Boris announcing in House of Commons now

“Imagine if Corbyn were in” Well he might be giving free broadband out or cancelling HS2 . Terrible. (I didn’t vote for him btw, but just saying someone else would be worse, even though there’s no evidence, does not make Johnson good).
Every country is not in the same boat btw.
Those who think the rules are simple- tell that to the ignorant who don’t know how to wear masks properly.

lemongrove I don't understand either why people say the rules are confusing. Even if it is difficult to keep up with Boris’s explanations, the rules are very clearly laid out, either on the app or the government website.

The truth is no one knows what they are really dealing with covid . He is trying to appease so many people . Instead of trying to appease people he needs to get bit tougher and tell it how it is . Would they rather be lock down for a few weeks or be dead . People need to grow a back bone rather than whinging they can't to the pub or can't have a Christmas party . We are all in the same boat and need to pull together and if we don't , we will probably in the same situation next year .

Lemongrove I totally agree with you. Certain members of the public wilfully miss understand or say they are confused simply to follow their own agenda. Clearly spelt out yesterday what each tier meant.
All countries are ' bumbling' along and none have got it right as yet. All are simply trying desperately to do the best they can. Some desicions are right, some wrong.

The message that has been clear right from the start, from the WHO downwards, is that the key to containing the spread of the virus is test, trace and isolate. This is the one strategy that the government has failed to pursue with any rigour.

A secondary message has been, for quite some time, the use of masks. Also not pursued with any rigour, despite the fact that it is simple, effective, and no threat to the economy.

As for the opposition, week after week in PMQs Starmer has highlighted the shortcomings of the testing and tracking operation and asked for action on it. To no avail. There would be absolutely no point in the opposition coming up with an alternative 'plan'; they would just be ignored in the same way that the government is ignoring everyone with concerns about not only their handling of the covid pandemic but also anything to do with Brexit.

If posters think that there is bias against the government on here, they should have a look at the rightwing media. There isn't exactly universal support for Johnson from them, either...

The Mayor of Liverpool was whining about needing Government support for the imposition of stringent measures but there was no evidence he was doing anything to stop the carousing of students plainly and deliberately ignoring social distancing in the towns centre. Ditto other northern locations

my twopennorth

life has changed, and we all have to accept that life will not go back to how it was,,, until we accept that lots of changes have to be made.. well....

the most obvious one to me, is universities should teach by technology,, even perhaps the older school children.....

but then.... change of this amount will take a few years to come about, just look at history.....

Buttonjugs until they close schools, colleges and universities.

I agree, but once schools are closed, the parents can't go to work, so what to do? My daughter is a secondary school teacher and she says it's incredibly stressful and an absolute nightmare, but they are limping on.

Universities could have studied online at home, but then students were selfishly saying "What about our university experience?"

Tob, how heartily I agree with you on this awful and lazy practice of copying and pasting that goes on here. I cannot understand the arrogance of people who openly declare that they have not read the previous contributions but then proceed to comment. Is that a basic lack of general interest or what?

“Government put its hand in its pocket” is US putting our hands in our pockets - we will be paying for all this in taxes for years to come.
It’s all totally new for everyone - not just the Government, not just us in the UK but the whole world, we need to just get on with it and all do as much as we can to damp down the spread

Why don't we all just stop whinging and get on with it. Life has had to change, we have to adapt, we can't keep whining on about Christmas and all the things we want to do as if we are the only one who wants to see our families and friends.

We all want to get back to our normal lives but it's not going to happen any time soon, and all the complaining does nothing for mental and emotional wellbeing.

I believe that, with something as unknown to everyone, including scientists, politicians of any hue would find it difficult to get everything right at every step.

I constantly hear moans about "confusion," "it's no worse than 'flu," it's this it's that. Nobody ever thinks to suggest a better path (or perhaps they have no idea either). If you can't come up with a more sensible remark than complaining that Boris is difficult to understand, then what's the point of posting.

To answer the post question ... no, the new rules are not enough. We should have had another sharp lockdown as recommended by the scientists in September.

