Tuesday 12 May: Small shops find a way where union leaders and politicians see obstacles

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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Today’s letters (visible only to DT subscribers) are here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2020/05/11/letterssmall-shops-find-way-union-leaders-politicians-see-obstacles/

870 thoughts on “Tuesday 12 May: Small shops find a way where union leaders and politicians see obstacles”

  1. Morning all ☺
    Of course our political classes struggle to understand how private enterprise works, most politicians wouldn’t last a week in the real world.
    They are so frightened of making a mistake. Health and saftey this human rights that etc. etc. So much so, that they hardly notice that they practically never get anything right. Sometimes too many advisors spoil the proverbial broth.

    1. ‘Morning, Eddy. Problem is – they are not only fighting a pandemic; they also have to take on an almost universally hostile media with unlimited access to the airwaves. I can imagine that the government finds the relentless negativity, and the full time undermining of their efforts, deeply dispiriting. I don’t envy their task.

      1. Our media are an absolute disgrace. They have become a law unto themselves.
        They are like a running battle with a puss filled open wound.

      2. Good morning, Hugh.
        I think the Government are having an unreasonable time of it.
        After the General Election and the Christmas holiday I doubt
        many MPs had even found their way around the HoC before
        this pandemic became known, yet immediately the
        braying mobs descended upon them.

      3. Hi HJ, Macron’s message in France is almost identical to this Government’s message – “Stay Alert”. Yet the French press are not attacking it or calling it ‘confusing’, that is the problem in this country, the MSM now believe that they should run the country. Though if given the reins they would no doubt completely F it up.

    2. Quite a sharp frost here.
      I’m glad I bubble wrapped our delicate plants in the garden last night. Plastic does have a good use. And a few clothes pegs.
      Knowing from a life time of experience how often this does happen in our climate.

      1. Good morning, Ready.

        We also have had a hard frost here.
        I don’t put any annuals out before the last week-end in May,
        a lesson taught to me by my Father.

        1. Good morning Garlands

          “Ne’er cast a clout ’til May be out” refers to the month. Clout is from an Old English word for cloth or clothing, and the saying was a reminder not to be too quick to chuck the winter woollies before the chilly days of May were over.

          1. Good morning, Belle.
            Yes, our Granny used to lecture us about it.
            I admit though that last Friday at our Street
            Party everyone, old and young, threw caution
            to the wind and dressed for the weather!!!
            As I did yesterday for my walk, I walked about
            fifty yards [wearing a thick cotton jumper]
            before returning home to add a thick shawl
            to my ensemble…:-))

            By the way…..I heard my first cuckoo this
            morning, I think they have moved further
            along the valley; some friends took a very
            long walk last Thursday and were overwhelmed
            by their song.

          2. ‘Morning, little g, Best Beloved was sure she heard a cuckoo the other day (here in rural Suffolk) but it’s kept quiet until this morning when Judy captured it on her phone. Supposedly quite rare out here.

          3. ‘Morning, Mags I asked the question sometime last week as to what does the ‘May’ in that saying refer to, the month, the fly, or the flower?

            The only reply I received, seem to think it is the flower.

          4. Morning Tom

            I always thought it was the month of May, Moh’s grandfather used to mutter things about tender plants , vegetables , to be protected in May because of late frosts.

      2. Depends on wind direction. Frosts in May are not unusual when the wind is coming from North East.

        ♫Here we come gathering nuts in May,Nuts in May, nuts in May,Here we come gathering nuts in May,On a cold and frosty morning.♫

      3. No sign of a frost here at 7 o’clock this morning but I took the precaution of covering my spuds with a tarpaulin and my early outdoor tomatoes and courgettes with large pots last evening. I did that the night before and it looks as though I will have to continue for the next two or three nights.

  3. Good morning, all. Bright, sunny, chilly. Less wind right now. For a change.

  5. Good Morning All –
    A small consolation to start the day , as I may have mentioned before SWMBO works in the out of hours GP service and we also have a couple of GP friends, the out of hours GPs are both local to the South West and some from further afield, I only mention this because are none are “activists” and represent a reasonable cross section of political leanings but one thing is surprisingly common, they all think the Government are doing the best they can under the circumstances.

    1. I tend to agree with that. It’s an unknown situation.
      But hopefully ‘the dyke’ has almost been plugged, but we seem to have too many experts with their own opinions.
      Especially in the media.
      Perhaps the authorities could have stopped so many people arriving here and not had to trust them to self isolate. IMHO, It is asking for trouble.

      1. “…hopefully ‘the dyke’ has almost been plugged…”

        Sadly, no – she is still whinging away in Edinburgh, doing her very best to cause the most difficulty for Mr Johnson.

        2. The Harridan / Krankie / Nippy Sweetie seems to have hair that does not grow and the roots self dye.

  6. Morning again

    SIR – As there has been no proven case anywhere in the world of a child under 10 transmitting coronavirus to another person, am I alone in thinking that primary school teachers without PPE are safer at school than at home or in the supermarket?

    C W Greenwood

    Northallerton, North Yorkshire

  7. Good morning, everyone. Orf to the hospital. Mrs D has a severe pain in her left calf. 9am appointment at the DVT clinic.

          1. Obs taken. History and then a scan which showed no sign of a clot. Great relief. I reckon she is swinging the lead as I have to do all the dog walks. 😩

  8. Funerals banned

    SIR – My wife died of Covid-19 at St James’s Hospital in Leeds on April 28 2020. I was present for the last hour of her life and observed the titanic struggle as she fought for breath.

    The loss after 63 years of marriage of a much-loved friend, companion and confidante is an almost unbearable personal trauma. It has been compounded by the discovery that Leeds City Council has banned funerals in crematoria chapels.

    Public Health England permits funerals as long as social distancing is observed. Surely they pose no greater risk than shopping at a supermarket.

    Maj Gordon G Bonner (retd)

    Leeds, West Yorkshire

    1. The pretendy bishop of London says her churches can open on 5 July. Christian compassion isn’t her strong point. Of course she was an NHS administrator in her previous life.

      1. Yo Sue

        Perhaps Major BG Bonner should inform Leeds City Council that his late wife was a Muslim

        Next day service, unlimited attendees

    2. The heartless filth are now in charge of our lives.

      There is a growing conspiracy theory that the Covid-19 has been seized on to allow those in public life to grab more and more control over us and shower us in their excrement.

      1. Good morning Richard,

        This morning is sunny and bright , but rather chilly.
        It is understandable that you are really angry with the current state of political decisions .

        Please be careful that your stress levels don’t get the better of you . Calm down please.

        1. Yes Ehcalmdown 😊

          Sit down with your lovely Martin and play Take it Easy. It’s in G.

    3. That’s a very sad and rather dreadful situation.
      UK it’s maximum of ten people.
      We had a family member die not long after lockdown.
      And the funeral was broadcast on the company’s FB page.
      Not quite the same as being there.
      Even South Africa is allowing funerals. But have restricted the gatherings to 50 people in attendance.
      I dread to think but there must now be thousands of bodies stored in cold storage somewhere or other.
      It’s a wonder little Greta ‘thunder bug’ isn’t jumping up and down about the extra electricity now being used by the process.
      Let alone the pollution during the future cremations.

  9. I’m getting more than a bit tired of hearing about nothing but WuFlu, day after day and, wishing the Government to get on with important things I wrote to Boris Johnson and copied in my MP:

    The Prime Minister,
    10 Downing Street,
    London SW1A 2AA

    Subject: Government Priorities

    Whilst I realise that you are probably still feeling the after-effects of your bout of WuFlu and are probably being hounded about lockdown et al. I, and I’m sure many others, are more concerned with the seeming lack of attention to more pressing matters of state that need your supervision, to ensure that we retain our hard-won Sovereignty and start putting our Governmental house in order. My advice, were I in your shoes, would be to consider the following on an urgent basis:

    The Current EU talks
    1. These should be conducted on the basis that we continue to protect our fisheries, solely (forgive the unintentional pun) for the use of British fishermen.
    2. We must nevermore be subjected to the Napoleonic code as used in the so-called European Court of Justice (ECJ) and we must also leave, and refuse further recognition of, the European Human Rights Commission (EHRC). These two moves will be restoring British Justice, as identified in Magna Carta and Habeus Corpus.
    3. When we reach June 30th, there must be recognition by both sides that should no agreement be reached, we have no option but to leave immediately, trade under WTO rules and make no further payments of any kind to the European Union.

    Immigration
    1. The enforcement of immigration law must be upheld, particularly the part of International Law that states that refugees must apply for Asylum in the first safe country they enter. Unless they come by boat, directly from their war-torn or dangerous country, this cannot be the United Kingdom. Those seeking to enter illegally from European Countries must already be in ‘Safe Countries’ and should be immediately returned there, particularly, if their attempt has been by boat(s), they must NOT be allowed to set foot on British soil but must be returned immediately and, when landed, their boat(s) must be destroyed.
    2. This will require a massive increase in Border Force cutters, helicopters, drones and other surveillance equipment in order to constantly monitor our shores and borders for illegal attempts. It will also require Border Force personnel to undergo rigorous training in their handling of intercepted illegal migrants and/or those organising the smuggling. Please ask the Home Secretary to attend to this.
    3. One effective way to deter illegal immigration is to a). immediately withdraw all benefits from those here illegally and abolish the Supreme Court as the court of appeal, as it has already demonstrated that it has no will to uphold British Law and has no concept of Justice. Any appeals above the Royal Courts of Justice will in future be heard by the Law Lords. (See the next section)

    Parliamentary Reform
    There abounds a great feeling that there is a need for major Parliamentary Reform, in order to ensure that it reflects the will of the people and not that of place-men, with their own self-interest at heart. To this end it may need to:

    1. Take account of the Boundaries Commission’s recommendations either as formulated in 2010 and never enacted or, as may be recommended today, The Public at large, feel that 650 Members of Parliament is a gross, costly over-representation for no tangible gain.
    2. Having dealt with the Lower House, the Upper House, with over 800 members, is also even more grossly inflated as well. It would be as well to clear out all the ‘Life Peers’ and restore just the hereditaries and the Law Lords. The Bishops may be allowed, always provided that they are directed towards the restoration of the Church of England and stop playing into the hands of Islam (more of that later)
    3. Which brings us to the current Electoral Commission, currently seen to be biased and taking upon itself powers of prosecution that are not within its remit. Reform of the present membership is urgently required.

