Tin Ear over Corona Virus and Boris Johnson

Of course they should take advice, but maybe learn from others too? This take it on the chin we’re British mentality. I do hope they get it right of course, but why no firmer restrictions? Contrast the message from Giuseppe Conte ( pm of Italy)
“ distance ourselves today so we can embrace more lovingly tomorrow” , with BJ s “some of you will lose loved ones” - which is the more positive message?

vegansrock the world and the country has never faced a crisis like coronavirus, everyone, from governement downwards is feeling their way forward blindly, trying one thing and if that doesn't work and they know more, changing direction. They are clearly calling on the best mathematical, epidemiological and medical brains in the country to help them, but they too are having to work partly blindly.

What do you want the government to do? Continue on a plan that is clearly not working because they cannot be seen to change their mind.

That economist Paul Samuelson when castigated on changing his mind on a subject said Well when events change, I change my mind. What do you do? Exactly the same thing applies in crisis.

And equally vegansrock a number who will say that whatever the government does is wrong. Neither stance matters. Right from the outset, the government made it clear that advice would change according to progression of spread and why. Plenty of people with no ongoing accountability are spouting their own agenda, but the thing is, this is new territory and no one has all the answers. The threat is massive and we all have a part to play in keeping ourselves and others safe.

It seems to me that there are a number of people here who will say that whatever the government does is right. When the government completely changes their approach that is right too but the previous thing is forgotten and not mentioned. Point out a problem or an apparent error and one is accused of scoring political points in the midst of a crisis. I hope they‘ve got it right , but I fear the lack of testing and the lack of firm restrictions is just trying to shift the blame from the government for running down the health and social care services. in China case numbers are falling, but that is after weeks of severe restrictions and testing.

Grandad1943 thank you for the heartening news in your last post. I suspect here will be many industries frantically trying to adapt to these changing times, or to find new ways of working.

What would be helpful perhaps is if the government could get a planning group together to help facilitate some of these changes.

For instance there are employees now experiencing redundancy from the travel industries who will have a sound understanding of logistics and could possibly be re-deployed to assist in the movement of goods, engineers from car manufacturing who could turn their hand to re-furbishing ventilators....I don't have the imagination to predict where, or how else, people's skills could be utilised, but I do think that there needs to be a strategic lead, from the government, to look at the re-deployment of the very many people who have lost, or are about to lose, their jobs.

POGS in regard to your post @21:30 today, there would seem to be problems building up as European Union member states close their borders to free movement. However, that process it would seem is causing long delays to freight traffic despite the EU Commission stating that the trucks carrying that freight should be treated as priority.

There does not seem to be many delays on the Spanish, Italian and French borders at this time but should that come about it would undoubtedly impact on the 40% of British fresh food that is transported across those borders.

The largest problem for road transport is the fact there is a huge shortage of experienced LGV drivers with some estimates placing that shortage now at sixty eight thousand drives due to many polish nationals who have been working in the British road haulage industry returning home.

However, with the vehicle production plants closing due to the crisis there will be a number of car delivery LGV drivers without work who can be transferred across into food delivery operations. They will require training in the handling of refrigerated trailers etc, but it is hoped that we can get that underway as soon as those car plants cease production.

Its a mess and a muddle with problem solving all the way at present POGS, but as I stated in an earlier post there is very much a "can do" attitude right through the industry in this crisis which we in our company feel proud to be part of.

What a difference in attitude those in the road haulage are demonstrating to so many other industries who only wish to sit back and expect the government and others to solve all their problems for them.

After all, you cannot go into self-isolation if you are three days from home waiting to cross the Italian border with a forty ton truck full of fresh produce.

Grandad

How many lorries and drivers do you know of ' stuck' abroad with the advent of EU Border closures?

I have been listening to the PM et al at today's government briefing on T. V and Rishi Sunak giving his speach in H of C this afternoon. Somewhere along the line transport and SHIPPING were mentioned, have you any knowledge of things afoot?

Dinahmo

'POGS I should really be comparing Macron and Johnson, in which case that wouldn't be fair because Johnson would lose. I have just watched some of the broadcast and wasn't overly impressed by Johnson's performance. He mentioned pubs more than once which is a bit of an irrelevance.'
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Thank you for replying but I mentioned the Chancellor as he is the money man and you were referring to the UK government spending - ' the govt really doesn't want to spend the money needed. '.

I was genuinely interested to understand how the far reaching announcements made today by Rishi Sunak fared with France and I ' presumed ' that is where you live.

