Coronavirus

[B.H.F.C]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Matt Hancock appears to just set target after target with no hope of ever meeting them. He’s got 2 weeks to get another 85000 test a day done. He should be chased along the street when this ends.

He’s so out of his depth it’s unreal. Hopeless, utterly hopeless.

And dislikable as well.

[lord bunberry]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He’s so out of his depth it’s unreal. Hopeless, utterly hopeless.

And dislikable as well.

He seems to be getting a relatively free ride which I can’t understand. The problem with having such a so called charismatic PM is that no one is really listening to what anyone else says or does.

[Sylar]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He seems to be getting a relatively free ride which I can’t understand. The problem with having such a so called charismatic PM is that no one is really listening to what anyone else says or does.

So far from this horrible cabal, Rishi Sunak is one of the few getting pass marks from me, though even his last Q&A post-briefing was a masterclass in deflection and non-answers.

[Sir David Gray]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

So far from this horrible cabal, Rishi Sunak is one of the few getting pass marks from me, though even his last Q&A post-briefing was a masterclass in deflection and non-answers.

Agreed he's been by far the most impressive of the UK government so far. I hadn't really heard of him before all this started but I think he's come across as pretty professional and competent.

[Kato]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Matt Hancock appears to just set target after target with no hope of ever meeting them. He’s got 2 weeks to get another 85000 test a day done. He should be chased along the street when this ends.

Setting that target got rid of the nasty, horrible yet valid questions on the front pages of the papers a couple of weeks ago. Job done. Then when the nasty, horrible yet valid questions come up again they will waffle and promise some more and they will go away again.

Some people actually swallow this pish and even push it to others as being "competent" and "showing leadership".

A bunch of bunglers and schiesters.

Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

[Smartie]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Agreed he's been by far the most impressive of the UK government so far. I hadn't really heard of him before all this started but I think he's come across as pretty professional and competent.

He's been the best of a bad bunch.

It's been quite the baptism of fire for him - I mean, to be the chancellor of the exchequer is a decent job and not a job to be scoffed at at any time, but within a month or two of taking over to be thrust into managing the nation's finances though a time like this? That's a tough gig. It's good (for him) that he comes across reasonably well at this stage as there will be massive fall out from all of this and there is an inevitability that he will end up loathed, irrespective of how good or bad he actually is at it - long-term, it is likely to be a thankless task and he cannot win.

My favourite so far has been Patel - generally kept out of the limelight (surprisingly because of her job, unsurprisingly because of her personality) but stepped up to the plate beautifully with a shambolic performance when she was given her moment in the spotlight.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Agreed he's been by far the most impressive of the UK government so far. I hadn't really heard of him before all this started but I think he's come across as pretty professional and competent.

I'd agree with that.

[lord bunberry]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

So far from this horrible cabal, Rishi Sunak is one of the few getting pass marks from me, though even his last Q&A post-briefing was a masterclass in deflection and non-answers.

He sounds credible I agree, but what he’s been proposing isn’t happening either. He’s announced that everyone will be paid through the furlough scheme, but they’re miles behind in processing the claims. They all seem to be making promises they have no chance of keeping.

[lord bunberry]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Setting that target got rid of the nasty, horrible yet valid questions on the front pages of the papers a couple of weeks ago. Job done. Then when the nasty, horrible yet valid questions come up again they will waffle and promise some more and they will go away again.

Some people actually swallow this pish and even push it to others as being "competent" and "showing leadership".

A bunch of bunglers and schiesters.

Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

Totally agree. I admit at first I felt that it wasn’t in anyone’s interest to criticise in what was a difficult situation for the government, but they can’t just keep setting targets to deflect criticism, eventually the people are going to see through it. I just watched the interview with the social care minister from this morning with Piers Morgan(who I can’t stand) and she was absolutely clueless.

[CropleyWasGod]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He sounds credible I agree, but what he’s been proposing isn’t happening either. He’s announced that everyone will be paid through the furlough scheme, but they’re miles behind in processing the claims. They all seem to be making promises they have no chance of keeping.

HMRC and IT don't have a good history together. I've been saying to people for a while that I feared there would be delays and problems.

[Kato]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

eventually the people are going to see through it.

No I don't think many will or will admit it.

Too many willing to wear the flip-flopping and disingenuousness.

[RyeSloan]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

HMRC and IT don't have a good history together. I've been saying to people for a while that I feared there would be delays and problems.

Hence why they should just have helicoptered x amount to the majority of tax payers...

These complex schemes may sound great but the admin of them was never going to go well!

[B.H.F.C]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

HMRC and IT don't have a good history together. I've been saying to people for a while that I feared there would be delays and problems.

Talking about having the system open for employers on Monday (the 20th of the month) and having ‘the vast majority’ of payments passed to the employers by the end of the month strikes me as unlikely.