    Devolved Government
    1. The two assemblies and the Scottish Wee Pretendy Parliament all need to be devolved and their powers (such as they are) brought back to Westminster under the relevant Ministers (your Cabinet could do with much pruning)
    2. This devolvement, being all further examples of Mr Blair’s policies to ruin the United Kingdom and which are largely succeeding, will reduce needless expenditure of the taxpayer’s money and close down what are effectively talking shops allowing Westminster to speak with one voice when dealing with overseas governments

    Police
    Many people have witnessed the bully-boy tactics of the Police during this lockdown and it is time that the Home Secretary (under your direction) gets them to recognise that they should revert to acting as a Force that remembers that it polices by public consent and realise that they are not Political Police, despite what Common Purpose may tell them about ‘Leading beyond Authority’

    I remain, Prime Minister

    Yours very sincerely

    1. Did you mean “all need to be dissolved“. The abolition of the Scottish one would probably spur the SNP to declare Independence….

      2. The SNP will never declare independence. A few years ago the SNP had 58 of 59 Scottish MPs, and over two-thirds support from SNP and Green MSPs at Holyrood. A convocation of all elected representatives could have been convened. An overwhelming majority therefore for independence and a vote to secede would have been legal in international law and in line with the Articles of the UN. It never happened.
        Because they were afraid, because they could not face the storm, or because being a political party with a winning USP they were secure in their jobs for ever? Self interest before patriotism?

        1. All good points. So we can expect decades of complaining for Independence but in reality would run an Edinburgh Mile if offered it….

          1. I think so. huge fraud on the voting public, the majority of who actually want independence. It is possible that Salmond will throw a spanner in the works. The plot to disgrace him failed. He is intending to “reveal things” and is talking of setting up a rival independence party.

    3. Morning, Tom. More power to your elbow.

      I fear, though, that you will receive mass-produced mumbo-jumbo. No one READS letters any more; let alone replies to specific points.

  10. DT BTL Comment – Letters page:

    Colin Thomasson
    12 May 2020 7:52AM

    Those who worship at the shrine of eu cod democracy and who therefore stand implacably opposed in principal to the existence and success of any British government, and always seek to deny its legitimacy- because the British government is actually, really, properly democratic – ( eu/bbc/snp)…
    Such forces of cod democracy wish the Emergency to become the travesty of democracy which they actually already are.

    And knowing this end is facilitated by spreading confusion, fear and misunderstandings, they circle Boris like the political Striped Hyenas they always were.
    Braying and whining falsehood from their every orifice, or bbc broadcast for all they are worth.
    Proclaiming pious contradictions and issuing ‘ stark warnings’ on the “risks of reopening too soon “.
    All Boris does must ” un-necessarily bring needless suffering and death”.
    As if that were the British government’s only end.

    But that travesty is in fact the nature of a world run by mathematical models based upon nothing more than conjecture.
    Such as the crucially important ‘R’ factor.
    The supposed instantaneous rate of spread of the virus on a given day, crudely calculated from whatever retrospective data is available.
    Much like the instantaneous speed of a car accelerating at a constantly changing rate, which can be defined as change in distance travelled divided by the change in time taken across the measurement.
    Only with the R number, nothing is so precisely defined or knowable , and it is therefore a guess.
    A guess based on various other guesses in fact.
    Such as cause of death and the number of deaths actually known and counted , and ignoring all other effects of the lockdown.
    But nevertheless, a guess of guesses that defines freedom liberty and democracy, .
    At least, it must, in the world of cod science and digital models.

    This is rapidly becoming intolerable to the people who voted for and support the British government .

    It is in fact another undeclared deceleration of war by the bbc et al on sovereign British government.
    Exactly like the last eu fake parliament.
    Only this time, there is no point in having another election whose result and validity shall only be further denied by the cod democrats.
    And so, it is high time the British government leapt to the defence of British democracy and dealt with the bbc on their own terms.

    Deny their validity, something which they have in any case long since forgone in favour of calling Boris a liar and unfit for office, Ignore their Royal Charter as they do.
    Close them down.
    Then hold them to account under the Defence of the Realm Act .
    Whereby, I hope, sedition might still be counted a crime against democracy.

    1. 319140+ up ticks,
      Morning S,
      Leaving aside the corana19 issue & cutting to the quick is there a governance party capable of stopping
      the growing tide of invaders coming up the beach, because if so it has yet to show itself.

    1. The man is an idiot

      The provision of PPE for the NHS is/was the resposibility of the NHS

      They have a procurement/purchasing organisation

      If he wants to cause trouble, he should Grenfelise the situation

      Corporate manslaughter charges against the NHS, for failing to prepare, following requirement excercises carried out in previous years

  12. I went out at 8 am t take advantage of a lull in the gale to continue the hedge work. Three-quarters finished. Now gale beginning to restart.

    Bak son.

      1. Have to use step ladder – HSE rules followed(!!!)

        Yes, thank you. Onions Rule OK.

          1. Good day, young sir. Indeed I do – and it was in use this morning – as well as the pair of steps.

      2. Yo T_B

        Yes, he is coughing a lot better now, well what we can hear of him in Shropshire

        I still think he wants it to go away though……

    3. Yo Bill

      If you paid someone to do it.would the money come from your hedgefund

    3. They all walked in , they were welcomed and invited by politicians , nurtured by the state .. then , like thieves in the night . took what wasn’t theirs to take ..

      1. 319140+ up ticks,

        Morning Tb,
        That applies to both politico’s & immigrants alike.

    2. Old Fripp doesn’t look very rock and roll now, does he?

      More 21st Century Schizoid.

      1. I bumped into this pair once, the were sitting at the next table in one of my favourite cafés: Byford’s in Holt, North Norfolk.

    3. V good. Despite being a KC fan, I never knew he’d married Toyah!

  17. Political Correctness

    We are constantly hearing from the press that Trump is too opinionated and not using political correctness.

    So what is meant by the modern term referred to as ‘POLITICAL CORRECTNESS’..

    The definition is found in 4 telegrams at the Truman Library and Museum inIndependence, Missouri. The following are copies of four telegrams
    between President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur on the daybefore the actual signing of the WWII Surrender Agreement in September
    1945.. The contents of those four telegrams below are exactly as received at theend of the war – not a word has been added or deleted!

    (1) Tokyo, Japan 0800-September 1,1945

    To: President Harry S Truman

    From: General D A MacArthur

    Tomorrow we meet with those yellow-bellied bastards and sign the Surrender Documents, any last minute instructions?

    (2) Washington, D C 1300-September 1, 1945

    To: D A MacArthur

    From: H S Truman

    Congratulations, job well done, but you must tone down your obvious dislike of the Japanese when discussing the terms of the surrender with the press,
    because some of your remarks are fundamentally not politically correct!

    (3) Tokyo, Japan 1630-September 1, 1945

    To: H S Truman

    From: D A MacArthur and C H Nimitz

    Wilco Sir, but both Chester and I are somewhat confused, exactly what does the term politically correct mean?

    (4) Washington, D C 2120-September 1, 1945

    To: D A MacArthur/C H Nimitz

    From: H S Truman

    Political Correctness is a doctrine, recently fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and promoted by a sick mainstream media, which holds forth the
    proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a piece of shit by the clean end!

    Now, with special thanks to the Truman Museum and Harry himself, you and Ifinally have a full understanding of what ‘POLITICAL CORRECTNESS’ really
    means…..

    2. Did they really use the term “main stream media” in 1945? I’ll get me pork-pie cap.

        1. ‘Morning, Joseph, a good story nevertheless and a very accurate definition of Political Correctness lunacy.

    5. 319140+ up ticks,
      Olt,
      They really do surpass any writings old shaky knocked out, thanks for the
      definition.

    1. No, he’s just making himself presentable for an interview on national TV. He might not be gold standard, but he’s still a minister of the crown.

        4. I just looked to see if it was Yorkshire Day, but that’s 1st August (I guessed there would be one!).
          Perhaps he was just off to a not very smart wedding?
          Anyway, I like it. And I’m beginning to feel a bit sorry for Matt Hancock. He’s the mug that all those posh boys are going to use as the corona fall guy.

          1. I believe its because of Nurse’s Day, the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth (or something like that). Hijacked by the Twatterati as a useful supplement to the Thursday night dose of clap, we’re all supposed to shine a lamp out of our windows at 20.30 this evening to ‘celebrate’ our brave NHS.

            Or not. As the case may be.

          2. I feel just a little bit sorry for him – he thought he had a fairly dull number as health sec but then he was landed with being the front man for this crisis. He’s really not up to the job but is muddling through. When it’s expedient he’ll be relieved of his post.

          3. I think they only ever give the graveyard of Health Secretary to useful mugs.

      2. Good morning basset. I am sick and tired of people taking cheap shots at those who are trying to do their best! You don’t have to like these people but please get behind them.

        1. Sue – you are, of course,entitled to your view.

          Personally, I am sick and tired of lightweight politicians who have not the slightest knowledge of how most people struggle to make a living – pontificating. They are so out of their depth.

          I would have respect – and time – for people who knew what they were doing. No one in this government (or Whitehall) has the least idea.

          Hancock blusters and bumbles. He sets “targets” which he is unable to meet – instead of just getting on with doing what needs to be done. He now wants Johnson to “give him a break”, for Heaven’s Sake. If he can’t stand the heat -resign.

          Patel promises to stop cross-Channel illegals arriving and to “send them back”. What happens? SFA – and hundreds arrive each week to be welcomed by the Border Farce and given homes and money by the the hard-pressed taxpayer

          Johnson says one thing and does another. His Cabinet bicker like primary school children.

          Raab – just wants to be PM.

