Thousands on the beach yesterday - Wednesday

Even in NZ, a British couple who tested positive somehow or other got through the net. If I were a New Zealander, I'd be absolutely livid with them for showing such arrogance and stupidity.

In the UK, we don't even seem to be trying.

growstuff

Ellianne I couldn't agree more.

It's difficult to convey sarcasm/irony online.

They aren't sensible in the first place growstuff.
In NZ those quarantined are put into 1st class hotels, fed 3 meals a day plus snacks, have doctor and nurses with them, are taken out for exercise, all for free. Try doing that in the UK!

Ellianne

Maybe all those who crowded our beaches this week will now be content with their fortnight in Spain or the likes and leave it at that.

And not quarantined when they return! That doesn't sound very sensible.

EDIT "any of these people" shpuld read "all these people".

Maybe all those who crowded our beaches this week will now be content with their fortnight in Spain or the likes and leave it at that.

Callistemon

Have a look at what happened at Ogmore-by-Sea in Wales, growstuff, I'm sorry I can't do links on here.

Yes, I do know that for a fact, growstuff.

I have no idea why you keep defending these selfish, stupid people.

I don't know where you get the idea I'm defending stupid, selfish people. I'm not. I think emergency powers should have been put in place to stop all people going to beaches.

What else do you expect when Johnson told Brighton and Hove's MP:

“I will be calling on local representatives such as himself to show some guts and determination and champion their communities as venues for people to return to and support."

My objection was (and is) to people who seem to know for a fact that the people on the beach were all furloughed (ie sponging on taxpayers). Nobody knows for a fact the personal situations of any of these people.

The argument seems to be that everybody can go back to work because they go to the beach anyway. Well, no! The people who didn't go to the beach and are possibly still shielding themselves are putting themselves at danger, unless their workplace and journey to work is safe.

It's a flawed argument.

Callistemon I'm not sure what you mean re the teacher.

I followed up the case and there are more details in Schoolsweek.

The headteacher had already handed in her resignation in January and was concerned that her reputation would be "tainted", so she hit back.

The school has over 200 pupils, but the school's Facebook page shows that only five pupils out of Years R, 1 and 6 returned on 8 June, so only a handful of teachers were needed in the building.

The woman complained that some of her own staff wouldn't work in school for three days (rather than the two days they were already there) because they had childcare issues. She didn't say who they were, but they could easily be identified because most of the staff work part-time and a third of the staff is leaving at the end of the year anyway.

Crucially, these staff weren't required to be in school to teach children, but to prepare for their appraisal, which could easily be done at home and/or via Zoom.

When the interviewer on the radio programme pointed out that she, as manager, was accountable, she went off on a rant about HR rules and the unions.

She behaved totally unprofessionally and the governors were absolutely right to suspend her. If she had issues with individual staff, this should have been dealt with internally. Quite obviously, she had a political point she wanted to make.

She has now "tainted" the reputation of the staff involved, without going through any procedures. They can't respond because they are behaving professionally.

Without knowing the full details, this headteacher sounds like a control freak and a bully. The staff didn't need to be in school and did seem to have genuine reasons for not being able to return to physical working at short notice. It was up to the headteacher to give them tasks which could be done at home. It's obvious from the school's Facebook page that staff have been working hard to provide pupils with home learning packs and trying to keep in touch with their pupils.

Re the teacher:

Which is just what we said!!

Have a look at what happened at Ogmore-by-Sea in Wales, growstuff, I'm sorry I can't do links on here.

Yes, I do know that for a fact, growstuff.

I have no idea why you keep defending these selfish, stupid people.

Lucca

MerylStreep

I see a teacher has been suspended for saying ( on the radio) that 'some' teachers have just been sitting at home doing nothing and not pulling their weight.

It sure how this relates to the Bournemouth beach incident ?
But the thing is that I’d guess in any job, profession etc there are those who don’t pull their weight. All I can say is you wouldn’t have got away with it in the school(s) i taught in

There are bitches in teaching just as there are everywhere else.

I've just been reading about this woman. She seems like a person who's very keen on watching her own back and blaming everybody else.

Unfortunately, there are too many people like that in all walks of life.

maddyone

It’s obvious that if it’s safe to congregate on beaches, safe to demonstrate and riot, safe to hold street parties, and safe to celebrate in throngs after football matches, then it’s clearly safe to get back to work. The economy will be in terrible trouble at the end of all this. Yes, the furlough scheme was the right thing to do at the right time. And now is the right time to end it.

