Is Macron grandstanding?

MawBe

EllanVannin
It's all about this new strain Kitty as he doesn't want it in France as well as here where it appears to have come from, so he wants everyone to be tested-----which this government should have done from the start when flights were coming in thick and fast from goodness knows where

Sadly not true EV .

What is not true about this? I'm not sure that the virus 'has come from' the UK - not saying it didn't, but I'm not a virologist so couldn't say with confidence one way or the other - but the rest of it seems true to me.

We absolutely should have closed the borders back in March - as an island we had a massive advantage over the rest of Europe - but look at us now.

I imagine the new strain is everywhere and quite possibly was anyway before it was identified here
Yes Terribull one of the scientists admitted in an interview on C4 news the other day that it only appears to have started here because we have the best genome tracing facilities in the world.

I don't think it is quite as simple as lorry drivers listening to the news, hearing about queues at ports and turning back. They are contracted to take a load, and unless they are owner drivers there is little they can do, sadly. I think this situation is probably a combination of poor management here and a bit of electioneering from Macron. He needs to show he is taking the health of the electorate seriously, and to be honest, any leader who is careless enough to leave their borders open knowing there is an added viral problem deserves any criticism they get. The tabloid press, with their jingoistic war like attitude to fishing boats in the Channel have added fuel to the fire.

It does appear that the media are placing the blame on the uk, which is just ridiculous. I would demand that French lorry drivers entering the Uk have a negative test too.
Political game of chess at its worst! It will take days to clear.

Tim Spector (Kings College) in his update today said
1. The mutation has been around for months and the scientists have known about it
2. There’s no firm evidence (so far)that this mutation is more transmissible than other forms of the virus.
But let’s just blame the British people & the British government anyway and kick the boot in.
Yes kitty he’s grandstanding.

But I think that the media & official scientists here have overplayed the ‘new’ virus to justify increased restrictions.
Unfortunately it’s come back to bite them on the bum as Macron et al have taken them at their word & then used it to their own political advantage.

I'm no particular fan of Macron but really don't think he was grandstanding - on Sunday Matt Hancock did gravely announce that the new variant was out of control!

And surely it caused nearly as much disruption on the French side as it did ours?

I imagine the new strain is everywhere and quite possibly was anyway before it was identified here.

Just interested, does Macron have a Cummings in charge while he is indisposed?

EllanVannin
It's all about this new strain Kitty as he doesn't want it in France as well as here where it appears to have come from, so he wants everyone to be tested-----which this government should have done from the start when flights were coming in thick and fast from goodness knows where

Sadly not true EV .

Got it in one Kittylester !
Macron’s popularity has waned since the halcyon days of his election and he has to bear in mind the ever present threat from the likes of Marine Le Pen and the next elections.
Yes, IMO he absolutely is.

When the news about the queues started, why on earth did more lorries join them,.. ridiculous! Why didn't the ones at the back just turn around and drive back to the depot releasing ones further down the line?

EllanVannin

It's all about this new strain Kitty as he doesn't want it in France as well as here where it appears to have come from, so he wants everyone to be tested-----which this government should have done from the start when flights were coming in thick and fast from goodness knows where.

I know that Ellen!

The new strain of the virus isn't confined to the UK. It is already on the continent!

I have a soft spot for Macron, and he's still quite poorly with the virus, so it's probably his advisors who are taking this tough line. With much pressure from the french Unions who are still very powerful in France.

The only thing Boris should be getting the blame for is his minging hair cut.
And yes i blame M Macron,i do feel sorry for those drivers though.

It's all about this new strain Kitty as he doesn't want it in France as well as here where it appears to have come from, so he wants everyone to be tested-----which this government should have done from the start when flights were coming in thick and fast from goodness knows where.