          Gove is only interested in Gove.

          I could go on – but I feel a heart attack coming.

          2. I agree that they aren’t exactly the finest of orators and don’t seem to have the experience needed to field the fairly ridiculous and politically loaded questions fired at them by an increasingly screechy and self-satisfied MSM. However, I don’t think this is the time to pick them apart. Try living with the ghastly (even ghastlier!) lot north of the border!

          3. It isn’t the way the respond to stupid questions, Sue.

            It is the way they are completely out of their depth in handling the portfolio they accepted.

          4. Dare I say that they don’t have the life experience or education to be in politics? I’m not convinced that a PPE degree from some ex poly equips them mentally or verbally for this kind of “crisis”.

          5. Quite – I agree. But – and this is the problem – they ran for parliament, were elected and then were asked to join the government.

            Being thick as shyte – they leapt at the chance. With the results we are now seeing.

            A bright, intelligent, well-rounded person knows his limitations. These arrises don’t.

          6. But they aren’t “bright, intelligent, well-rounded” people! I know that, but they don’t ! They wouldn’t last 2 minutes in a real job among real people in a real business! However, at the moment they are the “best” we have. Maybe when the dust settles there will be a day of reckoning re suitable candidates. I won’t hold my breath!

          7. Of course they are not. The tragedy is that they BELIEVE they are.

            Come the next election – they will all get a shock.

          8. That I will support whole-heartedly. They have never had a proper job in the real world.

        2. I have to say, Sue, that while I appreciate your point of view, their best isn’t good enough and we should not tolerate mediocrity (an ex-grammar school pupil writes).

  19. Beeb Headline:

    “Coronavirus: Transport for London expects to lose £4bn”

    Amendment – Taxpayers can expect to pick up this additional tab at some point in the future…..

    2. The Chancellor Riki Sunak is making a statement today. £4 billion is peanuts to him. If the mayor asks the chancellor for help, he will dip in our pockets and give him £5 billion and tell Khan to keep the change.

    3. Simple fix…..Kahnt will increase the council tax in the more prosperous areas.

    4. TFL are deliberately not taking fares on buses, as well as haranguing anyone who dares to use them with repeated recorded messages telling us we shouldn’t use a service we nonetheless have to subsidise via taxation.

  20. “Wembley. A diverse community united in suffering.” BBC balderdash. (All of the BBC output is nonsensical, fluffy, pink sludge. I hear some of it when passing through the exercise area in the morning.)

    2. A BBC staffed by people, 90% of whom would never dream of living in Brent, lat alone visiting it.

      1. A once respectable the borough of Harrow now seemingly including Edgeware has gone the same way.
        There are often stories where 15 or more adults living in sublet rented accommodation. The drains become blocked and the council is called in to investigate. The council inspectors don’t actually do anything, the probably illegal immigrants, just up and leave either returning later or moving in with others near by. And so it goes on and on a daily basis.

    3. A Proud man in his day, one of my fathers brothers was once Mayor of Wembley, he’d be turning in his grave at this very moment.
      Brent council is now run by mainly ethnically diverse people.
      A few years ago the AHs in Brent council kicked an ex service man out of his 3 bed council house into a ‘care home’, after he had spent most of his life savings of 50 thousand in paying for his home care himself.

      1. In 1959, my mother took me to see the Russian Circus at Wembley stadium. We arrived by bus in the afternoon, looking for something to eat before the show. There was just one seedy looking transport caff to choose from.

        1. Ahem… If there was only one, there is no choice, i.e. you can’t choose.

  21. I just picked this up from my browser, if this is what actually happened, this is absolutely disgusting.

    Several councils threatened to withhold funding to help care homes deal with the coronavirus outbreak if they didn’t agree to take in COVID-19 patients, Sky News can reveal.

    It comes as dozens of care homes fear a government policy allowing the transfer of coronavirus-positive or untested patients is a “major factor” in why COVID-19 deaths are so high.
    The policy was changed in the middle of April but some care homes believe the damage had already been done by then.
    Sky News has obtained letters from several councils saying they would withhold so-called uplift payments, extra money to deal with the outbreak, unless the homes agreed to new terms including taking in confirmed COVID-19 patients.

    © Getty Care homes have been taking in coronavirus patients across the country
    None of the care homes, who said they feared the policy caused the virus to spread in their premises, wanted to be identified for fear of repercussions.
    But one told us: “My anguish and sadness is purely arisen from the thoughtless and neglectful conduct of the local authorities demanding that providers admit into their homes COVID-19 positive and untested residents.
    “This has undoubtedly caused a huge spike in infections and resulted in deaths that were avoidable.”
    With the help of Care North East and the Registered Nursing Homes Association, Sky News contacted a large cross-section of care homes in Britain. More than 90 responded.
    We asked:
    Did you feel pressure from hospitals to take patients before 15 April? 70% told us they did.
    Did hospitals discharge patients to your care home with COVID-19 symptoms before 15 April? 41% said yes.
    Do you think COVID-19 positive patients discharged from hospital caused the virus to spread in your care home? 38% said yes.

    The original government advice given to care homes said “negative tests are not required prior to transfers/admissions into the care home”.
    This was replaced with new advice on 15 April which read: “We can now confirm we will move to institute a policy of testing all residents prior to admission to care homes.
    “This will begin with all those being discharged from hospital.”
    Keith Gray represents 250 care homes in the north east of England.
    Gallery: Coronavirus turns the world into a ghost town (The Atlantic)

    He said of the original policy: “I believe it was one of the major factors that caused the outbreaks in the care homes.
    “We could never prove this but we believe it was one of the major factors.
    “Other factors were maybe the staff, maybe people from outside that came into care homes.”
    The Department of Health and Social Care said in a statement: “It’s simply untrue that government policy has allowed the spread of COVID-19 in care homes. We’ve been working with the care sector since February to ensure they’ve had the best advice, based on the latest scientific evidence.
    “We have built the largest diagnostic testing industry in British history from scratch and all care home staff and residents can now be tested, whether they have symptoms or not, with tens of thousands already tested.
    “We have already delivered 68 million items of PPE to social care and a further 50 million items to local resilience forums to protect staff.”

    1. With the ‘Nightingale’ hospitals lying virtually empty, why were they not utilised to take care of Covid-19 patients?

      After all, it’s what they were built for. Is the truth a lack of nursing staff?

      Modern graduate entrants don’t seem really interested in a vocation but more likely are looking for advancement through the ranks or to fill a space on their CV, when applying for well-paid jobs in Private Hospitals.

      A trifle ironic that applying for a job requires a CV.

  22. We need an antidote to Covid hysteria. Spiked. Brendan O’Neil. 12 may 2020. The destruction of freedom is a greater threat than the virus itself.

    It is often said that Covid-19 has exposed Britain’s lack of preparedness for a viral pandemic. Actually, it has done far more than that. It has exposed certain people’s lack of preparedness for life, for basic, everyday decision-making, for using their common sense to navigate the eventualities of the modern world.

    Morning everyone. By my reckoning Brendan has devoted around one third of his articles during the current “crisis” not to the subject of Covid-19; to give it its latest technocratic title, but to freedom in its various forms. He has I think been deeply shocked by the abject nature of the peoples response, their sheep like acceptance of restriction, their docile acceptance of instruction, their slavish servility to Government. This is not a false perception. I have seen it for myself.

    Freedom is in many ways an onerous individual burden. It involves taking responsibility for yourself and those you love, making decisions that may have truly negative consequences for both you and them, and worse still having to live with the results knowing that it was you that made them and are thus the one at fault. This is why most people instinctively avoid it and seek the simple assurance and security of doing as they are told; an attitude that has become embedded into the social structure, an unquestioned necessity. The others, the minority, the optimists, see the opposite side. The opportunities; the rewards, both financial and personal that may ensue from pursuing your own path free of regulation and the stifling petty tyranny of the State.

    There is also the broader picture. It is no accident that Societies of Free Men and Women produce the greatest innovations in Science and Art and come to rule as much by their rival’s backwardness as by self-aggrandisement. Much is made nowadays of the British Empire; that at the same time Britain was the world’s most technically advanced state is largely ignored. The Ancient Greeks who defined the idea of Freedom itself were scientifically and culturally centuries ahead of the Persian Empire that eventually collapsed when it came into contact with them. The modern United States has many faults but it is the present home of individual freedom and also the world’s most economically and technologically advanced polity. This is not a coincidence.

    This is all by way of saying that Freedom is not a luxury, it shouldn’t even be a choice. If you don’t have it then progress itself is closed off to you. Almost by default you will slip into backwardness and irrelevance. Corruption both moral and political will become endemic. Worse still you will eventually come under the rule of those who have no care for you or your needs. You will become true slaves.

    https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/05/11/we-need-an-antidote-to-covid-hysteria/

      1. It includes the whole of Africa.
        Perhaps this is what NWO is all about. A global dictatorship. With AH Bliar and daft vader and mandy running things.
        What could possibly go wrong. …….

        1. 319140+ up ticks,
          Re,
          Who put these cretins into power & kept them there, not once but again,again,& again.
          The rodents are still in with a shout & are still listened too.
          To real is b liar returning as leader of the NEW party when the lab host shell is devoured, ie
          the face East party, join the dots.
          Peoples will have plenty to qibla about then.

      2. 319140+ up ticks,
        Morning B3,
        With all respect spreading the sh!te does NOT alter the fact that as a nation we are no longer ( as was) a role model
        of decency, integrity, & common sense.

    3. Having just read your post Minty it’s very similar to what I have been thinking.
      Let’s all be honest, political classes seem to eff up everything they come into contact with. It’s quite a well known trait.

      1. 319140+ up ticks,
        Morning Re,
        Politico’s make the bullets then
        rhetorically ( no action ever taken) fire them.
        The b liar lifted the security latch on the country ( lab) then it was ALL downhill as tory / lib dems took hold of the baton.
        The race to the bottom was on.
        Supported by a multitude of the peoples every GE.

    5. People have been told what to do and say. Then the state asks them to think for themselves.

      Is it any wonder most can’t?