I think it is probably the case all governments are doing their best but it is a complicated / extremely detailed question, thanks anyway. We are all in a mess. ?

Well done to them, Grandad, not just in this country but worldwide.

Without them the produce would not get to the shops, the farmers would go out of business and we would all starve.

' He mentioned pubs more than once which is a bit of an irrelevance.'.....
interesting that. Didn't his father say on national tv that he would ignore advice about not going to the pub if he needed to go [who 'needs' to go to the pub btw?]. And Tim Wetherspoon, Johnsons pal said it would be foolhardy to close down pubs.

POGS, in regard to your post @18:20 today all the help that the government has announced will undoubtedly be very welcome to all business owners, employees and employers.

However, it will not be politicians or politics that will see this nation through this crisis, for it will be those who take a positive attitude in this situation and actively seek answers to the problems their businesses face.

In the road transport industry that our company engages with we are witnessing enormous efforts and success by those running that industry to overcome the problems that have hit many companies in road haulage.

It is literally Britain at it's very best and all in our company are proud to be in support of those people both as those who are employed and their employers.

Road haulage and distribution is an essential industry especially at this time which has to be maintained in operation to the function of all in this country, and those working in that industrial sector are doing just that.

POGS I should really be comparing Macron and Johnson, in which case that wouldn't be fair because Johnson would lose. I have just watched some of the broadcast and wasn't overly impressed by Johnson's performance. He mentioned pubs more than once which is a bit of an irrelevance.

As regards Sunak, he was OK but still not doing enough to help the low paid. For people who are self isolating for two weeks the following are the amounts of statutory sick pay they will receive:

UK £188
Austria and Germany £575
Sweden £460
Netherlands £402
Spain £241

As with so many things in France, sick pay is more complicated than some other countries but it starts at 50% of your basic salary over the last 3 months. The percentage is higher if the employee has 3 or more children.

I could write more but my OH has just called me to dinner!

Meant to say, when she'd been bested. It was her normal modus operandi.

Oh dear POGS they all appear to have gone quiet. It's strange because there was a certain poster who hasn't been around for a while, who used to just lose interest in a thread and go off casting scorn and slurs on other threads. I wonder if she's changed name again?

Dinahmo Tue 17-Mar-20 16:40:54

'The UK is playing catch up and the govt really doesn't want to spend the money needed. Yesterday, as I've posted elsewhere, President Macron stated clearly when announcing the new regulations that came into force at noon today, no company would be allowed to go bankrupt as a result of this crisis. It seems to me that the French are ensuring that whenever the crisis ends, businesses will be in a position to start up again.'
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How do you think the Chancellor Rishi Sunak performed at today's media gathering aired live on our t.v news channels in comparison to the proposals by Macron?

How do the UK measures fare against the French?

Yes; I must apologise profusely. That is far more positive thing to say.

Labiak
No, he didn't say that. He said we may all lose someone. That is different to saying will.

Negativity? Wasn't it Johnson who told us we would all lose someone before this was over?

I don't believe anyone has suggested all will be ok as long as posters stop criticising Boris. Maybe some find all the negativity draining; it's certainly not helpful.

The UK is playing catch up and the govt really doesn't want to spend the money needed. Yesterday, as I've posted elsewhere, President Macron stated clearly when announcing the new regulations that came into force at noon today, no company would be allowed to go bankrupt as a result of this crisis. It seems to me that the French are ensuring that whenever the crisis ends, businesses will be in a position to start up again.

BJ still hasn't dealt appropriately with the plight of the self employed in the UK.

It is actually possible to support other people and criticise the government. To deny that BJ is making an absolute hash of the whole thing and is just playing catch-up rather than. being pro-active and introducing real legislative change and real helpful financial measures, is just ridiculous. And pretending everything will be fine as long as we all stop criticising him is bonkers.

Thank you Namsnanny. We do need to have a bit more Haha.

Also I heard on the tv today that insurance companies would class this as an Act of God and as you all know if you read the small print on your policies, they don't cover them!! It's awful.

tickingbird .13.07... the voice of reason.

Time to pull together.
Find a way to put a hold differences and do something POSITIVE!

Less blah blah and more Haha would be a start!

tickingbird 9.36 .. precisely!

I think there is an issue with insurance for pubs, theatres, restaurants and so on, that they can't claim on their insurance unless there is legislation to close them, rather than advising people not to go. I wonder if that affected the government's thinking? The insurance companies may be paying out big time.

Fact is that most restaurants and bars wouldn't have had the required insurance for this sort of eventuality so it makes little difference

It's jut been commented on BBC News