New Tory Leader

[ricardo 7,416]

1 hour ago, sonyc said:

Maybe. Yet, good intentions are fairly useless when it comes to the governance of a whole country R! You need competence and a long term strategy.

 

As an aside...

My former girlfriend was always fond of telling me when I apologised for some thing or other... "But...what's the good of good intentions when you still went ahead and did it"

I think she had a point. And the argument often stopped right at that point. Checkmate.😅

The best laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft a glay 

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

1 hour ago, ricardo said:

I imagine that like us, they all begin with good intentions and then for some reason it all turns to dust. As the saying goes, all political careers end in failure.

Or death

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

Apparently Johnson lost a lot of WhatsApp messages because he changed his phone which beggars belief as he was apparently using it to run the country. 

But don't worry, if he asks Mark Zuckerberg nicely he can get them back. 

[ricardo 7,416]

1 hour ago, dylanisabaddog said:

Or death

There is no dodging that one.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

20 minutes ago, ricardo said:

There is no dodging that one.

You aren't going to have your head choped off and put in a freezer then? 

And expecting that they really are going to thaw you out.

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

An extraordinary speech from an extraordinary woman

 

https://fb.watch/kVHvAX8Ygt/

 

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

10 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

You aren't going to have your head choped off and put in a freezer then? 

And expecting that they really are going to thaw you out.

We're going to need his head for match reports. 

[Herman 9,844]

3 hours ago, ricardo said:

I imagine that like us, they all begin with good intentions and then for some reason it all turns to dust. As the saying goes, all political careers end in failure.

Except Bozo. He's never had good intentions. 

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

1 hour ago, Herman said:

Except Bozo. He's never had good intentions. 

The best Prime Minister we've ever had. According to Doreen of Hartlepool on Radio 5 Live this morning 

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

2 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said:

We're going to need his head for match reports. 

He could still type

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

17 hours ago, Herman said:

Except Bozo. He's never had good intentions. 

Speaking of which, what on earth is he up to? Is there something in his text messages that is damaging to Sunak? And if there is, would he really put it out there with the intention of damaging Sunak and his own party? 

[Herman 9,844]

6 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said:

Speaking of which, what on earth is he up to? Is there something in his text messages that is damaging to Sunak? And if there is, would he really put it out there with the intention of damaging Sunak and his own party? 

My friend's theory is that he is going to bring it all down and once the dust has settled, rise up like a big fat phoenix as the leader of the New Conservatives. 

[Daz Sparks 1,202]

1 minute ago, Herman said:

My friend's theory is that he is going to bring it all down and once the dust has settled, rise up like a big fat phoenix as the leader of the New Conservatives. 

That's not a bad theory, these lot make the Romans look like amateurs.

[Herman 9,844]

11 minutes ago, Daz Sparks said:

That's not a bad theory, these lot make the Romans look like amateurs.

His belief is that the British public will forgive and forget Johnson much easier than Sunak. This is entirely plausible in my mind, sadly. 

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

1 hour ago, Herman said:

His belief is that the British public will forgive and forget Johnson much easier than Sunak. This is entirely plausible in my mind, sadly. 

You have reminded me of the mock Daily Mail front page. 

Liz Truss maybe a woman but at least she's white and that's why we're backing her to be our next Prime Minister. 

I stress this was a mocked up article which was passed around on social media. But, many a true word is spoken in jest. 

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

HIGNFY last night said that the phone he is handing over is from 2021. 

[Creative Midfielder 2,003]

2 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

HIGNFY last night said that the phone he is handing over is from 2021. 

Yes it is, how convenient is that????    🙄

[Herman 9,844]

 

[sonyc 5,541]

"Spectacularly stupid"

 

#followingthescienceNOT

[Barbe bleu 834]

2 hours ago, sonyc said:

"Spectacularly stupid"

 

#followingthescienceNOT

If the covid inquiry is focused on this I would be incredibly annoyed.  

[sonyc 5,541]

11 hours ago, Barbe bleu said:

If the covid inquiry is focused on this I would be incredibly annoyed.  

It struck me too as a less than obvious focus for the inquiry. Where might you focus your attention if you had the responsibility? On the PPE fiasco? The unpreparedness of the NHS to cope? The lack of pandemic planning even though serious advice existed? The fast track contractor routes with links to senior Tory MPs? (that one could be its own inquiry). The release of folk to care homes? The latter often forced.The testing regime? (The WHO stated how important it was).The  test and trace cost, the billions written off? The degree of actual following of the science? The pros and cons of lockdown? The social distancing and decisions about funerals etc (affecting nearly every one of us).

There are a lot of areas.

However, assuming you've read the piece, it seems anyway that there was a lack of inter-government communication on matters (Hancock before stated he was not involved in HOTEO, only reading about it in the press). I realise ministers were under enormous pressure in unprecedented circumstances but there is certainly public interest in the issues.

As for blocking access to messages for the inquiry - the WhatsApp arguments we constantly read about (which now appear to be a significant way government has been done) - it feels as dodgy as anything and shows little transparency. Sunak's position looks very uncomfortable to my eyes. This too from a person who announced under his watch there would be "integrity, professional and accountability" at every level of government. Yet, not his it appears.

