Oh **** off with your 'he was autistic' shit.
Tomorrow I’ll visit my mum and I will hug her. I’ll now do what the * I like for the good of my family.
Ok, I’ve calmed down a bit now after my second cup of coffee. As frustrated as I am, it would be utterly wrong for me to rail against the Government for excusing a blatant contravention of the guidance, and then do the same myself. So I will visit my mum but from a distance; no hug; no introduction of her granddaughter. At least I will know I have done the right thing with nothing to apologise for. Sadly, I think many will react like I did initially and take the Cumming’s debacle as a green light to do what they want.
But Boris can still get *ed.
There seems to be a group of people on here determined to see a collapse of lockdown and all it entails that I don’t see on other social media pages
I have the opposite view. Local Facebook group has a few folk criticising ScotGov for maintaining lockdown, especially as it will impact tourism businesses. Campervan/motor home groups are full of folk who just want their chance to drive all over the country (and Europe). Of course, many of the latter are in the High Risk category too.
This place is very tolerant and restrained by comparison.
Alpha, that is so sad to read, hard to imagine how difficult this has been for a lot of people. Take care my friend. Living 20000 miles from my Mum means we see each other very rarely, but that first hug is always pure magic. Yours will be too, with added magic of a newborn!
Ok, I’ve calmed down a bit now after my second cup of coffee. As frustrated as I am, it would be utterly wrong for me to rail against the Government for excusing a blatant contravention of the guidance, and then do the same myself. So I will visit my mum but from a distance; no hug; no introduction of her granddaughter. At least I will know I have done the right thing with nothing to apologise for. Sadly, I think many will react like I did initially and take the Cumming’s debacle as a green light to do what they want.
I feel like you. I’m as angry as a hungover honey badger & would happily fight a T Rex to the death right now.
But....
Self-control & self-discipline will keep me in check but nobody had better p1ss me off today..
His kid is autistic.
All the more reason not to disrupt his normal routine then? If you can safely drive a car 500 miles you can safely look after your child. If they were ill enough to not be able to do the latter then granny could have driven down to London if there was a genuine need for her help. Whatever way you spin it the excuses are total bollocks.
His kid is autistic.
Which puts a rather different slant on the ability to palm off a nipper at short notice to the neighbours.
Nonsense. There was already guidance allowing extra exercise and other exemptions for people with specific needs. None of that justifies or allows what Cummings did.
And no one has suggested he was going to have to "palm off a nipper at short notice to the neighbours".
My Tory mum is really angry about Cummings, disappointed with Johnson and even had something not wholly negative to say about Nicola Sturgeon.
I think they have underestimated the feeling in the country, but also think that they see the next general election is 4 years away and they believe it will be history by then.
Frankly I don't think they give a **** about the damage to the general consensus on lockdown.
Hey, come on now. He prioritised the child, and Boris says that is right and safeguarding children is more important than anything. Let's move on. What's next on the agenda, ah, getting the schools open next week.
Alpha, you’ve had a torrid time because you followed government rules. Your government doesn’t care. That, in a nutshell is the issue here.
You have every right to be outraged. We share your rage.
Welcome to Trump Britain
Most people seem to be so outraged they are doubling down on staying within the rules. Any idiots using this as an excuse to break them would have broken them anyway.
That's my take on it too, which is actually better. Not just for keeping the virus in check but it will provide a stark contrast to Cummings' behaviour: If the public can follow the rules and behave why can't the guy who helped write them?
Laura has dumped Boris I see. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-52793376
Laura's pretty unambiguous in that piece, have they screwed up, in her opinion, he'll yeah.
“Dominic Goings”
Very good. I still think they’ll be no use for it, unfortunately. He’s going nowhere. This isn’t like moving on yet another advisor to save the government face. If this event has shown people anything, it is that those saying the Cummings is not an advisor, he is at the centre of power and decision making, look to be right.
To those who have offered sympathy and kind words, thank you; I hope it didn’t come across as a hand-wringing woe is me kind of post but I just needed to vent.
Yes, my situation is crap but everyone has a story to tell and most are much worse than my predicament. At least I knew dad’s death was coming and we were able to be there for it. I have numerous friends who have been denied that privilege and it is heart breaking for them.
