Covid enquiry. He’s not daft as he looks.

Not daft, wily.

No he's not daft. Cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, and totally machiavellian - but not daft.

And you think A N Other prime minister (regardless of party) wouldn't have done the same?

Septimia

And you think A N Other prime minister (regardless of party) wouldn't have done the same?

So, as my mother would have said, if everyone jumped off a cliff would you do it too?

Just because someone else might have behaved as corruptly and unscrupulously as Johnson does, does not legitimise his choices. Perhaps whoever brought you and everyone who thinks that is some sort of argument should have been told that in their early years.

It is always a sign of desperation and having nothing positive to say when people start 'whatabouting', isn't it?

I am just pleased that an enquiry is scheduled.

Until such time as it comes to a conclusion everything is whataboutery and speculations.

GrannyGravy13

I am just pleased that an enquiry is scheduled.

Until such time as it comes to a conclusion everything is whataboutery and speculations.

Always is.

Many people supporting the Tories have a mantra we constantly hear.

“Wait and see”

But Johnson would rather we waited until after his pencilled in election, that is my point.

What is wrong with beginning to set up an enquiry now?

Pippa, I was merely making an observation, not condoning his actions. Nor do I consider what I said to have been an argument in his favour. I have a low opinion of the morals of a lot of politicians - they're mostly where they are for their own kudos.

It's come to something when we consider the ability to count up to 5 as a positive attribute of a prime minister.

GrannyGravy13

I am just pleased that an enquiry is scheduled.

Until such time as it comes to a conclusion everything is whataboutery and speculations.

Actually having carefully watched what was happening over the past year (well, longer because I was well aware of what was beginning to emerge from China last January) and how the government were dealing/reacting to it I’ve got a pretty good idea of what is going to be in the report of the enquiry. Apart from the procurement of vaccine they have been totally always reactive. And still is,looking out how long it took to start quarantining people coming from India.

Whitewavemark2

GrannyGravy13

I am just pleased that an enquiry is scheduled.

Until such time as it comes to a conclusion everything is whataboutery and speculations.

Always is.

Many people supporting the Tories have a mantra we constantly hear.

“Wait and see”

But Johnson would rather we waited until after his pencilled in election, that is my point.

What is wrong with beginning to set up an enquiry now?

I guess (and it is only a guess) that by 2022 the UK and hopefully the rest of the world will be on top of Covid-19, the scientists will have been crunching their data and know more about the virus, how to prevent it, how long immunity lasts from vaccinations and/or actually having had Covid along with how to treat it.

No point scheduling an enquiry when we are still in the throes of Covid-19, especially since some of the expert virologists are predicting a third wave going into winter.

If you add 5 to 2019 do you not get 2024 as the date of the next election?

PippaZ

No he's not daft. Cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, and totally machiavellian - but not daft.

This, and more!

varian

If you add 5 to 2019 do you not get 2024 as the date of the next election?

No but with the repeal planned in the Queens speech and I’ve also read that Johnson is looking for an election 2 years hence.

Doodledog

It is always a sign of desperation and having nothing positive to say when people start 'whatabouting', isn't it?

Isn't it just.

Petera

It's come to something when we consider the ability to count up to 5 as a positive attribute of a prime minister.

MayBee70

GrannyGravy13

I am just pleased that an enquiry is scheduled.

Until such time as it comes to a conclusion everything is whataboutery and speculations.

Actually having carefully watched what was happening over the past year (well, longer because I was well aware of what was beginning to emerge from China last January) and how the government were dealing/reacting to it I’ve got a pretty good idea of what is going to be in the report of the enquiry. Apart from the procurement of vaccine they have been totally always reactive. And still is,looking out how long it took to start quarantining people coming from India.

Well weren’t you clever, they did act earlier in Germany, but they are in an even worse position than we are, rising rates, as in France and Spain poor vaccination rates, due to European and German bureaucracy, have had both mine, 70 year old sister just had hers in Germany. Apart from those Governments who had dealt with SARS, and knew how to deal with this,most Governments were unsure of what to do, didn’t help that China kept it quiet, in compliance with the WHO. Non compliance amongst the population, and Covid deniers all helped towards the spread of this virus. Sick of all the Boris bashing by certain members on here, every touch and turn. Believe we would have been in a bigger mess with Corbyn and Labour.

Apart from those Governments who had dealt with SARS, and knew how to deal with this,most Governments were unsure of what to do, didn’t help that China kept it quiet, in compliance with the WHO

You being up SARS, As though only countries that had to deal with that learned any lessons. The information has been available since ours happened. It’s disgraceful that so many governments didn’t heed the warning’s and learn the lessons from that.

SARS, MERS, H1N1, Not to mention almost every government in the world had a report saying that a large pandemic was due. We were horribly horribly let down by our governments

Lin52: if you're tired of Boris bashing then come up with some arguments. The vaccination programme is a success, otherwise let's start with

* over 125 000 dead
* £37 billion now on track and trace (yes, billion - let's fund the NHS instead - we could give each nurse over £50 000)

I don’t give a flying flamingo about how Labour would have dealt with it because it isn’t relevant. And yes, I did realise what was happening in China, not just back in January but even earlier than that. Maybe people were covid deniers because the PM was boasting about shaking hands with people in hospital. And Germany did handle it well initially but the variant that’s spreading through Europe at the moment is the one that was picked up by genomic testing and should have been contained in this country.

they did act earlier in Germany, but they are in an even worse position than we are, rising rates, as in France and Spain

I like a challenge

Rates in Germany been dropping since late April.
Rates in France dropping since early April.
Rates in Spain on a general downward trajectory since February, bit of a small peak in April but on the way down again.

Covid deaths in UK since Jan 1st: 53k, or 82 per 100,000
Covid deaths in France since Jan 1st 42k, or 63 per 100,000

Didn't bother with Germany or Spain, but I will if someone really wants to see it....

It's an "Inquiry", rather than an "Enquiry", isn't it?

I wonder if it’s timed around how long he can stave off a Scottish independence referendum, the cynic in me thinks that will be 2023 of necessity, and the Scots could vote twice at the same time?

I actually don’t think 2023 is bad timing, I’m sure more skeletons will have emerged from the cupboard by then. Any party can only ride the crest of the wave for so long.