Bel Mooney

The runes do not change on a drily basis - that’s just the excuse used by people who just want to do what they want and use that statement as an excuse. She used a right wing tabloid paper to proclaim her entitled belief that she’s above the law. Stupid silly woman - I could imagine there’s probably been a sigh of relief from family members saying thank god we’re off the hook this year.

Rules daily etc

Yes - I was surprised by her tone and disappointed as she is usually very sensible in her advice. She makes herself sound rather shallow after the sacrifices made by others.

I think it's quite amusing and she has a point. I especially like
What happens to your ‘consent’ when you regard your governing class as stark, staring mad?
They aren't of course, simply more concerned with profit and the economy than with any other consideration. And trying to balance two conflicting ideas often seems like madness. It isn't of course in Bel Mooney's or any one else's home that the danger lies. It's in the pubs and restaurants where the rules are flouted, it's in the shops and streets where masks are not being worn and sanitiser is ignored. It's in the schools and colleges where there is no requirement for masks. It is in fact the result of a policy which makes no sense, has no joined up thinking behind it and which those in authority are happy to ignore when it suits them.

People like Bel Mooney are the reason we have to have "rules". Because people like her seem I capable of gradpinf the simple fact that close contact is what spreads the virus. And the more people you mix with, the more the virus will spread.

You don't have to be a genius to work that out.

That hasn't changed from the beginning poppyred.

Pity Bel Mooney is too dumb to understand and has to display her ignorance in the national press?

Oh dear see how cross I am.
incapable of grasping

It’s one thing trisher for a tabloid columnist to write about not agreeing with a law - it’s quite another for her to say she is going to break it.

And even worse to encourage others to do the same

And sneer at those who are trying to stop the spread.

I am tired of these articles from self-entitled journalists encouraging everyone to flout the law; it isn't just the Mail, the Daily Telegraph publishes them regularly; Janet Daley on Sunday, Miranda Levy (who she?) today. Whatever strictures are imposed somebody challenges them in print, then complains that 'the young' aren't observing lockdown properly and putting 'us' at risk.

I saw a brief snatch of film at the weekend about the London Blitz, along the lines of: "after 57 (?) days of continuous bombing the blitz seems to be easing", a voice-over to a film showing utter destruction. That is hardship, not silly loudmouths complaining because their planned parties are (briefly) curtailed.

There we go then.... grandsnetters know best as usual. ??

Poppyred

I disagree Luca.

So will you also be flouting the rules ?

Illte yes that’s it - it’s the sneering and laughing at the ‘little people’. Others that do it are Isabel Oakeshott, Rachel Johnson.

Poppyred

There we go then.... grandsnetters know best as usual. ??

With some notable exceptions

So today I am out on my High Street and watch people crossing at the lights-no masks, no social distancing. They are in fact carrying their masks in their hands (they have either just taken them off after going into a shop or are about to put them on to go into a shop.Why don't they just keep them on? Because they have been told they only need to wear them in shops! There will be some in the shops who won't wear them anyway and no-one will make them. There are staff not wearing masks. Thinking that this is acceptable but one Christmas family party is going to kill people is ridiculous. It won't and she's right. We need a joined up policy. Mask up, sanitise, social distance. Not a silly policy based on a random number. If you are a family of 5 you can't meet 2 other people but if you are 6 single people you can join up, where's the sense in that?

Poopy you are so right - I and many others know far far better than these ‘journalists’ mentioned. But then the bar is so low. It’s not hard to be better informed and sensible than the average journalist

The right wing tabloids are such hypocrites - full of columnists berating the Stasi, bullying marshals, snitching neighbours, etc.

At the same time 'name & shame' callow youths who've returned from somewhere and gone on pub crawls, or held raves and house parties.

"Thinking one Christmas family party is going to kill people is ridiculous"

20 people with virus after family party. Belfast Times.

Death toll rises to 5 after wedding party. Marine news.

Family Christmas parties immune from Coronavirus. Daily Mail. ?

I wish I could do links.

Public health measures are never about ‘just one’ anything. They’re about balancing and mitigating risk not eliminating it.

It’s the sneering exceptionalism that really bugs me.

Well said suzie.

20 people in one family are thought to have contacted this at a gathering to commemorate the death of a family member. But hang on aren't the children in Belfast back at school? Yes they started on 1st Sept but that has nothing to do with. it? So who started passing it on?
It is never as simple as one gathering. But the answer is Mask up, sanitise, social distance all the time when you mix with others. Not setting numbers you pull out a hat.

There’s me told then Lucca. I bow to your superior knowledge...about everything discussed on here and go back to the fringes where I obviously belong for darling to disagree. Shame on me!

No one is saying don’t mask, sanitise, socially distance. But in social gatherings there is a much greater chance of people’s behaviour being much ‘riskier’ and so smaller numbers reduce the risk.

Well off you go then Poppy

In our area of the Midlands, from today, two households are not allowed to mix at all in houses or gardens. From what I saw on my walk today, that isn't happening. It's hard but we must do it surely?