    6. 319140+ up ticks,
      Morning As,
      Lack of preparedness, period, & in many respects greed & a very strong
      do as you are told, enforced attitude by
      the governance employees.
      Surely the 10 K pre politico rise for failure upfront a pointer.
      The best form of defence is attack.

  23. I wrote to my useless MP to ask him to ask Priti Awful why she is allowing thousands of illegals to enter the UK. Here is what he received from the Home(!!) Office:

    “‘Crossing the Channel in a small boat is a huge risk. The criminal gangs who perpetuate this are ruthless and do not care about loss of life. We are working closely at all levels with the French authorities to tackle this dangerous and illegal activity. We will not stand by while ruthless criminals put the lives of vulnerable people at risk.

    ‘There is no reason why anyone should be risking their life and those of their children to cross the Channel. So, as well as doing everything we can to prevent these journeys from happening in the first place, if people do arrive on our shores illegally, we will work to return them to mainland Europe.

    ‘We are tackling illegal migrant crossings on all fronts with every agency including Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, NCA and policing teams working in tandem with the French authorities. We have three vessels in the Channel, extra patrols on French beaches, drones, specialist vehicles and detection equipment that has been deployed to stop small boats from leaving French shores.

    ‘Compared to where we were even a few months ago, the co-operation we are seeing with French authorities is paying dividends. There are multiple live investigations ongoing and we look for every opportunity to gather evidence and intelligence to disrupt these criminals and bring them to justice.

    ‘So far in 2020, 10 people smugglers have been convicted and put behind bars as a result of Immigration Enforcement investigations.

    ‘100 people smugglers were convicted for a total of 320 years in 2019, some of whom were using small boats to commit their crimes. This has been matched by 16 successful French prosecutions leading to 30 individuals being convicted with sentences of up to six years.

    ‘Despite all our robust action, people will always try to get to the UK. Border Force cutters are patrolling the Channel and we have already deployed equipment including drones, CCTV and night vision goggles.

    ‘Border Force Maritime continues to use Project Kraken to encourage the public and industry to report suspicious activity and reduce the threat from organised crime. If your constituent sees any suspicious activity related to this issue he should contact Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111. This information will then be passed to the relevant authority for further investigation.’”

  24. I wrote to my useless MP to ask him to ask Priti Awful why she is allowing thousands of illegals to enter the UK. Here is what he received from the Home(!!) Office:

    “‘Crossing the Channel in a small boat is a huge risk. The criminal gangs who perpetuate this are ruthless and do not care about loss of life. We are working closely at all levels with the French authorities to tackle this dangerous and illegal activity. We will not stand by while ruthless criminals put the lives of vulnerable people at risk.

    ‘There is no reason why anyone should be risking their life and those of their children to cross the Channel. So, as well as doing everything we can to prevent these journeys from happening in the first place, if people do arrive on our shores illegally, we will work to return them to mainland Europe.

    ‘We are tackling illegal migrant crossings on all fronts with every agency including Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, NCA and policing teams working in tandem with the French authorities. We have three vessels in the Channel, extra patrols on French beaches, drones, specialist vehicles and detection equipment that has been deployed to stop small boats from leaving French shores.

    ‘Compared to where we were even a few months ago, the co-operation we are seeing with French authorities is paying dividends. There are multiple live investigations ongoing and we look for every opportunity to gather evidence and intelligence to disrupt these criminals and bring them to justice.

    ‘So far in 2020, 10 people smugglers have been convicted and put behind bars as a result of Immigration Enforcement investigations.

    ‘100 people smugglers were convicted for a total of 320 years in 2019, some of whom were using small boats to commit their crimes. This has been matched by 16 successful French prosecutions leading to 30 individuals being convicted with sentences of up to six years.

    ‘Despite all our robust action, people will always try to get to the UK. Border Force cutters are patrolling the Channel and we have already deployed equipment including drones, CCTV and night vision goggles.

    ‘Border Force Maritime continues to use Project Kraken to encourage the public and industry to report suspicious activity and reduce the threat from organised crime. If your constituent sees any suspicious activity related to this issue he should contact Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111. This information will then be passed to the relevant authority for further investigation.’”

  25. ‘Morning, Peeps.

    I thought this morning that I would brace myself and listen to the early part of Toady. Knowing that the BBC considers itself to be the Opposition I thought it was time to check up on them.

    Well, it was as bad as it could be. Their current mantra seems to be ‘where is the clarity’ and ‘this or that is at odds to what was said yesterday/the day before/last week/last month’. Little old me has not found it difficult to understand the changes announced yesterday (although BoJo’s address to the nation on Sunday evening was not itself a model of clarity or brevity). It just requires an open mind and a little patience. The Broken Broadcasting Corporation, on the other hand, barely seems to know what day of the week it is, as they attract Lefties and various other trouble-makers like flies round a sewer.

    I can only conclude that Toady interviewers are a) remarkably thick, and b) won’t be happy until they have rounded up and interviewed a vast number of similarly thick, whining people who have an axe to grind. Far from learning from their devious and highly misleading edition of Panorama, wherein they paraded a bunch of anti-government trouble-makers, they still appear to me to be on the same tack today.

    My radio is now silent, and my blood pressure is back where it should be. Lesson learned, I think.

    Edited for typos.

      1. Two years ago i stopped listening to the today prog.
        It wasn’t a good idea to start the day like that.

      3. It was with sadness that I abandoned R4 – but now I wake up to Radio Suisse Classique which just plays classical music and I am far happier.

        Unless the BBC ceases to have its own political agenda it cannot and must not survive.

    2. Good morning, Hugh.

      Follow Uncle Bill. I have not listened (or watched) any beeboid (or any other broadcaster) news, current affairs and political programmes since the day the referendum result was announced.

      And my health, heart and blood pressure are much the better for it.

      These Guidelines are available to any NoTTLer – free of charge!

      2. ‘Morning, Bill.

        Yes, yes, yes…but to ignore a powerful media organisation that has the power to demand money with menaces and which has form when it comes to bias, is a dereliction of duty! The enemy is at the gates, and ignoring it is not an option! Such was my experience earlier today a further email will be winging its way this morning to my (Conservative, allegedly) MP, urging her to use whatever influence she has to put a stop to their antics. Remember, a Charter review is not far off…

    3. The bbc seems to have set its self up as an alternative political party using compulsory public funding as financial support. Surely this cannot be legal.

    4. Yep – also note the current narrative served up to them by the SNP and all of those bitter remainers – it runs like this, the UK is falling apart due to the tensions of the virus (despite what the polls say) and Boris Johnson is PM of England not the UK.

      Repeat constantly 18 hours per day.

      1. ‘Morning, BA, “…Boris Johnson is PM of England not the UK.”

        Another classic example of Bullshit Baffle Brains.

        Time to abolish her Wee Pretendy Parliament on the basis that it is not fit for purpose.

  26. A couple of letters today concerning driving license renewal at 70, mine’s due for renewal on 1st August and i’m entering my 70th year , so anticipating a long delay I applied on line last Monday and wow! it turned up the following Friday

    2. I am stilll waiting for mine since March. No reply from them only their computer.

      1. Morning Johnny et al. Online applications are being processed as normal. Paper applications – i.e. where forms for various medical conditions have to be submitted – are being kicked into the long grass, “to save Our NHS”…

        From the DVLA website:

        Applying for renewing a driving licence with a medical condition
        We are currently facing delays in issuing driving licence renewals for drivers with a medical condition.

        This is because, with NHS staff rightly focused on the nationwide response to Coronavirus, if you have a health condition requiring further information or examinations, there are likely to be significant delays before NHS doctors, consultants or opticians are able to provide us with the information we need to be able to make a licensing decision and send you a new driving licence.

        Providing you have a current driving licence and you have not been told by your doctor or optician that you should not drive, you will be able to drive while DVLA is considering your application.

        Road safety is our top priority and by law, all drivers must meet certain minimum medical standards and drivers must ensure they are medically fit to drive. All drivers must notify DVLA of the onset or worsening of a medical condition.

        2. I’d rather have a completely healthy driving licence, if that’s OK.
          Morning, Geoff.

        3. You need to check with your insurer that driving without a licence under Section Six (I think it is) will not invalidate your insurance. I’ve been there, done that (driving without having a valid licence due to the DVLA dragging its feet, that is).

          1. Cheers, Conners. I’m not driving at present. The car has gone to the scrapyard (with 240k on the clock, and a few issues, it wasn’t worth repairing). My licence expired quite a few years ago. DVLA failed to issue a renewal notice*. I voluntarily stopped driving when I was told my eyesight was borderline. It’s improved now, to the extent that I exceed the eyesight requirements. The legs aren’t an issue, as far as I’m concerned, but I need a current licence to be able to attend a Driving Mobility assessment. *There was a period when I was inadvertently driving without a current licence, thanks to DVLA’s tardiness. I’ve sent an application off, with all the relevant forms, but it seems unlikely that I’ll have a response anytime soon, since Our NHS can’t be arsed to respond to the medical questionnaires.

    5. Not wishing to teach grandmothers to suck eggs, do make sure that any categories still useful to you have not magically disappeared in the process. I, too, am approaching the time when the age 70 renewal will be necessary, but because I need to retain my minibus category, and I tow a caravan, restoring these categories after they have been wiped can be a trial.

      ‘Morning, Datz.

      1. Yep, I was pre-warned by a chum who didn’t know that I would lose C,C1 and D but never having used or needed them I was not too concerned, I tow a caravan and cat BE was not removed so I’m happy about that.

      2. Exactly. That’s why it took me six months to get my licence; I needed to retain my C2 and D2 entitlement.

  28. These guidelines are very confusing, even for a Boris supporting Saxon Queen, very confusing.

    1. A couple of days ago, many on this site were comp,aining about the authoritarian approach to the lockdown.

      Now that rules are being replaced by general advice, people want further clarity.

    1. Has anyone thought to ask for a Judicial Review of the legality of the lock-down, given it was based on a dodgy dossier?