As for the idea that Liverpool has been ignored for years ... in what way has it been ignored? Surely not more than anywhere else?

Well I'm doing my own lockdown as don't like how cases are rising like last time only going out for essentials food doctors appointments

Totally agree some people wear mask under chin or hanging from ear completely stupid

I would like a new clear ruling about what actually constitutes a bubble.
We are being asked by Social Services to form a bubble of 2 couples and one small child for the next three weeks. The couples living in different counties but meeting in each others homes every day
I have requested , no demanded, a letter from our LA accepting responsibility for the flouting of the bubble rule as I understand it

Where I live in Preston Lancashire I follow to the letter the advice given on the city council/ Lancashire council website it’s clearer because it only tells you the rules/advice for your specific location and I only listen/watch the local news channels. It has helped me as during the first lockdown I thought I might go mad!! I also believe that those who have disregarded any or all of the advice given for whatever reason are the main cause of this second wave not the government or the scientists or any other body that have been trying so hard for us all to resolve this tragic Covid 19 outbreak

Coco51

The Mayor of Liverpool was whining about needing Government support for the imposition of stringent measures but there was no evidence he was doing anything to stop the carousing of students plainly and deliberately ignoring social distancing in the towns centre. Ditto other northern locations

Perhaps you could tell us what the Mayor of Liverpool could do to 'stop the carousing of students'?

Local authorities do need government support. They're not the ones who are having £billions thrown at them to, for instance, fund local public health authorities whose tracing operations are proving to be far more effective than the privatised £10billion government operation. They've had their budgets cut to the bone over the last ten years. They're not in a very good position to do anything.

I've just read Sunetra Gupta's take on the response to the pandemic. It's in today's Times 2 supplement. She believes the new lockdown will be devastating. WHO advises against lockdowns as a way to end the pandemic. The cure is worse than the illness.

LauraNorder I understand perfectly about balance and think that Boris is doing really well. I always understand what he is talking about and in most part agree.

I have no doubt that students are contributing to the rise of cases in Liverpool. Ironically, they're doing what the advocates of herd immunity want.

Nevertheless, it isn't just students. I've been reading some of the comments on Twitter after Steve Rotherham's and Andy Burnham's posts. It's clear that people (not students) haven't been following the guidelines. Some need to work to pay their bills, so have ignored instructions to self-isolate. Others are scared stiff of losing their jobs and livelihoods altogether if their businesses are closed down.

Both of those groups could be supported more by government. The cost would be relatively small, compared with some of the contracts to cronies. There are others who are just very angry (and I can't say I blame them), because they feel Westminster isn't listening to them. They flout the rules as a way of sticking two fingers up to the government. That's childish, I know, but that's how people react when they feel powerless and treated unfairly. The prominence given to herd immunity ideas on the BBC and in certain papers over the last few days and stupid hoax theories haven't helped.

Johnson has lost their trust. An effective leader gets people to do things they don't like, but Johnson isn't an effective leader.

Grandmama

I've just read Sunetra Gupta's take on the response to the pandemic. It's in today's Times 2 supplement. She believes the new lockdown will be devastating. WHO advises against lockdowns as a way to end the pandemic. The cure is worse than the illness.

Sunetra Gupta's theory has been widely discredited by almost all respected scientists. She hasn't had anything peer-reviewed and her theory looks like a leaky colander.

Maybe he could introduce a Test, Track and Trace system to identify where cases arise, and provide more targeted help and support.

It isn't a case of lockdown versus no restrictions. What the government should have been doing all along is enforcing the rules/laws it made itself - starting with Dominic Cummings and Stanley Johnson.

railman

Maybe he could introduce a Test, Track and Trace system to identify where cases arise, and provide more targeted help and support.

He most certainly could, starting by giving local authorities more control and taking it back from Serco and Dido Harding.

The Prime Minister clearly outlined the latest guidelines. Some people will choose to follow them, others will not. The message couldn't be clearer.