Being a parent of an autistic child this lockdown has been hard at times, but I'm not sure how that would have changed our approach to self isolation if any of us came down with it. In fact as responsible parents we discussed how we would manage if such circumstances would arose to help him deal with it. None of this involved involving other family members or leaving the house.
Every one is different and I can't speak for Dum Cum but using autism as an excuse is an even lower blow and this **** feels no shame of throwing his child under the bus. He's not using parental instinct he's like a cornered badger using whatever limited intelligence he has to defend himself, missing the fact that he his hurting those around him, be that family or colleagues.
I’ve just written to my MP for the first time in my life. I would encourage everyone to do the same. They work for you, ask them to justify this.
I think one of the most frustrating parts is that I would love to go out and go back to living my normal life with the same disregard as bojo and Cummings have been showing, safe in the knowledge that the rules are actually guidelines and very much open to interpretation/bending/twisting/smashing to pieces
But this would very much be a “cutting my nose off despite my face” moment and definitely not a safe or wise idea
Some very emotional and heart-wrenching stories from members on here. Luckily I’ve only lost out on family contact and we have been ok, but it’s been tough. To say I’m furious does not come close to describing how I feel about this stab in the back.
All I can say is that as soon as Boris backed this vermin, he essentially signed his own execution papers. This villain is what the country voted for and his true colours are now out for all to see. If even the Mail is turning on him then surely, surely this is the end of the rat.
But the question remains, as has been asked here recently, is what does Dom have over Bozza? Dirt? Who really pulls the strings?
You don't have to think of this as a new way of interpreting the rules around covid-19 alone.
As said above, covid-19 is too genuinely important to piss around being silly about. On the other hand...
Consider the case of a NIMBY infested country park near me. Every opportunity, no matter how small or inappropriate, they always reiterate that 'Mountain biking is not allowed. Cycling is only permitted on the main carriageway'.
Thing is, though, 'main carriageway' is not defined in their rules as far as I can see. So my response on being challenged whilst 'off piste' will be "I am interpreting that this is the main carriageway. There is no signage to indicate that it isn't".
It really isn't difficult to see how this stuff can get out of hand now we have been given licence to interpret the law in any manner we see fit.
No doubt the police are going to have to deal with a certain amount of people today at beaches and beauty spots. A fair few of those people may well use the Cummings Defence.
Second lockdown for wave 2 is 3-5 weeks away. 'Lockdown' was scrupulously observed by many first time around whilst a few flaunted it. Second lockdown? Just made much difficult by these clowns.
Johnson has forgotten one basic fact of political life. Its not the actions or the lies that get you. Its the coverup.
This will continue to run until Cummings goes. More and more evidence will dribble out. Every day there will be new revelations and the pressure builds. He cannot even rely on the tory press to help him.
As for why? Cummmings knows where the bodies are buried and used this as a threat to get Johnson to back him. Thats my bet
Tragic, very sorry.
You’ve inspired me to write to my (Tory) MP. I will follow your example and will try to remain civil.
Even my wife's northern, I"'m not racist but" friends have turned on Boris.
He's not only lost the dressing room but the whole country.
It really isn’t difficult to see how this stuff can get out of hand now we have been given licence to interpret the law in any manner we see fit.
No doubt the police are going to have to deal with a certain amount of people today at beaches and beauty spots. A fair few of those people may well use the Cummings Defence.
Second lockdown for wave 2 is 3-5 weeks away. ‘Lockdown’ was scrupulously observed by many first time around whilst a few flaunted it. Second lockdown? Just made much difficult by these clowns.
+1.
Second lockdown looks nigh on impossible to impose. The minority who’ll have broken the 1st will crack on with even greater recklessness & more will feel emboldened to join them.
It’s madness, utter fing madness..
the law on lockdown is really clear.
It's not. It depends on what is considered "reasonable" and I haven't seen any rulings on that yet. We do not have law made by government press conference. We have law made by parliament, regulations delegated to ministers (as in this case) and the judiciary.
outside for one of the 4 stated reasons
There are thirteen defined reasonable excuses but they are not an exhaustive list.
the Police have a duty to act no?
No (there are situations where the police are obliged to act but this is not one of them). But given the allegations of repeated violations and the strong public interest then it would be proportionate for them to do so.
But we are powerless.