Sunak was one minister in a veritable shower of a government (again in my eyes) who appeared competent. Someone who one might trust to an extent. As the months have gone on he looks more and more duplicitous. He knew Johnson was a wrong 'un I reckon but hung on in there as he was chancellor. Then his chance came for a go at PM. Johnson is obviously out for Sunak too. That's the way Johnson goes about his business. All about him.

It will be interesting if the legal challenge fails (as many commentators have stated might well happen).

[dylanisabaddog 5,041]

18 hours ago, Herman said:

 

That lot get stranger and stranger. 

[Barbe bleu 834]

On 04/06/2023 at 10:54, sonyc said:

It struck me too as a less than obvious focus for the inquiry. Where might you focus your attention if you had the responsibility? On the PPE fiasco? The unpreparedness of the NHS to cope? The lack of pandemic planning even though serious advice existed? The fast track contractor routes with links to senior Tory MPs? (that one could be its own inquiry). The release of folk to care homes? The latter often forced.The testing regime? (The WHO stated how important it was).The  test and trace cost, the billions written off? The degree of actual following of the science? The pros and cons of lockdown? The social distancing and decisions about funerals etc (affecting nearly every one of us).

I think the focus should be on areas that are likely to be relevant in a future pandemic (assuming that the lab/pangolin carries on producing them...) or even more general seasonal outbreaks.

It's difficult to define exactly as that requires an inquiry to determine the content of an inquiry but top of my head:

1) infection control in care homes. Does this really exist at the best of times  let alone the worst? Are there alert levels that can be moved up and down depending on what is in circulation at the time. Basically fairly boring mundane stuff, not the big gotcha that a lot of people want but stuff that can save lots of lives

2) supply chain resilience. Seems like a lot of the cost and scandal comes from virtually anyone knowing a Chinese manufacturer being asked to name their price.   Can we make ourselves less exposed to globalised market forces? 

3) was lockdown too crude an instrument?  Should we have gone full Swedish and let the thing run in the less vulnerable groups  but with real protections for the vulnerable  (see one above)

 

The last one is the big big question but I've put it below the other two as it's less obvious that the learning points will help in the future, whereas the others probably can.

Edited June 7, 2023 by Barbe bleu

[Herman 9,844]

Interesting going ons at the Torygraph. Looks like the Barclays have been booted into touch. Hopefully it may return to some semblance of a respected newspaper.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

On 04/06/2023 at 19:15, Barbe bleu said:

I think the focus should be on areas that are likely to be relevant in a future pandemic (assuming that the lab/pangolin carries on producing them...) or even more general seasonal outbreaks.

It's difficult to define exactly as that requires an inquiry to determine the content of an inquiry but top of my head:

1) infection control in care homes. Does this really exist at the best of times  let alone the worst? Are there alert levels that can be moved up and down depending on what is in circulation at the time. Basically fairly boring mundane stuff, not the big gotcha that a lot of people want but stuff that can save lots of lives

2) supply chain resilience. Seems like a lot of the cost and scandal comes from virtually anyone knowing a Chinese manufacturer to name their price.   Can we make ourselves less exposed to globalised market forces? 

3) was lockdown too crude an instrument?  Should we have gone full Swedish and let the thing run in the less vulnerable groups  but with real protections for the vulnerable  (see one above)

 

The last one is the big big question but I've put it below the other two as it's less obvious that the learning points will help in the future, whereas the others probably can.

John Hopkins is questioning whether full lockdown was worth it.

Stupid really as we will never know.

Its like asking if we should have appeased Hitler even more and let him have Europe.

[Barbe bleu 834]

3 hours ago, keelansgrandad said:

John Hopkins is questioning whether full lockdown was worth it.

Stupid really as we will never know.

Its like asking if we should have appeased Hitler even more and let him have Europe.

We'll never know for sure and the same set of circumstances will never arise again but it's made my list because something similar might happen again in the medium to long term and we can make an assesment, even if its not provable., that can inform policy as and when.

It's only third on my list though as I agree it's edging towards the 'one for the historians' folder.

 

[A Load of Squit 5,225]

This is an election game changer, Sunak the tech wizard.

Yes, the same Sunak who didn't know how to use a contactless debit card is being portrayed as a tech wizard due to his 'smart mug'.

🤣

 

[KiwiScot 1,489]

On 07/06/2023 at 19:11, keelansgrandad said:

John Hopkins is questioning whether full lockdown was worth it.

Hopefully this is a reasoned and evidence based query and not along of the lines of someone who's complaining about the mess afterwards because they had no realistic expectations of what would happen.

It's a recovery that will take decades.

[Barbe bleu 834]

3 hours ago, A Load of Squit said:

This is an election game changer, Sunak the tech wizard.

Yes, the same Sunak who didn't know how to use a contactless debit card is being portrayed as a tech wizard due to his 'smart mug'.

🤣

 

The release seems to be suggesting that sunak is right to be worried about AI and where it takes us all.  I agree that this is a field that needs some very careful thought 

[Yellow Fever 3,846]

1 hour ago, Barbe bleu said:

The release seems to be suggesting that sunak is right to be worried about AI and where it takes us all.  I agree that this is a field that needs some very careful thought 

Has anybody asked ChatGPT or 'Deep Thought' about it 🙂

42

 

 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Yellow Fever