      1. 319140+ up ticks,
        Afternoon BB2,
        Like it, reminds me of dog with a harelip wark,wark.

  30. While I was up the ladder removing ivy from a pear tree, it occurred to me that the reason HMG won’t allow churches to open is that they would have to allow mosques to open ……..

      1. I thought all places of worship were closed – but, then, as you know, I know nothing.

        I am prolly confusing it with France.

  31. Morning all

    SIR – My morning listening yesterday consisted of a stream of union leaders, representatives from the devolved governments, and opposition politicians complaining that schools and businesses cannot open up until the Government gives them guidance on how to do it.

    Our local farm shop has been open throughout the lockdown with an excellent one-way system to allow customers to use it. It somehow managed to work this out itself.

    Ian Goddard

    Wickham, Hampshire

    SIR – In March, lockdown was needed to avoid hospitals being overwhelmed. Now, amid the talk of R values, alert levels, caution and the like, what is the purpose of the restrictions being variously urged from London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast?

    Slowing the spread of the virus may reduce the number of new cases and of deaths per week, without altering the total number of people who will become infected or the mortality among them. Is this what is meant by controlling the virus?

    If so, does it mean we should expect some restrictions to continue until there is a vaccine or treatment? As I understand it, neither is a certainty.

    Advertisement

    Of course we must avoid a second virus peak that overwhelms the NHS. This apart, what do the profusion of experts and multiplicity of governments seek to achieve? Mixed messages inevitably come about when there is no clarity about objectives.

    Dr Robert C Heading

    Edinburgh

    1. SIR – The R number appears to be pure conjecture or guesswork. What credence can one place on this factor in our present circumstances?

      Robert Bowden

      Hereford

      SIR – Would the Prime Minister’s critics care to state what degree of risk they consider acceptable for anyone venturing out of the house?

      Nothing is 100 per cent risk-free, so we need to show rather more common sense and a sight more backbone than is currently on display.

      Take sensible precautions, but accept that there is an unpleasant epidemic going on and some of us will die from it. That happens in epidemics, regardless of who is in power.

      Tim Bradbury

      Winnington, Cheshire

      SIR – The Prime Minister was right to praise the millions who have continued to work during the lockdown to maintain the fabric of civilised life, not just the brave and estimable front-line NHS staff.

      My copy of the Telegraph does not arrive on my doorstep at 7.30 each day by magic but via a complex network of editing, printing and distribution to my newsagent, and then via the young delivery girl to my letter box.

      We should value all such workers and hope that they will soon be joined by the rest of us in productive activity.

      Kenneth Jones

      Groby, Leicestershire

    2. It isn’t about controlling the virus, that’s just a convenient soundbite. It’s about controlling US.

  32. SIR – Surely the safest way to get to work is by car. Why risk travelling by public transport with a two-metre-distance rule, long queues and delays?

    Could parts of all car parks and other spaces be free of charge for two months? This would give people confidence in their efforts to return to work.

    Richard Fowells

    Oxted, Surrey

    SIR – I’ve been away for nine weeks looking after our daughter and her family while our granddaughter was born. Now I want to go home.

    My husband asked the local police inspector for permission to drive 350 miles to collect me. The answer was no, I should use the train.

    Surely it would be safer for me and others to travel by car rather than use the train and make several changes.

    Claire Sharp

    Penzance, Cornwall

    1. Travel by car, pay the fine, it will be

      Cheaper
      Safer
      Quicker
      More comfortable
      Sociable
      than going by Rattler

      2. ‘Morning, OLT, my advice is to go by car and let plod test their case in court, if they dare.

      3. I suppose in theory a person could wait at a bus stop all day and never be able to get on, with the current rules in operation.

    2. The State guarantees that it will not consider any sensible suggestions.

    3. He shouldn’t have asked permission, then it couldn’t have been declined. Even now that it’s been declined he should top up with petrol and get on his way.

      It’s an essential journey in line with her basic human right to a family life.

      Honest people have human rights too.

  33. SIR – A consequence of Covid-19 is an increased recognition of how wonderful plastic is. With its extensive use in PPE and the plastic barriers made for shop counters, evidence of this versatile, cheap and hygienic material is everywhere.

    When this crisis is over, let’s return to a mature and balanced evaluation of plastic, and concentrate on its satisfactory disposal, rather than a blanket hostility to its use.

    Dorian Wood

    Castle Cary, Somerset

      2. Carrots are good for eyesight. You never see a rabbit wearing a pair of glasses.

        1. ;-)) [As I attempted to post this, a warning told me “You have already made this comment.” Yes, but not to this NoTTLer.

          1. ‘Morning, Elsie, I’m sure you can change just one word, so that it still makes sense and you may then post to your heart’s content.

          2. True, and that’s what I will do, e.g. ;-)) … But what I really wanted to do was to tell the idiot who monitors my single ;-)) post that (s)he is an idiot – and I don’t know how to do that. So instead I took my frustration out on all you poor NoTTLers. My apologies to all of you.

          4. It wasn’t “just one word”, NtN, it was the ;-)) winking face. What do I change that to? ;-(( ?Bollops to that!

  34. The DVLA keeps older drivers idling in neutral

    SIR – The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) described the delay in reissuing driving licences to over-70s (report, May 8) as “significant”.

    On March 1, just days after being reminded I needed to reapply for my licence, I returned the necessary forms and on March 16 I resat my DVLA eye test. I am still waiting to hear from the agency, and my current licence expires on May 20.

    I would suggest that a delay of more than two months is not just significant, but displays yet more casual discrimination towards the older generation.

    Roger Frank Brain

    Kingsteignton, Devon

    SIR – As I am approaching 70, on March 19 I applied online to renew my driving licence. I was told to complete a further paper application, which I received by post and returned on April 2 by signed-for delivery.

    Having heard nothing by April 17, I checked the DVLA’s online progress facility, which said (and still says) “awaiting application return form”. My email chaser of April 17 was auto-acknowledged, but I have received no further contact.

    Fortunately, like Ian Squires (Letters, May 8), I can take comfort from DVLA information document INF188/6, which says that if the proper application has been returned, I may continue driving under Section 88 of the Road Traffic Act.

    Kate Harley

    Weymouth, Dorset

    1. I had my application for the renewal of my pensioner’s bus pass refused 2 years ago. Apparently I did not qualify. The only qualification is age.
      Second application was successful.

      How did I get my original if I did not qualify for a renewal?

      How many pensioners allow themselves to be fobbed off?

      1. Good morning Peddy.

        We are in a system which hates the old – but it also hates the young and wishes to imprison for thirty year those who have studied at university by currently charging them interest on their student loans at twenty times the BoE base rate.

        Most people of our generation did not have to start our professional lives with a monstrous unrepayable debt hanging over us. Thank God we were able to support our two sons through their studies and they did not start their working lives in debt.

        Our impotent contempt for politicians knows no bounds – they know it and this explains why they despise us and wish us ill.

        1. ‘Morning, Rastus.

          The system by which the young graduates are enslaved for 30 years has sinister shades of “The Matrix” about it.

    2. Creating a Big problem if this lockdown continues.
      Early doors at supermarkets comes before the start of the use of a buspass.
      Are they trying to starve the elderly to death as well ?
      Oh of course,…. walking and cycling that’s the answer.

      1. In this area (and I thought it was nationwide), bus passes can now be used at any time of day, and have been so since end of March/start of April.

    3. That’s nothing to do with C19. It took me six MONTHS to get my licence after I turned 70 and that was long before the coronapanic struck. In the end, I had to threaten them with my MP if they didn’t get their finger out. I got a phone call shortly afterwards to say it was in the post.

  36. Trump derangement syndrome.

    I observed that the Chinese American reporter suddenly became even more aggitated when DT suggested she asked China for the answer to a question she posed. It struck me that she was more concerned about using her Chinese heritage as a way of getting at Trump than she was about using it to get answers to her questions.

    Perhaps the Chinese might be more inclined to answer one of their own, or doesn’t she think any of it has anything to do with China..

    2. Another very presidential move by the thin skinned buffoon.
      A pity that he didn’t do a spell as a stand up comedian, he might have learnt how to deflect the unanswerable questions.

      1. It’s an even greater pity that the MSM do not concentrate on the real issues at hand, instead of trying to trip him up with their constant attempts at “gotcha” and then taking anything and everything he does say out of context and misreporting it.

        1. Inane questions is all that are asked nowadays, he needs to accept that deflecting them comes with the job.

          2. WHY??
            It’s about time that people in his position bit back, and bit back hard.

            People like him are never going to get a fair press, so if he bites them sufficiently often perhaps they might stop asking inane questions.

            Our own politicians could take that lesson to heart and start treating the reporters with the same contempt and lack of respect of which they are on the receiving end.

            In the USA, since that darling of the left-wing MSM lost the election that they felt was her God given right the Press and the Democratic party have done nothing except stir up shit, it’s never about policy always about trying to catch him out.

      2. There is nothing wrong with Trump you have been brainwashed against him.

    3. Why was it ‘racist’ for Trump to ask a Chinese-American reporter to re-address her question to China? For her to take umbrage with her “Why are you replying to me?” response is totally bonkers as it was she who asked the question in the first place. Was he supposed to reply to another journalist?

      1. My view too; although I suspect it was deliberate on Trump’s part, partially to get his own back, he isn’t the most patient!

      2. After this incident he was supposed to take a question from another scribe but he just stormed off.

        1. Perhaps if the journalists asked pertinent questions, rather than continually try to point-score, he might have stayed?

        2. He did not storm off at all.He just packed up and left. watch it again .

      1. Well he has the ability to shut them down and not have press questions, he already refuses to deal with anyone but fox news .

        1. I’m sure they would have something to say about that as well. Heads he loses. Tails they win!

  37. Short Laffs

    Now on sale at IKEA – beds for lesbians: no nuts or screwing involved, it’s all tongue and groove.

    A Muslim has been shot with a starting pistol; police say it’s definitely race related.

    Due to a water shortage in Ireland , Dublin swimming baths have announced they are closing lanes 7 and 8.

