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Can the 'lockdown' work much longer?


DonPeffers

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On 12/04/2020 at 12:32, Blatman said:

 

When public perception is driven by the press there is plenty of room for half-truths, hyperbole, sensationalism or whatever. The same rules apply now as they did before lockdown. What are the press leaving out of the story? Now is the time for journalists to find in themselves to actaually report the full facts garnered from proper investigations and research. Now is not the time for nonsense.

 

These days most journalists never leave their desk, you can forget investigative journalism, the most they do us rewrite articles they read on the internet and add a few stock photos. This and the inevitable sensationalism, is how we end up with so much nonsense.
 

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  • 1 month later...

Reports of Dominic Cummings and his wife driving 260 miles from London to County Durham on 31 March 2020 while both suffering covid symptoms to travel to his parents (in their 70's apparently) as (now stating) needed care for their child.

 

This was during stage 1 lockdown, Government message 'stay home, protect the NHS, save lives'.

 

23 April 2020   https://spectator.us/getting-coronavirus-bring-clarity/   seems to be Dom Cummings wife journalist Mary Wakefield reporting their covid 'journey'  with dramatic lines from the article "Dom couldn’t get out of bed. Day in, day out for 10 days he lay doggo with a high fever and spasms that made the muscles lump and twitch in his legs. He could breathe, but only in a limited, shallow way."  "After the uncertainty of the bug itself, we emerged from quarantine into the almost comical uncertainty of London lockdown."  Worth reading the article.

 

So is the 'game well and truly up the pole' regarding lockdown now and should Dom stay in his Govt. post?

 

I am beginning to think lockdown is just for plebs, not that any MP would use such a word.

 

Dominic Cummings: Laura Kuenssberg defends senior adviser. today https://www.thenational.scot/news/18470921.dominic-cummings-laura-kuenssberg-defends-senior-adviser/  criticism from some of Ms K over her 'reporting'.

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My view is the same now as it was then. And it's irrespective of political party. I'd say exactly the same for Labour member or whoever.

If he thought it was better to place his children in the care of parents then I'm fine with that if that was a genuine reason.  Absolute lockdown in the UK has not been sought. Has one journey to protect family made a bit of difference to CV . Never in my eyes. It's already spread. 

This is a political story only. If someone's mate needed to do same or asked me to do it I would and there is not a single thing police could do if you have even half a reason. 

All we can be sure of is the media will make a meal of it as will Twitter, Facebook and mumsnet. None of them are worth listening to. 

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I agree, there's very little other news other than CV19 so they are making news out of idle gossip.

 

The only thing I find a little uncomfortable is the fact he and his wife had symptoms and then placed their child in the care of his parents who were firmly in the 'at risk' age group. (If that was the case)

 

Would I have done that to my parents? No because I couldn't have lived with myself if anything happened to them because of it. But yes I'd have driven any distance necessary to place my kids in the care of someone who wasn't in a high risk group.

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3 hours ago, DonPeffers said:

I am beginning to think lockdown is just for plebs, not that any MP would use such a word.

I think if any of us plebs had been caught by the plod travelling 260 mile with covid 19 symptoms  we'd be in the ****,

Boris will have to give him the Bullitt. 

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A family member has just had to drive himself a considerable distance to get tested as he has symptoms. There is and never has been a mileage limit. You would be an idiot answering the police with an attitide but if you knew your beans and had a valid reason I'm assured they would not be interested. 

 

I'm not defending in any way. It's a grey area for some and some have their own reasons to travel or not to travel. Maybe he was smart enough to have a reason ready.  We shall never know the truth.

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I criticised Labour's Stephen Kinnock in the OP so my concern is covid and not political.

 

Instead of driving a considerable distance for testing why didn't your family member get a test kit posted out as some days 40,000 are posted out Arm?

 

Very many will have an "essential" line if challenged but I am sticking to the rules and cannot yet drive the westie (6 months now) as not permitted in Scotland as not essential travel.