Sunak is the on who has given a bit of hope to folk. Not to everybody, but to a lot. However, if folk don’t get their 80% by the end of the month it’ll be the tipping point for folk to basically say **** the lockdown IMO.

[lord bunberry]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

HMRC and IT don't have a good history together. I've been saying to people for a while that I feared there would be delays and problems.

I wonder if the chancellor shared your fears. If he did he certainly didn’t let on when he was triumphantly announcing his plans.

[lord bunberry]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

No I don't think many will or will admit it.

Too many willing to wear the flip-flopping and disingenuousness.

That can only last for so long though, when the money runs out questions will be asked.

[lord bunberry]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Hence why they should just have helicoptered x amount to the majority of tax payers...

These complex schemes may sound great but the admin of them was never going to go well!

I read something today(I can’t remember where) that talked about universal income. The government pays everyone a set amount of around £100 a week. Those who weren’t entitled to it would have it taken back through the tax system.

edit
when I say everyone, I mean those who are working or self employed.

[Haymaker]

Got my stimulus payment today, nice $1200 that'll go on paying my rent

[hibsbollah]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Got my stimulus payment today, nice $1200 that'll go on paying my rent

Did it really have The Donald's sig on it?

[hibsbollah]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

HMRC and IT don't have a good history together. I've been saying to people for a while that I feared there would be delays and problems.

This is absolutely true. A disastrous series of contracts.

[Haymaker]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Did it really have The Donald's sig on it?

Because I get my taxes back via direct deposit into my bank I didn't get an actual check, it just went straight in. I do believe though that yes, his signiture is on those who actually receive a physical check.

[Mon Dieu4]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Did it really have The Donald's sig on it?

Did they not hold back issuing the cheques as it took a few extra days to get the Dons signature on them?

[lapsedhibee]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Did they not hold back issuing the cheques as it took a few extra days to get the Dons signature on them?

Making America Late Again

[Mon Dieu4]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Making America Late Again

[Haymaker]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Did they not hold back issuing the cheques as it took a few extra days to get the Dons signature on them?

Yep.

[JeMeSouviens]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He’s so out of his depth it’s unreal. Hopeless, utterly hopeless.

And dislikable as well.

But clearly a man of gravitas ...

https://twitter.com/matthancock/stat...305600?lang=en

[JeMeSouviens]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He’s so out of his depth it’s unreal. Hopeless, utterly hopeless.

And dislikable as well.

... oh, and a hypocritical ****, who ever would've thought that?

https://twitter.com/AaronCGShore/sta...96399517343744

[danhibees1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

... oh, and a hypocritical ****, who ever would've thought that?

https://twitter.com/AaronCGShore/sta...96399517343744

Is the hypocrisy around not taking a paycut while thinking footballers should? Is that what Piers is having a go at him for in that clip?

I don't think they're comparable.

[JeMeSouviens]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Is the hypocrisy around not taking a paycut while thinking footballers should? Is that what Piers is having a go at him for in that clip?

I don't think they're comparable.

btw, I might've started it (soz everyone), but we're well off topic. Moved to the Tories thread ...

[JeMeSouviens]

Some case studies of countries who have things under control: Taiwan, Iceland, South Korea, Germany.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/16/w...ntl/index.html

After all this is done, it's going to be crucial that we get things right for the next pandemic, or further waves of this one.

[JeMeSouviens]

Prof Neil Ferguson of Imperial College, who leads the team that seem to have been most key in supplying the government with modelling of the outbreak.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...avirus-adviser

Encouraginly, it seems the govt are getting the right advice:

Ferguson said it was necessary to ease restrictions at the right time but added: “We will have to retain some level of social distancing indefinitely until we have a vaccine available.”

He said there now needed to be a “single-minded emphasis on scaling up testing and contact tracing”.

He argued that a huge infrastructure of testing and contact tracing would need to be in place in order for the lockdown to be lifted without further peaks, pointing to the model of South Korea, which has been suppressing new outbreaks.

“Without that, our estimates show we have relatively little leeway. If we relax measures too much then we will see a resurgence in transmission,” he said.

Ferguson’s remarks suggest he believes the UK should return to a strategy of containment, which was abandoned by No 10 and its chief scientific and medical advisers early in the epidemic, to the concern of public health experts.

Not so encouragingly, he doesn't seem to think the govt are on track to deliver any time soon:

Ferguson said he would like to see the government move faster to put a plan in place for what happens when measures are partially lifted, saying he did not see the same level of planning going on that was put into Brexit.

Ferguson told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There’s a lot of discussion. I would like to see action accelerated. I don’t have a deep insight about what’s going on in government, but decisions need to be accelerated. We need to put in place an infrastructure, a command and control structure, a novel organisation.

“I’m reminded we had a department for Brexit for government. That was a major national emergency and we are faced with something even larger than Brexit. And yet I don’t quite see the evidence for that level of organisation. I’d like to see measures accelerated.”