Boris Johnson 8pm televised address - official match thread

[Guinness Boy]

with expert help he should foresee problems and lead us around them

I think Dazza has it fairly much nail on the head. There is a need for constant flexibility. He's basically fallen in line with the proposition of Starmer and the teaching unions. We should be celebrating that, no?

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Thanks.

I find it beyond frustrating that people focus in on what Boris was saying 48 hours ago and not what he did tonight. Surely if he opposed their view then, and changed his mind now, then they won and the right thing has been done.

We may be able to blame Margaret Thatcher for this which will please everybody.
‘This lady is not for turning’ put the kybosh on the acceptability of political u turns. The negative Nancys will be thrilled at the identity of their mentor.

 

[Bozza]

When the same old bitter names turn up with eternal Tory hating predictability, it’s worth looking at other places to benchmark. Some ridiculously one-eyed NSC posts in March and April on how well and presidential Macron and Sturgeon had managed the pandemic. Then that went rather quiet as it turned out only Germany, Denmark, Finland and Norway could be envied. Like the UK, the rest of Europe was AND STILL IS a CV19 disaster zone.

Plenty of major gaff by Johnson in my opinion. But unlike you, I can give a balanced argument.

Your NSC posts aside from football are relentlessly anti Tory, you never listen to an opposing view on any matter, The Bear Pit was made for exactly that limited mindset.

That's pretty much me too.

I haven't voted Tory for a long time. In fact, I voted Labour more recently than I voted Tory, but I try to play the ball not the man, and judge each situation independently and on its own merit.

And as I've already written today, I absolutely despair that politicians changing their mind is mocked as a sign of weakness. Surely, of all human traits, essentially saying "I was wrong, I can see that now, and we need to do something different" is a strength. I'd rather that than someone who will plough ahead, regardless of anything else, in order to try and save face.

 

[Stat Brother]

Thanks.

I find it beyond frustrating that people focus in on what Boris was saying 48 hours ago and not what he did tonight. Surely if he opposed their view then, and changed his mind now, then they won and the right thing has been done.

I don't think it's so far fetched to think that Johnson's mixed messages have gone some way to escalating this near impossible situation into one almighty clusterf**k.

Yesterday

Prime Minister - 'schools will stay open'.
General Public 'yeah right not for long'.

Today

PM - 'schools are closing'
GP - 'Told you'.

 

[darkwolf666]

Agreed. Also not sure why every single new decision has to result in a headline of ‘U TURN !!’.........the situation is changing rapidly so there should be changes in thinking and decisions.

Anyway, correct decision from BJ, NS etc today. Everything has to be thrown at the vaccine rollout now.

I understand it’s not possible, in fact impossible, to get everything right, but come on, the figures didn’t just suddenly change in the last 48 hours. It IS a U-turn, however you want to dress it up - only days before Christmas councils were being threatened with legal action, for doing the very thing the government are now doing, protecting the public!

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

How would they meet escorts or visit Bentley dealers?

Kyle Walker would just get them classed as key workers.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I'm just a parent, but they should be reviewing the schools question in 4 weeks time to see which areas could reopen - a blanket "shut until half-term" is not warranted.

It is.

 

[Guinness Boy]

That's pretty much me too.

I haven't voted Tory for a long time. In fact, I voted Labour more recently than I voted Tory, but I try to play the ball not the man, and judge each situation independently and on its own merit.

And as I've already written today, I absolutely despair that politicians changing their mind is mocked as a sign of weakness. Surely, of all human traits, essentially saying "I was wrong, I can see that now, and we need to do something different" is a strength. I'd rather than than someone who will plough ahead, regardless of anything else, in order to try and save face.

 

[rogersix]

I think Dazza has it fairly much nail on the head. There is a need for constant flexibility. He's basically fallen in line with the proposition of Starmer and the teaching unions. We should be celebrating that, no?

with the amazing level of analysis it's all too predictable. johnson's denial, bluster and indecision muddles the message. it's a real problem

 

[Iggle Piggle]

Having read the PDF on Gov.uk the thing that sticks out as an outlier is places of worship being open. Golf courses will be shut though. Makes sense obviously.

The thought of a minimum of 6 weeks of working at home and teaching the kids is enough to drive me to the wine rack on a Monday night.

 

[Stat Brother]

I understand it’s not possible, in fact impossible, to get everything right, but come on, the figures didn’t just suddenly change in the last 48 hours. It IS a U-turn, however you want to dress it up - only days before Christmas councils were being threatened with legal action, for doing the very thing the government are now doing, protecting the public!

While everybody else knew this was coming.


I so so want to be sympathetic to Boris and his government.
This is shittiest of all shitty jobs, and he didn't even sign up for it.

It's all but impossible - so why make it so freakin hard for yourself?

 

[Mike Small]

Absolutely correct. How anyone can defend Boris and his cronies, especially after this latest shitshow and u-turn after the horse has bolted is beyond comprehension.

Literally yesterday Johnson said it is totally safe for children to return to school.
Tonight, he stated that children can transmit the virus to families, so schools must close.
Unreal.