    I got a letter from Screw Fix Direct thanking me for my interest, but explaining they were not a dating agency.

    The
    lead actor in the local pantomime production of Aladdin was anally
    raped by the gay genie on stage last night – to be fair the audience did
    try to warn him.

    Such an unfair world. When a man talks dirty to a
    woman its considered sexual harassment. When a woman talks dirty to a
    man its £2.50/min (charges may vary)

    Got stopped in the street
    outside Boots today by a woman with a clipboard asking “What products do
    I use for grooming?” She was a bit taken aback when I replied,
    “Facebook”.

    Just booked a table for Valentine’s Day for me and the wife. Bound to end in tears though – she’s crap at snooker.

    Met
    a beautiful girl down at the park today. Sparks flew, she fell at my
    feet and we ended up having sex there and then. God, I love my new
    Taser!

    Got a new Jack Russell pup today, he’s mainly black and brown with just a small white area so I’ve called him Bradford.

    If you get an email telling you that you can catch Swine Flu from tins of ham then delete it. It’s Spam.

    They
    say that sex is the best form of exercise. Now correct me if I’m wrong
    but I don’t think 2 minutes and 15 seconds every 6 months is going to
    shift this beer belly.

    I’ve just watched a documentary about
    children being beaten and abused in Indian sweat shops. Looking at the
    quality of stitching on my new trainers the little bastards deserved it!

    When I was a kid people used to cover me in chocolate and cream and put a cherry on my head. Yeah, life was tough in the gateau.
    I’ll get me coat……………..

  38. Good morning all

    My local village shop has from today requested that customers wear masks .. What a difference a day makes, and I am now wondering whether I have sufficient stuff to put together a mask .

    2. “My local village shop has from today requested that customers wear masks.”

      Yet woe-betide any motorcyclist entering the shop and refusing to remove his helmet.

    4. My wife has made a couple, his and hers, from old tee shirts double thickness and rather snazzy 😷

      2. Hello MM,

        This area is anticipating a flood of day trippers and visitors tomorrow and beyond , the Jurassic coast has had notices warning people to keep away , and the police were very busy making sure that was so.

        People are very fearful now.

        1. I don’t know why your locals are fearful – here in London we have to put up with them every day! 🙂

        2. Then they should stand no less than two metres away from anyone else – just as they are now.

  40. The Chancellor appears to be offering as many people as possible a summer long sabbatical holiday to be paid for by taxpayers.

    1. Perhaps the Stay Alert Message should be replaced by “Warning- There is no such thing as a free lunch!”

    2. Autumn as well. Just announced on BBC lunchtime news – Furlough scheme to be extended until end of October.

      1. Just in time to catch the seasonal early winter upward spike in virus infections.

      2. I know – I heard that too (the MR listens to the beeboids).

        These tossers make me sick.

      3. They can NOT be serious! I am sounding more like a cross between McEnroe and Victor Meldrew every day!

      4. Can only assume this ‘Conservative’ Government has just found Labour’s Magic Money Tree either that or Gringotts…….

        1. I don’t know about a money tree I think they must have found a bloody enormous forest of them.

          1. In the past I would have agreed as they would have needed to print billions of notes. Today all it takes is a keyboard, the email addresses of all the major financial institutions and three little letters – i, o ,u.

    3. The daughter of one of my friends is a hairdresser. She will be off at least until July. It’s crazy.

      1. If masks work, although I’m not convinced they do in continuous use such as a hairdresser’ s, then why not reopen them?

        I believe they are reopening here.

        1. I don’t know, but they are closed here. I shall look like the Dulux dog by the time I can get to the barber again.

      1. Probably hoping that all holidays will be in the UK, with people spending their money here rather than abroad.

        A pity that restaurants/pubs/theme parks/museums etc etc will be closed.

    1. ‘Morning, George, to be renamed the Path to the Caliphate. Curious to note that the last syllable of Caliphate is hate.

    1. Good point. Why do we need a free trade deal with America? We already trade with each other a lot.

    1. We need a law in the UK that stipulates any country in receipt of UK foreign aid, that refuses to take back its nationals who have lost the right to stay in the UK, will immediately forfeit that foreign aid.

      1. 319140+ up ticks,
        S,
        We need a law currently that
        stops foreign aid immediately
        allowing for catastrophes only.

      2. How many millions do we send to Pakistan now? Why are we sending aid in any case to fundamentalist countries with appalling human rights records and where corruption is endemic?

        1. Probably because George Soros is very enthusiastic about re-distributing the world’s wealth in favor of poorer countries.

          That, according to a former member of the IPCC, is also the reason for climate change legislation.

        2. Trying to bring them into the 21st century? Good luck with that for as long as they adhere to their barbaric cult and the foolish politicos and others in the West continue to push the RoP trope.

          1. Well, one might say that they had their chance. The UK poured a lot of money into the colonies, and more importantly gave them an opportunity for democracy, the rule of law, a legal system, education and schools, and medical resources and training, and improved agriculture and cash crops, and industry.

          3. Just so. We were liberal enough to our former colonies in allowing their citizens to come here very easily, rather than stay in their newly independent country and build it with hard work.
            One should not overlook the enmity of the USA in all this. From the start of WW2 to the present day they have worked against us, destroying the Empire and stealing our technical superiority.
            At first we were desperate enough to let them , thereafter it became a habit.

      3. And that foreign aid withdrawal means we cannot afford parachutes as we chuck ’em out over Islamabad.

    2. Not just, “still in the UK,” but in the town where they raped and assaulted the young girls: impregnating one 13 yo. Safeguarding authorities state they cannot (will not?) help. Patel is the ultimate ‘safeguarding authority’ in this Country: she should shift her arse and flush this excrement back to their shit-hole homeland.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ce0743655ba6671282babc4a548d40a72e0c094d6da840f1be21b480a35dbc13.png
      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fd6929267beeef501cf94ccc8379c967f177848a067bdf65aebcbf83c6b03fe6.png

    3. Here’s the whole thing, Stephen:

      Priti Patel has been urged to deport three members of the Rochdale child sex gang who are back in the town two years after losing the right to stay in Britain.
      The Home Office said five years ago that it intended to remove the men’s British citizenship, paving the way for their deportation.
      Yet the three – including one known to victims by the sinister title The Master – are still in the UK nearly two years after losing their appeal on human rights grounds against their removal.
      Nazir Afzal, the Crown prosecutor who pursued the case, said: “Individuals are allowed to exhaust their legal remedies. That I understand they have done. So it is a political or logistical reason as to why they have not been sent out of the country. Neither is sustainable.
      “The men are a threat to local women and girls and the Government should comply with the direction of the court that these men should no longer be in this country because their presence conflicts with public safety.”
      A girl who blew the whistle on taxi driver Qari Abdul Rauf and his accomplices said: “I thought Theresa May had organised his deportation, so how come he’s still here?
      “I feel violated to know he’s living near me – in the same area where he hunted for girls like me. It’s a total betrayal of grooming victims that he’s allowed to stay.”
      She spoke after pictures on social media showing Rauf, 51, in the Lancashire town. Father-of-three Abdul Aziz, 49 – The Master – and Adil Khan, 50, live nearby after also being freed from jail. They were locked up in 2012.
      A judge stated: “The men treated girls as though they were worthless and beyond all respect.”
      The Rochdale gang was portrayed in Bafta-winning BBC drama Three Girls.
      Rauf got six years for trafficking and sex with a girl, 15.
      Aziz got nine years for trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sex with a child.
      Khan got eight for conspiracy and trafficking a 13-year-old girl who fell pregnant.
      A Home Office spokesman said: “We are committed to removing foreign national offenders wherever possible. Foreign national offenders should be in no doubt of our determination to remove them, and since 2010 we have removed more than 52,000 criminals.”

      1. since 2010 we have removed more than 52,000 criminals.” – -and imported how many more, costing us what, financially, socially and culturally.

      2. How many lawyers in the HoC? How many lawyers have received fees (possibly from the public purse) pursuing appeals for these men?

        1. I know not the answer to that question but have asked the PM to consider parliamentary reform that will rid us of these hustlers and that will also apply to the Suppurating Supreme Court.

          See the copy of my letter to Boris and my local MP.

  44. Good morning all. A very British sense of confusion reigns, with Ministers contradicting each other (bless Dominic Raab!) and Wee Kranky refusing to play nicely with the other children. Scottish people cannot go out to play in the sunshine, what if the nasty virus is mean to them? All very unedifying, surely it would be better at this time if the government could speak with one voice?

    Aside from the SNAFU, what I feel is lacking from the government is any note of reassurance. We know a lot more about the WuFlu than we did seven weeks ago, it mostly affects the elderly and infirm. The peak has long since past and this is not the Black Death. Why not emphasise how low the risk really is? Do they want people to remain afraid, and grateful for any tiny relaxation in these restrictions?

    ‘Grow up, grow a backbone, get a life!’ There’s a slogan for Boris. No need to thank me!

    1. 319140+ up ticks,
      Morning Jk,
      A strength of a chain is governed by it’s weakest link, so the governance party,
      johnson, and the daily growing ongoing beach invasion.
      🎵
      How long has this been going on ?

      1. How long has this been going on? . . Demis says – Forever and ever and ever – -and will carry on . . .until the 12th of never and that’s a long long time.

        1. 319140+ up ticks,
          Morning W,
          By which time due to following the same voting pattern / parties we will be firmly in the grip of the nearest mosque.

    2. Good slogan. Looking forward to the press briefings with that on the lecterns!

    3. Infections in England are almost certain to rise again even, if only marginally. They may well be higher than the rate in Scotland and the Krank will claim victory.

      The fact that if we never get a vaccine Scotland can never escape lockdown escapes her.

      1. The rate of infections will never really be known, much evidence now suggests that the outbreak started as long ago as December, which means most of us probably already had it before we ever knew what Covid-19 was. Most of us are not at risk of dying from Covid-19 and we cannot wait until a vaccine arrives, that could be years or never. We need to learn to live with what is really just another virus and stop treating it like the Black Death.

