Other government news. Life outside of covid

The death rate has leveled off but not fallen yet so I think it is reasonable to continue as we are, in a few weeks a gradual return to work will be ordered. The Building industry will be first, and probably others where social distancing or masks are practical and available.
Pubs, restaurants, travel and events will be closed for a long period, if we do get an accurate antibody test it will make it easier

If you wonder if forward planning is necessary just look at where we are today. Forward planning was never carried out during the first two months when this would have proven so valuable. As a consequence, PPE crises is still with us with one CEO of a large hospital trust phoning the bbc to see if they could help him in tracing PPE.

The testing is beginning to look like more than a crises, if 5h3 government doesn’t get a grip soon it is going to become a national scandal.

Plan, plan, plan.

Test test test

It isn’t rocket science.

Take Germany as the model and they won’t go far wrong.

No words Growstuff- just the picture of an anchor.....⚓️

Keir Starmer is getting more and more support for his call for the government to work on a meaningful exit plan from lockdown.

Businesses need the information on the possible way it will happen.

Scientists say that the government needs to publish its plans before they action them in order that they can be scrutinised for possible issues.

The population needs to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that they can see that they will once again be back to earning a salary and pay their mortgage etc..

Transparency is so important in taking the country with them and gain trust.

I wonder what a badge for MPs would have on it!

These people are just so damned insulting and patronising. But it's a typical response when people working in the public sector are under paid and under pressure:

Nurse of the Year
Teacher of the Year

Make excuses for not sorting out PPE and testing and, as a consolation prize, offer a badge!

"WWM2* MyIH commented this pm that the writers of The Thick of It would have a fine time after the crisis is over. We wait in hope

Care workers’ ears must have pricked up yesterday and a glimmer of hope in their day when they heard Tigger Hancock say “ I am here to tell you of the next steps in our social care package”

So how were our care workers going to be recognised in their outstanding work? It wouldn’t take much as up until recently the government had totally ignored their existence.

“More testing” said Tigger “definitely more PPE”

But Tigger saved the best until last.

He knew what care workers really wanted it wasn’t testing, it wasn’t PPE or more money or a Home Secretary who dismisses them all as low skilled, no of course not.

What they really wanted was a shiny brand new green badge.

I kid you not

A badge. A sodding badge.

Even the writers of The Thick of It wouldn’t have come up with something quite so crass.

And there we were all thinking that it was the bear who had the little brain.

Thanks to John Crace.

He should be asked to provide documentation for his expense claim - by HMRC. He should be declaring his £100,000 as income and then claiming the expenses through his accounts and paying tax on the difference.

During the early 80s I worked for a small practice that dealt with the tax affairs of 4 (all Labour) MPs including a home seretary. We used to prepare expense claims and declare their expense allowances. If the claim exceeded the allowance there would be a reduction in their tax liability and vice versa.

Mind you, that might not happen now, things have changed with HMRC and not just because of legislation. These days the head of HMRC has lunch with the CEOs of international corporations and they arrive at the tax that the companies will pay.

That is disgraceful. How is this allowed?

Not a good look

www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/robert-jenrick-has-claimed-100k-expenses-for-country-manor/14/04/

If the Tories remove the Triple lock on pensions many will have to claim Universal Credit. Then we shall witness pensioners who have paid tax in the UK throughout their working lives forced to attend food banks as the only way of supplying their essentials needs.

Just what the right in Britain loves to see.

Cummings eugenics plan coming along nicely isn’t it?

Already the Tories are planning to hit the less well off. You can see all the headlines can’t you? Reasons as to why the poor must be screwed once again.

It will probabaly depend on if Cummings thinks there are enough oldies left to support the Tories. Well actually it won't because they can do what they like for the next 4 years can't they? I wonder what they will manage to use this epidemic as an excuse for introducing. Triple lock gone? Universal credit cut? Tax breaks for the rich? Business rate cut? If the banks crashing could be used for austerity what can you convince people a pandemic needs?

I’m not a fan of pension credit or making people jump through hoops to claim stuff. I’d prefer them to have a decent pension in the first place and the triple lock will go some way towards providing one. Our state pension is one of the lowest in Europe and yet we’re one of the richest countries.

They are if it’s the Tories doing it

Removing the triple lock, does not mean that you cannot protect those who will suffer most from a drop in income. Pension Credit can be changed and beefed up and other changes can also come.

But as some one fortunate enough to have an occupational pension, and with a DH in the same position, I have found it very uncomfortable to be so protected by the triple lock, when I see the my own children and other people's struggling with falling incomes and increasing work demands.

Removing the triple lock and protecting the most needy are not incompatible policy aims.

monica are you suggesting moving away from a universal pension?

The extreme right in action again

I see Murdoch via the Sun is demanding that we give up our triple lock pension.

How dare a right wing, multi millionaire voice this view. What on earth can he know of the likely impact on thousands of the poorest people? What would he care?

M0nica in regard to your post @08:01, you should realise that when this virus epidemic is over the severe economic impact of the crisis will begin worldwide.

That may well bring forward increased inflation to which many living on state pension income will only have the Triple lock guarantee to preserve the meagre standard of living they have.

And I for one will be very happy to do so.

I see Murdoch via the Sun is demanding that we give up our triple lock pension.

I think one of the main difficulties the Government will have once it decides to start loosening the restrictions, is convincing the population that it's safe to go back in the water.

It wasn't the Government that started cancelling concerts and sporting events, and it wasn't the Government who stopped buying airline tickets and overwhelming online supermarkets.

Fear is very powerful. People need to feel convinced that this is for the best and bearing in mind the stream of horrible information that we have all been fed over the past few months, I think that is going to be an uphill struggle.

Those in charge changed their mind when the number of predicted deaths was quite simply unimaginable. The responses have been staggering slow and continue at the same pace.