Coronavirus Act and Tory rebels.

[DonPeffers]

Becoming Law on 25 Mar 2020 the act is, in 3 days time, up for renewal.

In current form the PM can virtually rule by decree with the emergency powers.

 

Having been promised covid would be sorted by Christmas we, today, have PM announcing new restrictions saying they could last 6 months.

The emergency powers remove Commons oversight and allow contracts to be offered without competitive tendering. 

 

Whereas Germany plans to hold F1 GP on 11 Oct with 20,000 spectators, UK faces 6 months of Premier league football with no fans.

 

New rules say £200 fine if no mask but seemingly still allowing exceptions whereby someone merely has to state they panic when wearing a mask.

Today Nicola Sturgeon advised against 'car sharing' for work travel in case of cross-contamination; yet travelling by train or bus means potentially being close to a stranger with no face mask----not ideal. 

 

New restrictions are being based on rising daily infections although daily deaths rates are still very low    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/uk/

It's been stated we are about 6 weeks behind Spain  see  https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/spain/    and it shows charts for new cases and deaths; about 2,000 deaths in 2 months compared to over 20,000 deaths late Mar to late May.

It can be seen that a large rise in UK cases from mid July has NOT been reflected in exponential growth in deaths.

 

Regarding Spain's 2,000 deaths in 2 months I'll need to dig further to establish age/health/ethnicity profiles.

 

This raises the question does Government action require more oversight and debate?

 

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/top-tory-mp-accuses-government-18968932  "Top Tory MP accuses government of treating the public 'like children' and 'ruling by decree' during coronavirus pandemic"

"Sir Graham Brady wants parliament to have a say on new coronavirus laws before they are passed."

"MP for Altrincham and Sale West, has argued that new lockdown measures should not be implemented without being voted on first in the House of Commons."

 

Trouble at t' mill methinks.

[Blatman]

No government of any colour would be able to move swiftly enough in this situation if every decision had to be debated in parliament. In an ideal world of course more oversight is preferable but the Covid-19 situation is far from ideal. And it's not like if the government get it wrong they can't be voted out in three or four years, so I don't see the problem. If Boris gets it wrong, he'll be out.

In fact where I do see the problem is with the population of this country. The government aren't spreading the virus. They are trying to prevent it for the good of everybody (including their own re-election chances), yet it seems like plenty of people think there is sinister intent. I can't tell you the amount of contempt I feel for non social distancers and non mask wearers right now. Apart from a few cases where there is a genuine medical need, masks are not "difficult" to wear. It's not like we're being asked to stay indoors and never see the light of day again. A mask is a VERY small price to pay and if enough people stopped being idiots we could be almost virus free in quite short order. Sadly even a full lockdown wasn't enough because we all saw plenty reports of non-compliance during lockdown as to keep the virus continuously in circulation and in enough strength in numbers to precipitate the current second wave. How this can be blamed on the government when the likely transmission medium is by "rebels" is beyond me. 

 

Fewer deaths are almost undoubtedly down to the knowledge gleaned over the last few months that have shown Ibuprofen to be effective against swelling (it is an anti-inflammatory after all) and a couple of cheap steroids (hydrocortisone and dexamethasone) and anti-virals (azithromycin and remdesivir among others) to be effective in helping to improve outcomes of the most seriously ill. This information, Trump notwithstanding, has been circulated to the civilised world quickly enough to help prevent the high mortality seen previously.

 

And a note from personal experience, my mothers care home reported a case last week. Just one resident who tested positive, and elderly person obviously, but with ZERO symptoms. Had it not been for the care homes rigorous testing regime this single infection could have spread like wildfire, whereas at the moment we are informed that just one person remains infected, 7 days after the initial detection which gives us hope.

[Blatman]

CAUTION - NOT SAFE FOR WORK. There is bad language. Not for viewing by snowflakes or SJW's because you'll be offended... but then, when aren't you...

This was recorded back in June...

 

 

[DonPeffers]

Very glad to read Blatman that your mother's care home are 'on the ball' regarding testing and safeguarding.

 

The oversight isn't about blame but debate and needn't take forever. The Government can set the debating time. It is after all The Chair of the 1922 Committee saying there needs to be more Westminster oversight. Any votes going thru should get passed with an 80 seat majority surely if they are reasonable and necessary.

Wasn't Brexit about taking back Parliamentary control (and not dictatorship) especially if someone may be losing there way?

 

I haven't found Spain's last 2 months death chart by age but below is an interesting UK death chart which shows deaths from a variety of causes and adds in 2020 Covid-19 deaths but only has data to end of week 16 i.e.  19 Apr 2020.

 

UK covid deaths to date during 2020 are stated to be 41,788.

 

NOT MOVING SWIFTLY is the very thing the Government has repeatedly been accused of so some help might assist in stopping the dithering.

 

[DonPeffers]

26 minutes ago, Blatman said:

The government aren't spreading the virus.