        If the Scots wish to be left behind as England ends lockdown then good luck to them. I’m sure the ‘Chief Mammy’ will take care of them.

        1. Scotland is permanently “left behind”. Has been for generations. All sensible, clever Scots leave for better countries.

          1. “The noblest prospect which a Scotchman ever sees, is the high road that leads him to England!”

            And my late father-in-law agreed.

          2. I felt the same when leaving the Peoples Republic of Glasgow for the last time.

        3. “Nice little Barnett formula you have there, Mrs. Murrell. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to it, would we?” Sez a British Prime Minister with a spine …. ah …..

        4. Courtesy of English money. The Barnett Formula; another “temporary measure” that proved anything but.

    4. “Do they want people to remain afraid, and grateful for any tiny relaxation in these restrictions?” Of course they do. A cowed population is easier to control.

    2. She will just claim Blue on Blue, like the US servicemen who brought down our aircraft, with ‘Patriot Missiles’ in the Gulf War

  46. I see TV presenter Phillip Scofield is attacking the PM for lack of clarity over lifting the lockdown. Is this the same Phillip Scofield that was a bit unclear to his wife for decades about being gay?

    1. I thought the DM was never going to shut up about that. I’d never even heard of him before.

    2. It was recently reported that he had left the family home and had moved into a flat. He denied this. He was in fact doing a Fergusson and going for a shag with his new boyfriend.

      1. Cue the narrative ‘TV presenter bravely comes out as gay’ oddly enough just minutes before one of the young boys he was shagging went to the press about it.

        #pulltheotherone

          1. I don’t really care either way. What he does in the bedroom is his business. It’s not brave, clever or ground breaking. It’s simply a choice to make an unnatural decision over where you stick your parts.

      2. Good morning, Dear One.

        But doesn’t he pop ‘home’ for a hair cut………
        to up his appeal????

    1. Did you walk to work? If so – naughty! Today it is VERY dangerous to go to work. You must wait until tomorrow – when it will be ultra safe….

      Confused or what, Our Susan?

  48. Putin Is Well on His Way to Stealing the Next Election. Franklin Foer – The Atlantic – 12 May 2020.

    #DemocracyRIP was both the hashtag and the plan. The Russians were expecting the election of Hillary Clinton—and preparing to immediately declare it a fraud. The embassy in Washington had attempted to persuade American officials to allow its functionaries to act as observers in polling places. A Twitter campaign alleging voting irregularities was queued. Russian diplomats were ready to publicly denounce the results as illegitimate. Events in 2016, of course, veered in the other direction. Yet the hashtag is worth pausing over for a moment, because, though it was never put to its intended use, it remains an apt title for a mission that is still unfolding.

    Events in the United States have unfolded more favorably than any operative in Moscow could have ever dreamed: Not only did Russia’s preferred candidate win, but he has spent his first term fulfilling the potential it saw in him, discrediting American institutions, rending the seams of American culture, and isolating a nation that had styled itself as indispensable to the free world. But instead of complacently enjoying its triumph, Russia almost immediately set about replicating it. Boosting the Trump campaign was a tactic; #DemocracyRIP remains the larger objective.

    This is a lesson in paranoid lunacy. On the one hand the “Russians were expecting the election of Hillary Clinton.” and on the other “Russia’s preferred candidate” won. This is called having it both ways.

    Despite all that has been said about the 2016 Presidential Election I have yet to see one American appear on my television and tell me that he voted for Trump because Vladimir Putin told him too. You would think that out of 50 million of his supporters they could find just one. I have written several thousand posts on this blog some of them in the greatest detail and so far as I am aware I have convinced no one of anything. This is on a par with real life. People get married have children and grandchildren without ever becoming intellectual clones.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/06/putin-american-democracy/610570/?utm_source=msn

    1. I think Senior members of the Democratic Party in the US are getting concerned that the MSM is currently being forced to acknowledge that “Russia, Russia, Russia”, was simply a badly executed plan to discredit the present President

      1. There has been a little backing and filling Stephen mostly in relation to Steele’s Dossier which the Democrats are now pretending that they never believed!

      2. Trump and Fox News are revelling in the opportunity to discredit anything democratic. This mess has taken over from cv19 as the top news

          1. How anyone can support the Democrats when its there for all to see is hard to understand.

          5. It is because there are some whose hatred for Trump overrides all else.
            I read their comments and think “yawn”.

          6. Stupidity closely aligned with visceral hatred of D Trump is the only answer that I can think of.

          7. Maybe experience of Trump tips the balance against him.
            He is there because the Democrats have such awful candidates.

        2. Trump and Fox News are revelling in the opportunity to discredit anything democratic.

          Can’t see that there was much democratic going on the White House as late as 6 January 2017 when Obama was with the heads of all the intelligence agencies and his Attorney General concocting a plot against the incoming president who had decisively won the November election – a plot which led to a perjury trap on General Flynn and several mass raids on domestic properties whilst the householders and their families were asleep. Pretty evil, in my opinion …

    2. It has turned out quite badly for the rulers of America. The American people like President Trump and what he has done.

    1. “Many have severe health problems”. . . . At least we know who we have been saving the NHS for now.
      I assume the masks are to stop us seeing how they are laughing at getting a free life here.

      1. 319140+ up ticks,
        W,
        The mouth mask will be politically built on upwards / downwards morphing into a full blown burka, join the dots.

    2. Christian charity?🙃
      These people have no affinity with this Country nor its people and culture. If the billions in overseas aid wasn’t pissed up so many walls these people could be treated and looked after in their own lands.

      1. 319140+ up ticks,
        Morning Ktk,
        This is not a new issue so why are the indigenous peoples still supporting the “givers”as in finance into indian space program
        would pay for how many indigenous hip replacements, or legal aid for when one is fitted up by the governance employees ?

  52. Yesterday, it was stated here that someone in England could not visit Wales or Scotland.

    Could some kind soul point me to the legislation/regulation which says that?

    Thank you.

    1. Bring back the Reivers; they shuttled backwards and forwards over the border with no let or hindrance.

    2. There is separate legislation for Wales which rises from the windbag assembly and still follows the stay home mantra. However, garden centres were allowed to open yesterday. I shall look for a link.

      1. I understood that ‘English’ law, as opposed to Scottish and Northern Irish, was defined as The Law of England and Wales. When was the legislation passed that struck that out?

        Wales has been a subject nation since 1282 which is why, as only a Principality, it is not represented either on the Union Flag or the Royal Coat of Arms.

        1. Ah yes, I see from the link posted, that it is only a regulation and NOT law.

          1. Even our police farce get confused by guidelines and law. You’d think they would be taught that as a basic. However, as many ‘senior’ officers have never done any policing it’s not surprising they’re unable to give clear instruction to the lower ranks.

        2. I don’t think that Wales exists, legally. Not mentioned in the Treaty of Union so just a part of England.

          1. If it wasn’t for the Welsh there would only be one ‘l’ in legally :o)

        3. Health is a devolved power (as now are income tax rates) so the law emanates from that devolved responsibility. Why such an emergency is not dealt with by national legislation, I do not know.

        4. I don’t think the likes of Plaid Cymru have ever accepted that. The lunacy of Blair gave Wales its own Assembly (on a far smaller majority than voted for Brexit) and then subsequent lunatic governments have given them even more powers. Hence the clusterfook we have currently.

      2. I understood that ‘English’ law, as opposed to Scottish and Northern Irish, was defined as The Law of England and Wales. When was the legislation passed that struck that out?

        Wales has been a subject nation since 1282 which is why, as only a Principality, it is not represented either on the Union Flag or the Royal Coat of Arms.

      3. “Romans came across the Channel
        Heard the Senedd’s bluff and flannel…
        Load of taurus excretum’ll …ll……
        Send ’em back again.”

      5. They could open on Monday morning. The English ones have to wait until Wednesday. Ain’t devolution marvellous?

    4. Crossing the boundary without authority is contrary to Section 19B, Offa’s Dyke Fortification Act, 791.

      Penalty, on first conviction: Quartering (without the necessary hanging and drawing first).

    5. Bring back the Reivers; they shuttled backwards and forwards over the border with no let or hindrance.

    1. I had to look those names up………at Farfetched you can pay 360 quid for a pair of white trainers.
      Our dog has good taste, she has never Choo’d anything.

    2. Mongo went through a phase of pulling – he was sat in a different room of an evening and carried his bed to where he wanted to go. After we moved the bed back, he decided to pull our bed to where he was.

      Now he sleeps with junior. He did as a puppy for a bit but now he’s nearly 80kg he’s on the floor – or junior is. Can be funny some days to find them having changed places.

  54. Our cleaner can now return to work for us but my family cannot visit. That is total rubbish. Boris has totaly lost it trying to make up for his mistakes in the handling of the early stages of al this.

      1. Can you put your finger on anything that this government has done that makes a lot of sense?

    2. Perhaps you are supposed to go out for your now unlimited exercise when the cleaner arrives.

    3. The original guidance said you could allow people in to work for you as long as you observed the 6′ rule and they were willing to work, so I see no reason why your cleaner could not have worked for you even under the old guidelines, provided she (I assume it is a she) was willing.

    4. I expect the Government thinks you are likely to give family members a hug, but not the cleaner. But hey you never know….

  55. Coronavirus is the ultimate demonstration of the real-world impact of racism. Tue 12 May 2020 14.01 BST

    And this is not the only way that race is playing a role in the crisis. All around the world, minority communities are disproportionately targeted by ramped-up policing that has accompanied the enforcement of lockdown measures. Data from New South Wales in Australia reveals that, although the richer, whiter Sydney beach suburbs have the majority of Covid-19 infections, it is in the neighbourhoods with larger numbers of people of migrant origin and indigenous Australians that people have received the most fines for breaching social distancing directives. The US has seen a business-as-usual approach to police brutality targeting black people while, at the same time, groups of overwhelmingly white people in New York’s West Village freely breached social distancing.

    I see. In Sydney those White Bastards are getting away with obeying the Law and in New York by ignoring it! Sigh. What a world.

