PMs message

Predictably - a complete shambles

Of course we could always think for ourselves. Is that such a novel idea?Would you get on a crowded tube without a mask?

Up until this point I have never been a Nicola Sturgeon fan but at this moment in time I wish she was our leader. I am embarrassed by our government. Boris waffled his way through his speech. When he said work tomorrow (today) I thought how is that possible at short notice and then Dominic Raab says this morning no he said Wednesday. I think I should get an hearing aid because I heard differently. So did a lot of people because a report on TV this morning said a nurse going to work this morning on a usually empty bus said it was jam packed and she was frightened as there were no restrictions and the second wave will come sooner and bigger than we think. They back track all the time and one MP can say one thing and when the next one is asked they waffle away like bloody idiots.

All big firms have been sent paperwork prior to this weekend about how to deal with the return to work . I know this as my DH and one or two others we know that are employers have told us this so they were expecting this to happen over weekend.
Concern tho about students completing their degrees this year. A'friend' who is employed at one of the larger universities has told us that if the students dont go back soon they will not be allowed to complete their degrees and that in many social distancing is not physically possible. Not sure if they are legally able to do this?

Spot on emilymaria! I guess BJ was attempting to please everyone - those concerned more about heath and those concerned more about the economy and their livelihoods. I think he was full of contradictions and failed on both counts. The information about who can go where is crazy - really it spells the end of lockdown. It's a license to be out and about all the time and with whoever... who will know if your tennis/golf/frisbee partner is a from the same household?!

Harris27, don't count on school places being available as it's a nightmare to organise and mostly won't happen.

I just glad I live in Wales.

He didn’t explain how to keep workers safe, how they would get to work, how are reception children going to remain 6 feet apart. It was a pathetic statement, what use is it if no one can understand it.

I thought that what the Prime Minister was completely clear but it is the media who have helped muddle things. I didn't hear that you could meet up with family, go back to work tomorrow, etc but afterwards, it was what was being discussed. I thought everything he was talking about was what they were considering doing if things went well and that the earliest thing that was going to change was on Wednesday.
I suspect that Boris consulted the other leaders about what they were going to do, not about exactly what England was going to do, especially with the slogan which once again I thought was perfectly clear.

He was addressing the United Kingdom but all the other 3 nations are doing their own thing.I think it is more like the prime minister of England.We appear to be 4 separate nations.
I am a fan of Boris but even I have to admit it was a bit of waffling.Why couldn’t he have done what Leo Varadkar(Ireland) did.Clear concise easily understood directions.I think it has all emphasised we are no longer a United Kingdom.If he is UK prime minister he should have led and the rest followed with their interpretations according to their situations

Gabriella and Jan16 and GrannyGravy

I agree with you all. I didn’t find the speech confusing because it wasn’t confusing. If you can’t work from home you can go back to work from Wednesday. Not today. Wednesday. Or later, because employers must ensure social distancing between workers. If you can work from home, then continue to work from home. Further guidance will be issued today.
What is the matter with people? Can’t people employ some thinking ? Why is it confusing? It’s not confusing.

Excellent, concise and to the point. Further details to be announced shortly.
Stay Alert - Don't be complacent.
You should return to work provided your employer has social distancing protocols in place.
When travelling to and from work, try to avoid using public transport if at all possible.
You may exercise outside as much as you wish - provided you maintain social distancing.
You may sit on a park bench. Maintain social distancing from others not of your household.
You may play sports with members of your own household at the park. Maintain social distancing from others not of your household.
Do not visit in other people's homes. Do not have visitors in your own home.
Social distancing and hand washing remain in place.
What is so difficult about any of this?

The Government and Boris Johnson was slow to react and ill prepared to deal with the corona virus.

Nothing has changed they want the economy to more on, however there were no clear guidelines to protect the public safety and lives.

Stay alert?? how, we cannot see the virus

Saying construction workers can go to work today, by car , cycle or walk. Giving them less than 12 hours to prepare. Were the Employers told to prepare for this. I think not.This is ridiculous.

I think the speak was repetitive. Not impressed at all.

The only think that impressed me was that for a change he had combed his hair.

icanhandthemback
Thank goodness for a voice of reason. The Prime Minister was indeed completely clear.

4,000 new tested cases yesterday, so possibly 40,000 in the community. And people are to go back to work today?! I employ 22 people. I have had no guidance at all as to how to make my workplace safe...

All parents should have talked through childcare strategies during this past 7 weeks.
All workplaces should have prepared for re-opening right after lockdown was announced on March 23rd.
There is no excuse for abdicating your responsibility to organise your own lives around this crisis.
No good in the eternal cry of I just want to see my family, hug my GC' but not preparing for life after lockdown.
Many of you prepare for accidents with insurance, prepare for winter weather by buying anti-freeze for your car and lagging your pipes, buy sun cream before holidays in the sun but having a plan for returning to work and having childcare organised, preferably with an alternative as back-up...no.
We'll think of that after we're told we can go back to work.

I thought it was a good speech relying on people using their common sense to implement the social side of this and not look for problems - like asking can I meet more than one parent in the park so long as we keep 2 metres apart - I just want to scream at them to use their common sense, but it seems some people either don't have any, or they just want to pick flaws in things unnecessarily, which seems to be what a lot of people want to do these days unfortunately, greatly encouraged by the media.
Regarding going back to work, I think they should have said it would start next week, not today, as most employers won't have the necessary measures in place. And if people can't walk, drive or cycle to work, then they should stay home unless they are in the essential worker groups which have have already been using public transport recently. It's obvious that social distancing can't be done on those systems. Hopefully today will bring some clarity on some of the issues that have sensibly been brought up today. How politicians don't tell some of the people that ask stupid and often repeated questions to get a grip, I really don't know.

Raab has now said people should not return until Wednesday. Its all unravelling at a pace.

STAY ALERT

It’s a shame this needs to be said but clearly there are many who can’t understand simple instruction. So Stay Alert means remember to maintain social distancing, remember to wash your hands, remember to follow government advice, remember to not go into other people’s houses or gardens, remember not to mix households although you can now meet one friend or family member in a park or public place and remember to maintain social distancing, remember to avoid public transport if possible, remember to stay in groups of no more than two unless there you live in a household with more members who are allowed to exercise together.
So what’s complicated?

Thank you Essex59 another voice of reason.

Emilymaria I liked your post. But sadly as long as the PM is a Conservative he is by definition Good and if Labour Bad on GN.

For the record I support neither party.

Daisymae
Boris said yesterday to return to work on WEDNESDAY.
If you can’t work from home and if social distancing measures have been put in place.

.....and maybe we will ask incomers to quarantine........or maybe not if you are French, because...........ah........because what I wonder?

Poor Boris, he can’t do right for doing wrong, can he?
I shall continue being alert.
I shall wash my hands several times a day when I think it necessary.
I shall keep my distance when out walking the dog and I shall wear a mask if I go to the supermarket.
I won’t visit my son and grandchildren who live a ten minute drive from me.

STAY ALERT means using some common sense and doing all the above.

They are doing their best under extremely difficult & un precedented circumstances. No-one ever thanks them for their efforts. They have families just like us and must feel the fear of the unknown. The Radio, Press & TV just thrive on looking for the negative and are succeeding in turning everyone to whinges, being a special case or blaming someone else. Just take a deep breath & get on with it in the best way you can.