When asked by Sam Coates from Sky (yes that muppet who spoke about the EPL being stopped earlier) at one of the press briefings a few days ago about what he would say to the parents of primary school children he said: “Schools are safe. The school itself is safe. It’s when children mix in their bubbles is what causes infections to rise. Schools are safe”.

And that was that. You’ve said children should go to school and that schools are safe because when children mix in their bubbles it pushes infections up. And no one batted an eyelid. Sam Coates said nothing. I couldn’t believe it. This is what we have as a PM now and the quality of our media. Everyone knows there was a risk but that answer was illogical. But why would that shagging, father denying ******* give a shit. One of his advisers must have had a word as he had the temerity to explain tonight how schools cause infections. Cheers Johnson, the worst Prime Minister at the worst time. And no it’s not all his fault and it’s a tough gig but what a useless bag of shit.

 

[darkwolf666]

Same thing happened here in Aus, fortunately the this is a federation of states and the state premiers forced the idiot into action. In Victoria we made the mistake of bowing to pressure from other states and the business sector into opening up too early and got hit a second time. This time around the state premier took the advice solely from the experts and the result was a major lockdown and eradication. We then had 50 days relaxed rules and zero new cases. Unfortunately we have been reinfected via visitors from NSW. I suspect they will have a trigger point if they cannot knock this new infection on the head.

Before our second lockdown we were getting new cases comparable to the UK, we went into lockdown while Johnson told everyone to go to the restaurant and the Gov would pay half the bill. We are now freaking out that we have had 4 new cases yesterday and the UK ..............

Eat out to Help Out, whoever devised that idea should be made to work in a COVID ward until this Pandemic is over...

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

I don't think it's so far fetched to think that Johnson's mixed messages have gone some way to escalating this near impossible situation into one almighty clusterf**k.

Yesterday

Prime Minister - 'schools will stay open'.
General Public 'yeah right not for long'.

Today

PM - 'schools are closing'
GP - 'Told you'.

And exactly the same with exam grades last year. At least this evening BJ had acknowledged the fact that school exams cannot take place as envisaged rather than leaving the decision to the last minute.

 

[Guinness Boy]

with the amazing level of analysis it's all too predictable. johnson's denial, bluster and indecision muddles the message. it's a real problem

Starmer - we should lock down
Unions - schools should not reopen

Johnson does neither and is reviled (and possibly kills thousands and renders schools un-openable due to staff sickness levels)

Starmer - we should lock down
Unions - schools should not reopen

Johnson does both and is roundly condemned by left wing commentators anyway.

I know what I'd prefer.

 

[vagabond]

That's pretty much me too.

I haven't voted Tory for a long time. In fact, I voted Labour more recently than I voted Tory, but I try to play the ball not the man, and judge each situation independently and on its own merit.

And as I've already written today, I absolutely despair that politicians changing their mind is mocked as a sign of weakness. Surely, of all human traits, essentially saying "I was wrong, I can see that now, and we need to do something different" is a strength. I'd rather than than someone who will plough ahead, regardless of anything else, in order to try and save face.

Quite. I’ve never really understood that mind set either. “Oh, you’re changing your mind”.

As if it’s a good thing to steadfastly hold the same opinion forever, ignoring any and all new information proudly.

 

[Hampster Gull]

They seem better at this second time around, another four of five rounds and we’ll be as good as Vietnam, South Korea and New Zealand

 

[Bozza]

I don't think it's so far fetched to think that Johnson's mixed messages have gone some way to escalating this near impossible situation into one almighty clusterf**k.

Yesterday

Prime Minister - 'schools will stay open'.

Not on the Marr show he didn't:

“There are obviously a range of tougher measures that that we would have to consider… I’m not going to speculate now about what they would be, but I’m sure that all our viewers and our listeners will understand what the sort of things… clearly school closures, which we had to do in March is one of those things.”​

Don't get me wrong - I think it was wrong they opened today. A more pragmatic approach would have been to announce an initial two-week closure, to allow things to be assessed, but let's not just make stuff up, such as he said "schools will stay open", as he didn't (again, not on the Marr show anyway).

 

[vagabond]

I don't think it's so far fetched to think that Johnson's mixed messages have gone some way to escalating this near impossible situation into one almighty clusterf**k.

Yesterday

Prime Minister - 'schools will stay open'.
General Public 'yeah right not for long'.

Today

PM - 'schools are closing'
GP - 'Told you'.

What do you mean, what’s unclear about Boris’ messages?

https://youtu.be/yOvO4wIBXS0

 

[vegster]

That's pretty much me too.

I haven't voted Tory for a long time. In fact, I voted Labour more recently than I voted Tory, but I try to play the ball not the man, and judge each situation independently and on its own merit.

And as I've already written today, I absolutely despair that politicians changing their mind is mocked as a sign of weakness. Surely, of all human traits, essentially saying "I was wrong, I can see that now, and we need to do something different" is a strength. I'd rather than than someone who will plough ahead, regardless of anything else, in order to try and save face.

So why did we not turn the ship around when it became obvious the promised Brexit was undeliverable ? Instead we had to plough on towards the rocks and anyone who yelled " lookout..!!!!!.. Rocks " was seen as betraying the rest of the crew ?