 

The 'rules' now seem to be all over the place----Northern Ireland..you can now meet 6 people from 6 different households,  England.. you can meet 1.

Scotland.. you can exercise within a 5 mile radius of your house apparently, but no non-essential driving.

 

Stay at home: guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

 

UK Government lockdown advice said..."if you live with others and you are the first in the household to have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19), then you must stay at home for at least 7 days, but all other household members who remain well must stay at home and not leave the house for 14 days. The 14-day period starts from the day when the first person in the house became ill." 

 

I am asking myself will the public be bothered with this much longer? 

 

 

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Can’t believe the media spent 90% of their time on questions about Mr. Cummings today. Shows how much they hate him.

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From what I've seen all the lockdown breaches have been jumped on by the Press.

 

Kinnock, Calderwood, Ferguson as well as Cummings.

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3 hours ago, Arm said:

My view is the same now as it was then. And it's irrespective of political party. I'd say exactly the same for Labour member or whoever.

If he thought it was better to place his children in the care of parents then I'm fine with that if that was a genuine reason.  Absolute lockdown in the UK has not been sought. Has one journey to protect family made a bit of difference to CV . Never in my eyes. It's already spread. 

This is a political story only. If someone's mate needed to do same or asked me to do it I would and there is not a single thing police could do if you have even half a reason. 

All we can be sure of is the media will make a meal of it as will Twitter, Facebook and mumsnet. None of them are worth listening to. 


I do agree with this Ash, my only nagging thought is that as a prominent member of the government, he should have held himself to the highest standards. Naive, I know! It’s difficult to convince Joe Public to toe the line when so many high-profile people are stretching the interpretations so much.

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And yet not one of these "law makers" have suggested, much less shown a copy of the actual law. If that was me, I would point to the actual legislation (which I have done many times before) and ask the press to point out which part of it I had breached...

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@DonPeffers surely there is nothing stopping you from taking the Westy when you go shopping for essentials?? I know it’s not a proper blat, but it’s something. We’ve been using ours for the shopping runs since taxing it this momth.

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1 minute ago, corsechris said:

I do agree with this Ash, my only nagging thought is that as a prominent member of the government, he should have held himself to the highest standards. Naive, I know! It’s difficult to convince Joe Public to toe the line when so many high-profile people are stretching the interpretations so much.

 

Just for gits and shiggles, which clause of the law regarding lockdown did any of them breach? Here is the actual legislation. This is what a court would refer to.

And remember when in court arguing a rule of law, the offence has to be beyond reasonable doubt...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/regulation/6/made

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Just now, Blatman said:

 

Just for gits and shiggles, which clause of the law regarding lockdown did any of them breach? Here is the actual legislation. This is what a court would refer to.

And remember when in court arguing a rule of law, the offence has to be beyond reasonable doubt...

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/regulation/6/made


But the actual law matters little in the court of public opinion. This is about impressions, and I just think the great and worthy should be trying harder to create good ones is all. Lead by example.  As I said, naive.

 

I do not for one second support the endless press hounding though, it’s about time they changed their bl**** tune I think, as I don’t think I’ve heard a single useful or meaningful question from a single one of them yet, nothing but points-scoring and endless attempts to try to trap todays hapless victim into making some statement that can be used to beat them round the head with next week, thereby perpetuating the endless Merrygoround.

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1 minute ago, corsechris said:

But the actual law matters little in the court of public opinion. This is about impressions, and I just think the great and worthy should be trying harder to create good ones is all. Lead by example.  As I said, naive.

 

I appreciate that. But the court of public opinion, in this (these) case(s) would be better served by a press who could visit their indignation whilst also ensuring that the law is accurately reported as well.

The story is easily framed as an opinion piece, and politicos like nothing less than a critical opinion piece. But they don't make good click-bait headlines so they reach for sensationalism which serves no-one well.

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