“” “From a public health perspective what we now have to recognise is that central government probably cannot be trusted to provide leadership, and other agencies, including local and regional government, are going to have to work together to make up for this. It will be difficult and maybe things will change but as things stand there is a leadership vacuum in the heart of government.”””
From now on, locals shouldn’t wait around for govt to make all decisions ( and then hire its Serco's), just bloody get on with it !
On the history, it's still a bit of a mystery WHY at least one of those 'advisers&scientists' did not SHOUT VERY LOUDLY when they realised that this thing was growing exponentially and leading to scores, and potentially hundreds, of thousands of deaths .
Just far too polite/deferential ?
Thanks for this Gilsey -- http://archive.vn/qbvY7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
22 days of dither and delay on coronavirus that cost thousands of British lives
Scientists, politicians, academics and advisers reveal the inside story of ministers’ desperate battle with the virus before the country finally locked down
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 7:54 am
by refitman
Looks like Cummings edited his blog, to seem smarter, the day he got back from Durham.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 8:46 am
by RogerOThornhill
Morning all.
Ian David " ramping up " Jones
@iandavidjones2
15h15 hours ago
More
Cummings has reportedly said he was going to complain to his MP about the way he has been treated by the press on his doorstep. His MP is the one and only...… Jeremy Corbyn LOL.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 9:52 am
by RogerOThornhill
Oh dear...
Douglas Ross MP
Verified account
@Douglas4Moray
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I haven't commented publicly on the situation with Dominic Cummings as I have waited to hear the full details. I welcome the statement to clarify matters, but there remains aspects of the explanation which I have trouble with. As a result I have resigned as a government Minister.
And apparently Gove said that the first he'd heard of Cummings' trip was through the newspapers.
Right. So the Minister for Cabinet Office was unaware of where the PM's most senior policy adviser was for 2 weeks and when he returned never thought to ask him where he'd been?
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 10:03 am
by PaulfromYorkshire
Morning All
I read somewhere that the opposition parties are meeting today. Anyone know more?
One thing that strikes me is the role local councils could play in opposing the current shambles. In the main the major cities are opposition controlled. Could they not all get together, tell the Government it’s unsafe to reopen everything and just stay closed?
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 10:14 am
by PaulfromYorkshire
I now read that Starmer will not attend.
I guess it seems silly just when there is cross-party anger at the Government.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 10:35 am
by gilsey
Not really surprising that it's a Scottish tory resigning, they had plenty to say about Calderwood.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 10:44 am
by gilsey
frog222 wrote:
On the history, it's still a bit of a mystery WHY at least one of those 'advisers&scientists' did not SHOUT VERY LOUDLY when they realised that this thing was growing exponentially and leading to scores, and potentially hundreds, of thousands of deaths .
When/if we eventually see the SAGE/Nervtag minutes in full we may find that some were shouting through the proper channels but the message wasn't getting through to Johnson. He's not up to the job but even now there's plenty supporting him.
The independent scientists that we see and hear from regularly now had no platform then, so the media are implicated too.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 10:51 am
by PorFavor
Good morfternoon.
Boris Johnson’s approval rating drops 20% since Cummings saga
Boris Johnson’s approval rating has dropped to -1% after he refused to sack Dominic Cummings for driving to Durham during lockdown. According to Savanta, a coronavirus data tracker which looks at how the UK population is responding to the pandemic, the Prime Minister’s rating was previously +19% just four days ago. (Metro - my emphasis))
When I was looking to see how long it had been around my eye was drawn to the small print at the bottom.
Pound Campaign Ltd, trading as John Mills Institute for Prosperity, is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (registered company number: 08864325) whose registered office is 26 Bisham Gardens, London N6 6DD
When I looked them up at Companies House, the only other director is Labour Leave bod Brendan Chilton.
Quite why Mills thought the timing was right to launch this now is anybody's guess.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 12:17 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:I now read that Starmer will not attend.
I guess it seems silly just when there is cross-party anger at the Government.
Labour's new Gen Sec is being decided today, maybe that's an explanation?
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 12:48 pm
by frog222
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Peter Jukes of Byline Times on Cummings and his very murky 'connections'
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 1:10 pm
by PorFavor
YouGov poll results just out (Sky TV news) -
59% think that Dominic Cummings should resign
71% think that Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown rules
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 1:11 pm
by PorFavor
No 10 has reiterated its support for Dominic Cummings over allegations he breached the lockdown. (Politics Live, Guardian)
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 2:02 pm
by RogerOThornhill
(((Dan Hodges)))
Verified account
@DPJHodges
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My mum: “Are you going to be doing more stuff defending Cummings”. Me: “Yes”. My mum: “Then you’re an idiot”. So that’s going well then...
4:22 AM - 26 May 2020
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 2:14 pm
by gilsey
PorFavor wrote:YouGov poll results just out (Sky TV news) -
59% think that Dominic Cummings should resign
71% think that Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown rules
Cummings' trip makes much more sense if you assume the virus/childcare story is just that, a story.
He had holiday booked and he was going to take it, away from London, whatever else happened, because he thought he could. So far he's been proved right.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 2:54 pm
by RogerOThornhill
Well this interesting given the PM's manipulation of the post of Liaison Committee chair...
Tobias Ellwood MP
Verified account
@Tobias_Ellwood
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Looking forward to asking PM questions at the LIAISON COMMITTEE meeting taking place tomorrow at 14.00hrs.
10:50 AM - 26 May 2020
But then...
Tobias Ellwood MP
Verified account
So I’m NOT invited to attend
My Qs would be:
Why are we not leveraging the strategic planning /3C skills that MOD offers in crises?