The economy doesn't have to be in terrible trouble. The Bank of England will push a couple of buttons and transfer money to the Treasury's balance sheet. The government will be doing an inter-government transfer.

The government does not have to borrow money like a household does. Eventually it will increase money supply and the government will use interest rates and taxation to control inflation.

The actual "wealth" of the country hasn't disappeared. Don't forget that government debt equates to private wealth anyway.

That doesn't mean that some individuals won't suffer, but that's up to the government to mitigate. It can can control who is supported and how money circulates.

Callistemon

Oh dear. Well, they may have been speaking from personal experience of course. Most who I know of have been pulling their weight but it must be irksome to know of colleagues who may not be.
Of course, they are not furloughed anyway.

growstuff I think you're playing Devil's Advocate.
On a normal sunny day in June when people are at work and children in school, there are not usually half a million people heading to Bournemouth and causing a major incident.

Do you know that for a fact? On a normal sunny June day, going to the beach is not such a novelty.

I object to the people who claim to know for sure that these people are all furloughed, when they know no such thing.

Where the heck did you read that the transmission rate is dropping by 4% day? In a book of fairy tales?

I'm sure you've been working really hard at your job JenniferEccles to set a good example.

Nor in the schools where I taught Lucca. Unfortunately, there are also some colleagues from hell who like to lie about others to make themselves look good.

Do you honestly think JE that businesses that can open now or from 4 July are deliberately not so doing? Why would that be? I suppose there might be some potential scam but there’s always scams regardless

MerylStreep

I see a teacher has been suspended for saying ( on the radio) that 'some' teachers have just been sitting at home doing nothing and not pulling their weight.

It sure how this relates to the Bournemouth beach incident ?
But the thing is that I’d guess in any job, profession etc there are those who don’t pull their weight. All I can say is you wouldn’t have got away with it in the school(s) i taught in

Many of the pictures were doctored. Drone photos show that Bournemouth beach was busy but not that bad. Camber sands and Brighton were also busy but plenty of room according to friends. I have seen the estimates of rubbish on B/mouth go from 10 tonnes to 30 tonnes depending on source. B/mouth depends on beach goers and clears this type of waste all thru the summer months. A great deal of money was spent in B/mouth over the past few days which was desperately needed by business. Will there be a spike? Highly unlikely as we have not seen any spikes from other days at the beach or the VE day celebrations. Just let people enjoy themselves and live your own life.

Obviously the furlough scheme was essential at the start of lockdown to provide an income for those unable to work but I do not think it should have been extended until October.

October! That’s four months away! How on earth can the country afford the billions it will cost?

I read that the transmission of the virus is dropping by 4% a day and now the distancing has been reduced ,there really is no excuse for workers and children to not resume their normal lives.

Even professor doom and gloom himself doubts there will be a need for another complete lockdown, saying that if necessary it would just be on a local level.

maddyone

It’s obvious that if it’s safe to congregate on beaches, safe to demonstrate and riot, safe to hold street parties, and safe to celebrate in throngs after football matches, then it’s clearly safe to get back to work. The economy will be in terrible trouble at the end of all this. Yes, the furlough scheme was the right thing to do at the right time. And now is the right time to end it.

I agree.

Those who are on the shielded list should continue to be furloughed if they wish it.

Those not working would have to make their own decisions.

I know friends of ours are desperate for carers to return to look after the husband and would prefer to take the risk rather than continue as they are with no help.

Maddy. I agree. People should be going back to work. All my family have worked throughout the lockdown. Some from home but there are several who are doctors and nurses and have been very busy.

I know not everyone has been able to go out to work but judging by the amount of people on beaches, at raves etc then it seems time to restore some order and get people back to work.

People behaved in a perfectly common sense way until Dominic Cummings and Boris Johnson showed us that following the guidelines was just for the little people.

suxiewoozie of course they want to get back to work - well, most of them do, I'm sure, although I do know of instances where they were disappointed not to be furloughed! but they must be exceptions.

But keeping people locked down, unable to work, for good reason and then not controlling the situation in any meaningful way when lockdown is eased is a recipe for disaster and a new spike in cases.

It's a balance between public health and safety and the economy and perhaps the government relied too much on people's common sense and consciences.
This has divided the population into those who care and those who do not.