Smith Kline have a base in Barnard Castle and that Sir Patrick Vallance is the former head of R&D there.  I was puzzling and puzzling as to why one would visit there in lockdown, lovely though it is.   

I had very much hoped that Mr. Johnson and Mr. Cummings would be in their respective posts on 31st December 2020 when the transitional arrangements come to an end.  I believe that people who break things should be responsible for picking up the pieces.

Tue 26 May 2020, 14:13 (last edited on Tue 26 May 2020, 14:13)

Ah Leah! The $64,000 question! 

Some say that there are other reasons for the Castle Barnard trip!

https://www.businessdurham.co.uk/news-events-county-durham/latest-news/item/glaxosmithkline-in-barnard-castle-enter-vaccine-collaboration-to-fight-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0176LChOhhLocW6zq3Ox7rCYgLieojBWzGK30ck7s__UlXW_k06c5GCkw

Tue 26 May 2020, 14:10

What puzzles me is why Mr Cummings had to test his eyes by driving to Barnards Castle, why didn't his wife drive home? Or can't she drive?  

Tue 26 May 2020, 14:08

Liz, if you are referring to Courts, then I concur. Just a characterless "yes man", for whom "the party" is more important than his long-suffering constituents.

Tue 26 May 2020, 12:14 (last edited on Tue 26 May 2020, 12:14)

I don't think he is that smart.

Mon 25 May 2020, 15:38

We know that Mr Cummings has no moral compass and likes a challenge.  Having successfully stopped the election of a mayor up in the North East, prevented the Alternative Vote, delivered Brexit and then got Mr. Johnson elected, do we now think he is working for Mr. Raab?

Just a thought but if I were Mr. Courts I would obey the Party Whip by putting up support of Mr. Johnson on my blog as requested and then wait for the torrent of abuse to come back to be used in evidence against Mr. Johnson to further under-mine his position.  Just like they undermined Mrs May.  After all Mr. Courts is a member of the European Research Group, a supporter of Mr. Raab and both of them want to see an even harder exit from the EU.  

Mon 25 May 2020, 07:31

For the first time, I have been moved to send my thoughts to Mr Courts.

Sun 24 May 2020, 15:54

Liz - Your silence speaks volumes!! .

Sun 24 May 2020, 15:38

In an effort not to "politicise" things I will keep my thoughts about Robert Courts to myself.

Sun 24 May 2020, 14:46

I particularly like the Dominic Cummings' Lockdown Tour Teeshirt, further down on the Twitter page - with a list of all the places Cummings visited in lockdown.

I would buy one of these if available!

But, yes, Courts' response as obedient to instructions as I expected. 

Sun 24 May 2020, 10:36

Thank you Richard. I do not twittify (?!), so would not have seen this, but his response is exactly what I would have expected of him.

Sun 24 May 2020, 08:23

Our MP made a comment here: https://twitter.com/robertcourts/status/1264137180282314753

Sat 23 May 2020, 23:58

Indeed Gareth; I assume that the Dean resident to whom you refer is probably its most famous one? If so, I may be agreeing with him for the first time ever.

Courts, our excuse for an MP, seems silent about this whole matter. I check his Facebook page (and occasionally add constructive comments to it!), but it seems about as pointless as the aforementioned daily propaganda statements ... sorry ... briefings.

Sat 23 May 2020, 22:21

The defence of Cummings (branded by one Dean resident as a sociopath) seems to involve undermining all the regulations imposed on every citizen.

Sat 23 May 2020, 15:09

Mr Johnson reminded families not to turn to vulnerable relatives to look after children as the elderly and people with underlying health conditions were urged to distance themselves from others.

He told today's press conference: "Children should not be left with older grandparents or older relatives who may be particularly vulnerable." (March 18)

So:-

Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.

Don't send kids to grandparents.

Self-isolate if symptomatic.

How is it that a man of Mr Cummings supposed intelligence managed to disobey ALL these instructions from his boss?