Why was no single SITUATION CENTRE established?
DC is clearly critical to you. Agree an indep inquiry so Gov’s focus returns to mission?Tobias Ellwood MP added,
Tobias Ellwood MP
Verified account
1:59 PM - 26 May 2020
Ellwood is Chair of the Defence Select Committee which I would have thought meant he had a right to attend.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 3:09 pm
by RogerOThornhill
This is fun...Jill Rutter is a very clear headed thinker about the processes of government.
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Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 3:16 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
PorFavor wrote:YouGov poll results just out (Sky TV news) -
59% think that Dominic Cummings should resign
71% think that Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown rules
I think both those figures are slightly up on their previous poll a couple of days ago.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 4:08 pm
by PorFavor
AnatolyKasparov wrote:
PorFavor wrote:YouGov poll results just out (Sky TV news) -
59% think that Dominic Cummings should resign
71% think that Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown rules
I think both those figures are slightly up on their previous poll a couple of days ago.
The 59% figure is up from Saturday's 52%
The 71% figure is up from Saturday's 68%
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 5:29 pm
by AnatolyKasparov
Just a thought, has anybody got to the bottom of that strange Cummings "resignation" that wasn't really last autumn yet?
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 5:39 pm
by RogerOThornhill
This is becoming an outrage.
Alex Tiffin
@RespectIsVital
2h2 hours ago
More
Tory Whips instructed Liason Committee; Chair Sir Bernard Jenkin to exclude Defence Select Committee Chair; @Tobias_Ellwood, and Foreign Affairs Select Committee Chair; @TomTugendhat from tomorrow's hearing in which the Prime Minister will be questioned by MPs.
Democracy is dead
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 6:00 pm
by PorFavor
Bloody idiot vicar missing the wider point and potentially providing a distraction by setting up the police as the fall-guys.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 7:21 pm
by citizenJA
RogerOThornhill wrote:Morning all.
Ian David " ramping up " Jones
@iandavidjones2
15h15 hours ago
More
Cummings has reportedly said he was going to complain to his MP about the way he has been treated by the press on his doorstep. His MP is the one and only...… Jeremy Corbyn LOL.
Mr Evans was regarded as the frontrunner in the contest, with his backers including Morgan McSweeney - Sir Keir's chief of staff.
As assistant general secretary of the party between 1999 and 2001, he played a leading role in Labour's victory in the 2001 election.
Sir Keir said Mr Evans would bring "a wealth of experience to this crucial role and a clear understanding of the scale of the task ahead of us".
Deputy leader Angela Rayner said he would make "a fantastic general secretary", adding: "Last year's election result was devastating for our movement.
"It is now our duty to work as a team to unite our party, reconnect with the British people and offer the better future that our country deserves."
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 7:43 pm
by citizenJA
PorFavor wrote:Bloody idiot vicar missing the wider point and potentially providing a distraction by setting up the police as the fall-guys.
Martin Poole, the vicar of St Luke’s Prestonville, asked: “Will the government review all penalty fines imposed on families travelling for childcare purposes during lockdown?” https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/202 ... n-live-tv/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mr Evans was regarded as the frontrunner in the contest, with his backers including Morgan McSweeney - Sir Keir's chief of staff.
As assistant general secretary of the party between 1999 and 2001, he played a leading role in Labour's victory in the 2001 election.
Sir Keir said Mr Evans would bring "a wealth of experience to this crucial role and a clear understanding of the scale of the task ahead of us".
Deputy leader Angela Rayner said he would make "a fantastic general secretary", adding: "Last year's election result was devastating for our movement.
"It is now our duty to work as a team to unite our party, reconnect with the British people and offer the better future that our country deserves."
Some on the left not happy, though its arguably their fault for splitting their vote in the recent NEC constituency section "by-elections".
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 9:12 pm
by PaulfromYorkshire
Thanks for the commentary on this AK I haven’t had time to follow it
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 10:43 pm
by gilsey
RogerOThornhill wrote:
(((Dan Hodges)))
Verified account
@DPJHodges
Follow Follow @DPJHodges
More
My mum: “Are you going to be doing more stuff defending Cummings”. Me: “Yes”. My mum: “Then you’re an idiot”. So that’s going well then...
4:22 AM - 26 May 2020
Nearly 28k likes on that tweet.
Re: Tuesday 26th May 2020
Posted: Tue 26 May, 2020 10:46 pm
by adam
citizenJA wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Bloody idiot vicar missing the wider point and potentially providing a distraction by setting up the police as the fall-guys.
Martin Poole, the vicar of St Luke’s Prestonville, asked: “Will the government review all penalty fines imposed on families travelling for childcare purposes during lockdown?” https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/202 ... n-live-tv/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Obtuse
But meanwhile, as is often the case, Fintan O'Toole is spot on.
Watching the Cummings road movie made me think, disturbingly enough, of my mother. She was, for almost all of her life, a devout Catholic – and it’s the “almost” that is most interesting. She was a kind and compassionate woman, and she did not judge other people. But she followed the rules. There was one rule in particular she found awfully hard: the church’s ban on contraception. But she believed in the authority of the church. She made the sacrifices, and did what she was told.
I will never forget her rage and disgust when, in her late 70s and early 80s, she discovered that the same church she loved and obeyed had been covering up the sexual abuse of children for decades. She was revolted by those crimes, of course. But she also felt that the bishops had made a mockery of her faith. They made her feel gullible. Her belief that she and the people she looked up to were together in this thing, that they had shared a tough commitment and the pain it involved, had turned out to be a charade.