In 4 years the mail & telegraph will be fully behind his re-election and they will be claiming glorious success in defeating CV & freedom from Europe
ajaj
"reasonable" has a legally defined meaning which is in effect " what the average person thinks ( Denning - man on the clapham omnibus"
So that clearly bows his excuse of reasonable out of the water
@mehr: whilst I offer my utmost sympathy, the best support I can think of offering to you now is solidarity and to write to my local Conservative MP as you have. Eloquently written, made all the more powerful by you honourable restraint.
@root-n-5th @Alpha1653 Its not my letter but my story is similar. I buried my Dad 10 days ago at a funeral with only 10 people and only got to see him once during lockdown, two-days before he died
Its stories like mine, Alpha's, that letter writers and countless others which, I hope will ultimately bring the whole thing crashing down
My local MP is Sir Mike Penning, i dont think Ive got it in me to write to him as any reply that doesnt say he wants him gone will kick up my anger levels another notch
yes - keep writing to your MP if they are Tory - they will react to and act upon their constituents fears and anger
'There are thirteen defined reasonable excuses but they are not an exhaustive list.'
And every single one of them is trumped by 'If you have symptoms stay at home'.
Simple.
And every single one of them is trumped by ‘If you have symptoms stay at home’.
Not from a criminal law perspective. There is a power to inter infected people but that's different. A blanket rule like that would be difficult, it would be crazy to have thousands of people starve to death at home just because they have a cough.
The original comment was about the law and police powers, not on the moral rights and wrongs of one individual's case. There are a lot of people who seem to think that the government advice is law. It isn't.
Hey, come on now. He prioritised the child, and Boris says that is right and safeguarding children is more important than anything
What specific danger was the child in the required them to drive 250 miles?
I’ve written to my local Tory barsteward - fat lot of good it’ll do..
It’s not. It depends on what is considered “reasonable” and I haven’t seen any rulings on that yet.
Two parents (one certainly infected) driving 250 miles to optimise their childcare would certainly set the bar for 'reasonable' so low that the lockdown would be meaningless.
People not infested have been prosecuted for much less.
Church of England now saying they may refuse to cooperate in future lockdowns.
Kum Bah Yah m'lord meets illegal rave as Sunday services broken up by police?
One other thing I've noticed (and an uncanny number of Tory fanbois do precisely this). Anyone who starts a post on social media with "I am no particular fan of Cummings" is a shill either on the payroll or trying to be talent spotted somehow.
Either ignore (probably best) or needle a bit. The funny thing is, despite not being a 'particular fan' they are practically offering themselves up as a living sacrifice to Saint Dom three replies in.
A thought occurred to me yesterday.
Does Dominic Cummings not have any close protection? Or is at least monitored a bit by the police for his and his family's own safety?
I know he's not actually a minister but He is the chief whisperer in the PMs ear (essentially Boris' brain), and a widely loathed man...
How is it possible that nobody in authority knew that he'd buggered off up north and relayed that info on to BoJo?
Setting aside Dom's behavior, it just doesn't correlate, either they knew all along meaning the narrative of "different rules for those in power" applies or worse still they didn't and our government is massively incompetent...
I’d imagine close protection includes a high degree of privacy and discretion, so that key people don’t chose to forgo it in order to live their lives without feeling constantly surveyed.
Not sure the PM would be bothered with the day to day position of his team, especially while he was ill himself.
Anyway, the PM had the chance yesterday to wash his hands of this, and as predicted he didn’t. What he knew when is irrelevant, he knows enough now, and has lashed himself to Cummings’ mast.
https://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/outbreak-of-coronavirus-at-weston-general-hospital-1-6669079
Second wave? Hope not, but given the incubation period I certainly wouldn't bet against it.
Now with a largely unenforceable lockdown?
Bye bye Boris.
Tw*t.
Written to my (Tory boy) MP, has a 1.4% majority in a previously safe Labour seat.
My thoughts go to a those who have suffered unimaginable losses in the last few months, some of the things I've read on here are just awful.
Does Dominic Cummings not have any close protection?
It would appear not.
did someone (poopscoop) post a cartoon / infographic earlier along the Stay at Home Protect Lives theme but with Cummings loading his cases into the back of the car. It had a swear word in it and I think has been deleted?
What's the link to it - I need that for other purposes!
....and has lashed himself to Cummings’ mast.
Written to my Tory boy MP. I'm not expecting a reply.
LBC is a decent listen just now.