 

Can we be sure?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-54096883   Leeds DWP office failed to enforce social distancing.

A government office (Quarry House) failed to do enough to prevent the spread of coronavirus, a health and safety inspection found.

Workers were pictured gathered around a desk at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in Leeds where there have been two confirmed Covid-19 cases.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found management had failed to ensure social distancing was maintained.

The DWP said it had taken "urgent action to rectify all issues identified" at the Quarry House office.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8756223/Tory-MP-Danny-Kruger-apologises-spotted-train-without-face-mask.html

"Tory MP Danny Kruger is seen flouting coronavirus rules as he takes hour-long train journey to London WITHOUT a mask.

The MP had earlier posted on Facebook warning passengers MUST wear masks". 

[Blatman]

5 minutes ago, DonPeffers said:

The oversight isn't about blame but debate and needn't take forever. The Government can set the debating time. It is after all The Chair of the 1922 Committee saying there needs to be more Westminster oversight. Any votes going thru should get passed with an 80 seat majority surely if they are reasonable and necessary.

Wasn't Brexit about taking back Parliamentary control (and not dictatorship) especially if someone may be losing there way?

 

So if the Government know they can't lose, the debates are for what? Surely the opposition aren't seriously going to vote against. I'm sure the various shadow secretaries are seeing the appropriate documentation. If there really was any other course they would brief the media should debate time be cut short by HMG.

But they aren't. they're doing the usual points scoring nonsnse but at the moment this is not helpful. Opposition for the sake of it is never helpful.

 

8 minutes ago, DonPeffers said:

Very glad to read Blatman that your mother's care home are 'on the ball' regarding testing and safeguarding.

 

Much appreciated Don. We chose well for our mother although like everyone else, we couldn't have imagined this particular crisis. They really are a superb bunch of people and we will make our gratitude known at the appropriate time.

[Blatman]

4 minutes ago, DonPeffers said:

Can we be sure?

 

Fair point...  

Let me rephrase - Government legislation to help the crisis is not contributing to the spread of the virus. People are. The non-mask wearers, the party goers and the holiday makers who seemingly can't last another day without doing something catastrophically dumb...

 

[DonPeffers]

2 minutes ago, Blatman said:

 

So if the Government know they can't lose,

Not what I wrote........"should get passed..if they are reasonable and necessary".

[Blatman]

1 minute ago, DonPeffers said:

Not what I wrote........"should get passed..if they are reasonable and necessary".

 

OK, but if it's a 3 line whip then they can't lose, reasonable or not. But it's not like Boris and HMG are suddenly going to turn into the civilised version of the Chinese Communist Party no matter how tragic the "rebels" seem to think life is getting with the "draconian" rules to prevent disease by wearing a mask and keeping more than 6 feet away from the person nearest to you... I mean really...

[DonPeffers]

Wasn't it September 2019, the Conservative Party withdrew the whip from 21 of its MPs who had supported a motion the Government had told them not to?

[Blatman]

2 minutes ago, DonPeffers said:

Wasn't it September 2019, the Conservative Party withdrew the whip from 21 of its MPs who had supported a motion the Government had told them not to?

 

I think Boris did withdraw the whip yes. And then re-instated a few of them a little while later if memory serves. It was Boris setting out his stall in that "back me or sack me" type of stance that only Thatcher could wield with any real confidence and conviction at the height of her powers. Boris ain't there yet but he's not scared of making a show of force and to be honest I quite like that. We need a leader with guts and bravado. Faint heart ne'er won fair maiden...

[DonPeffers]

3 minutes ago, Blatman said:

 

 Faint heart ne'er won fair maiden...

How many fair maiden?

 

Going against the 1922 Committee is never a good idea and it could signal BJ might metaphorically be on his bike sooner rather than later.

[Blatman]

1922 committee would still rather be in power than not...

 

1 hour ago, DonPeffers said:

How many fair maiden?

 

I'm not keeping score...  

[jim_l]

8 hours ago, DonPeffers said:

It can be seen that a large rise in cases from mid July has NOT been reflected in exponential growth in deaths.

 

On March 12th there had been 9 deaths recorded in the UK, we have spent 6 months criticising them for not shutting down then , or indeed months before.  Now you seem to suggest they are overreacting because the death figures haven't leapt (yet).  We will be a month behind the curve if we react to deaths, and a month behind the curve in March/April was 20,000 dead. 

 

Hospital admissions have gone from 30 or 40 a day, to nearer 250,  a fairly worrying indicator...

[Steve (sdh2903)]

The current 'restrictions' announced are very half hearted in my opinion. 10pm pub closures will do what? It will just make people go out earlier. 

 

I drove through Glasgow City centre last Friday night and I was amazed at the total disregard for the current situation and it was well before 10pm. I imagine most towns and city centres will be similar at a weekend. 

 

I'm more annoyed that living up here in Scotland I'm allowed to meet my parents down the pub for a pint but they can't come round to ours for a brew.