The Police are understandably worried because they are in the middle trying to enforce the rules and regs, but policing is by consent and in the face of such hypocrisy a large number of the British public have just withdrawn their consent.

Sat 23 May 2020, 14:16

There's clearly a mistake in your statement Hans.  The British are best at everything in the world so the Swedes couldn't possibly be!

Sat 23 May 2020, 08:49

We've stopped listening to them too. The science appears to be different in Germany, South Korea and Taiwan. I'm watching Sweden closely. Last week Brits saved the day! On Monday there were two FOREIGN people at the Swedish daily public health press conference. These FOREIGNERS could prove that Sweden has the highest Covid-19 death rate! It was two FT journalists who used the 7 moving average and on the 20th May and a few days before they were correct.. Then on Wednesday the first set of Swedish antibody tests gave 7.3% infection rate in Stockhom - a LOT lower than anticipated, no herd immunity 1st of May as promised. One "expert" Tom Britton (I know but he's Swedish) who used to say herd immunity is just around the corner has now changed his tune to herd immunity may never happen.

These two things have completely changed how the media treats Anders Tegnell (he's the one leading the pandemic response) - from him being the new Jesus, to is he really doing the right thing? Will there be a change of strategy? I certainly hope so, and I think this may be the time. The Swedish mindset is that Sweden is best in everything, and being worst in responding to the pandemic has caused a real bodyblow to the whole nation.

Fri 22 May 2020, 22:04 (last edited on Sat 23 May 2020, 12:36)

BREAKING NEWS - You can after all travel with your partner and child to visit your parents 250 miles away, you can also go indoors (even if you have symptoms of Coronavirus) as long as your name is DOMINIC CUMMINGS.

Stand by for a load of platitudes from Boris as to why he has complete confidence in this wierdo. Any last vestige of respect for this bungling administration has just been blown right out of the water.

Fri 22 May 2020, 21:58

Amazing how everyone becomes an expert sometimes. 

Fri 22 May 2020, 21:40

We took a decision to ignore the daily presentation of lies, for the good of our wellbeing.  It was the right choice.

Fri 22 May 2020, 19:25 (last edited on Fri 22 May 2020, 19:52)

Agree.

I feel the government are not listening to the science that could have helped sooner. It's frustrating.

The science I would have liked them to listen to and act on included loss of sense of  smell as a symptom, despite me reading about its prevalence weeks ago. They have only just added it to the NHS website.This has meant that people (mainly young) with only that symptom have not known to self isolate and have potentially spread Covid.

And then there's masks. Government have now decided it would be advisable for people to wear them on public transport. But the evidence from overseas demonstrates to me that it should be mandatory in inside public places. The idea being the asymptomatic people protect the rest of us by wearing them. I read that if 80% of us did this it could help us get out of lockdown successfully.

Making sure the population is not vitamin D deficient.

What other science have you all thought that the government should have acted on sooner?

Fri 22 May 2020, 18:51 (last edited on Fri 22 May 2020, 18:57)

Is anyone else getting rather bored with these, especially all the Government spin?

Today, not only did we have my least favourite minister in the chair, but we had to endure what seemed like a 3 minute advert for UK Border Force. Most of the questions to the minister got ducked (as usual) e.g. summer holidays because they don't want to get sued for openly saying don't book one. (BTW - Shearings went bust this evening).

Not so pretty Patel's quarantine regulations are too little too late, like most of the government response to this crisis.

What really gets my goat is "we are being driven by the science". How come then that the advice / rules vary across the British Isles? In Northern Ireland up to 6 people from different households can meet outdoors as long as they socially distance. Go south and that drops to 4. In England its no more than 3, while in Scotland and Wales it's ZERO - expect a fine. Also, if it's safer outdoors than indoors, what about schools?

Finally, it now turns out that the government has been counting a test kit sent out and returned as TWO not ONE. Sounds like a new episode of Yes, Minister!