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/12/coronavirus-racism-bame-pandemic-race

  56. Government’s handling of Covid-19 is a very British disaster. AMBROSE EVANS-PRITCHARD. 12 MAY 2020 • 10:59AM.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7edaadb2903e42e0e02be1b8960aeafc55e93ae6f50ba3667340df6ece0ab484.png

    The public has yet to realise that the great quest for ventilators was worse than a red herring. The overuse of ventilators was itself killing people at a terrifying ratio and behind that lies another institutional failure.

    Ahhh! The Case of the Vanishing Ventilators! Where are they now! Does Indy know?

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/05/12/governments-handling-covid-19-british-disaster/

  57. Seroprevalence, the level of a pathogen in a population as measured in blood serum, is the measure that WHO reckons is more important than the UK’s concept of herd immunity.

    It is becoming increasingly evident that COVID-19’s viral replication in the human body is associated with hiding undetectably inside blood cells with the result that one’s immune system starts uncontrollably and systemically destroying healthy cells.

    This presents doctors with the dilemma of either trying to boost a patient’s immune system which could make things worse or suppress the immune system which might not result in any better outcome.

    If our bodies are being tricked to an extent that our immune system has become dysfunctional what chance does any test regime have in detecting a COVID-19 infection?

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/12/herd-immunity-coronavirus-dangerous-concept/

  58. Rail ticket officer dies from Covid-19 after being spat at on duty, prompting police investigation

    Belly Mujinga, 47, was working in Victoria Station in March when amember of the public who said he had Covid-19 spat and coughed at her

    Ms Mujinga, who had underlying respiratory problems, was admitted to Barnet Hospital and put on a ventilator but died on April 5, her trade

    union, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), said.

    Another nail in the coffin of ‘equality’

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/05/12/rail-ticket-officer-dies-covid-19-spat-duty-prompting-police/

        2. They’ll be able to kit out the Nightingales with them. The unused, mothballed Nightingales.

      1. And overweight. But if the a*hole who spat on her did have the bat clap, I hope he gets convicted of murder.

        1. It would have been manslaughter, I would have thought. He couldn’t be certain to have killed her (or, indeed, to have infected her).

    5. Not only did she have underlying respiratory problems, she was also very fat, so that’s another risk factor. Being so overweight would have likely exacerbated these respiratory issues at the best of times.

      1. So just doing her job and some idiot gobs his germs all over her. No matter how overweight or how bad the respiratory problems, thers is no excuse for that behaviour.

        1. Yes, I should have mentioned that and been clearer. Totally vile yob. As you say, the lady was just doing her job.

      1. Ah – cynic. They are brain surgeons, engineers, architects, scientists…..

        1. I call your brain surgeons, engineers, architects, scientists
          And raise you benefit suckers,jihadis ,child rapists and murderers

  60. Stay alert, control the virus and save lives”.

    This is UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s latest propaganda slogan — and

    like everything else his flailing, failing administration has done in

    response to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic it’s an embarrassing

    shambles.

    Stay alert? Alert for what exactly?

    Deadly microbes hiding in dark alleys waiting to pounce on unwary passers-by?

    Naughty lockdown-breakers — and there are more of us by the day —

    insolently flouting the government’s nannyish rules on how much sun

    you’re allowed in the park?

    Dangerous columnists fomenting dissent by suggesting that all these

    measures are a complete waste of time because the virus has likely

    peaked as viruses tend to do, with or without lockdowns and the

    self-inflicted destruction of the global economy?

    https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/05/11/covid-bedwetter-boris-leads-his-nation-over-a-cliff/

    2. The virus will run its course as they always do and there is little you can do about it. People need to grow up insted of wearing masks. I saw one man driving in his car wearing a mask.

      1. I’ve heard a good dose of carbon monoxide kills the virus, so if someone is in his car and feels in danger, just stick a few feet of hose into the exhaust and feed it in through the window with the engine running. Just 10 minutes and no more Covid worries.

        Infallible

    3. The peak death day was 8th April, so the peak infection must have been a couple of weeks before that.

  61. Katie Hopkins

    My patience is spent, Bojo.

    End lockdown. End furlough. Stop being such a fanny.

    You had a baby. Not a bloody lobotomy.

  62. Katie Hopkins.

    You don’t know who you are allowed to meet or how many people you can see?

    That’s because you are the same arsehats who queued for four hours to buy two hundred toilet rolls.

    To save you from a virus.

    You utter morons. #COVIDIDIOTS

  63. I queued for nearly 3/4 of an hour outside our small Sainsbury, 6 miles away . People are very angry with Boris . He hasn’t thought anything through .

    He chattered on yesterday , mumbling and blustering .. if you closed your eyes he sounded like the late Keith Floyd with a few glasses of wine inside him .

    Boris has made a big mistake .

    A few people are also saying that Brexit will never happen , Europe is in a mess , so are we and we have lost credibility with everyone.

    2. The government is being attacked on every front by the self same media that tried every trick in the book over the last four years to stop Brexit. Yes, there have been errors, some very big ones. But before condemning the Government as just a bunch of incompetent fuckwits, just consider whether the media is simply engaged on the next phase of its campaign – discredit Boris and the Government, force a vote of no confidence, force a GE, install Starmer, kill Brexit.

      Never forget that we have been played before and, if they can, they will play us again. We should be critical of all sides in this crisis, not just the people who are trying to deal with it.

      2. 319140+ up ticks,
        Afternoon Itp,
        I do believe we are getting much nearer with a more dangerous new element joining the atrocious lab/lib/con coalition and that will be a game changer as in both the country & the peoples will be on their knees, five times a day.

      3. Force a vote of no confidence? With a majority of 80 seats, there is no chance of this happening. Conservative MPs would not be stupid enough to vote like turkeys for Christmas.

        1. Agreed, it doesn’t seem possible at the moment. But Boris is not well and we have seen the government freeze like a rabbit in the headlights in his absence. If he succumbs to the pressure, as he may, then his successor will probably not have the support of the PCP, some Tory rebels may decide for personal reasons that jumping ship is better than going down with it then, who knows…?

          Rule nothing out, no-one knows what could happen.

          2. The Tories are well-known for being ruthless in getting rid of an unwanted leader e.g. Margaret Thatcher. If Boris were seen to be a liability, there would be plenty of MPs willing to turn him into Julius Caesar. Who would take over, I haven’t got clue, but the Tories would make sure they coalesced behind the new leader. It’s that or curtains for them.

        2. Our Canadian opposition parties will not force a vote of confidence and the liberals have a minority.

          Far easier to sit back and criticize. We now have rule by our fearless leader who comes out from hiding every morning to announce new programs that are being implemented without any oversight or discussion in parliament.

          2. It visited at the weekend, not impressed.

            Now we have the annual flooding (its climate change, not the imposed restrictions) to take care of. No one thought how hard it would be to throw a sandbag to the next person in line when you are six feet apart.

          4. We had a similar situation in the UK in the Summer/Autumn of 2019, when the Conservatives found themselves in a minority government. The Opposition parties voted down most government proposals, but would not force a no-confidence vote. They were sitting pretty, not having to do anything but taking pleasure in not allowing the Tories to do anything, either. How they were persuaded to vote for a General Election, I’m still not sure. Fortunately they did, and Labour got a good kicking in December 2019.

        3. I’m pretty much a dyed in the wool conservative, I’ve lost almost all confidence in this shower.

          1. Yeah, but you’re not a Tory MP with your wages being paid until the next General Election, which if nobody rocks the boat, is just over four-and-a-half years away.

          3. True.

            But one good epidemic cutting a swathe through the lazy fat bastards’ ranks might cause a number of by-elections, or even better bye elections.

    3. 319140+ up ticks,
      Afternoon Tb,
      The boris is just another BIG mistake in a long line of BIG mistakes the peoples of the hope brigade have made.
      To date the lab/lib/con pro eu coalition
      have had a successful run and been backed all the way by a very obliging electorate.
      Left in the treacherous hands of the odious coalition it does seem like the eu will suffer a fatal implosion of it’s own making, first.
      The sad thing is that would exonerate the lab/lib/con coalition & supporting fools.

    4. I hope you told them of course Brexit will happen. Those who voted for it will make it happen. I anticipated the new rules and had a chat with a friend at home today; she said she couldn’t understand what it was she was supposed to be able to do now the rules were relaxed. I said she wasn’t the only one.

  64. 319140+ up ticks,
    The way the security services are operating under obviously governance instructions as in following the three monkey mode in regards to the beach assaults, along with a dose of submissive, pcism & appeasement should our time in incarceration be spent in knitting prayer mats ?
    The next request before becoming mandatory from the lab/lib/con coalition party will be, no doubt, would we like to share our NI numbers with our overseas guest’s ?

  65. First 5 points of 25
    Overview

    According to data from the best-studied countries and regions, the lethality of Covid19 is on average about 0.2%, which is in the range of a severe influenza (flu) and about twenty times lower than originally assumed by the WHO.
    Even in the global “hotspots”, the risk of death for the general
    population of school and working age is typically in the range of a daily car ride to work. The risk was initially overestimated because many people with only mild or no symptoms were not taken into account.
    Up to 80% of all test-positive persons remain symptom-free. Even among 70-79 year olds, about 60% remain symptom-free. Over 95% of all persons show mild symptoms at most.
    Up to one third of all persons already have a certain background immunity to Covid19 due to contact with previous coronaviruses (i.e. common cold viruses).
    The median or average age of the deceased in most countries (including Italy) is over 80 years and only about 1% of the deceased had no serious preconditions. The age and risk profile of deaths thus essentially corresponds to normal mortality.
    https://swprs.org/a-swiss-doctor-on-covid-19/

    1. I was amused by the case where a 109 year old was reported as being 9 bcause they had mistakenly put the DoB as 2011 instead of 1911

    2. But i bet the mainstream media don’t broadcast this side and far, instead of terrorizing the public.

  66. I wrote to my useless MP to ask him to ask Priti Awful why she is allowing thousands of illegals to enter the UK. Here is what he received from the Home(!!) Office:

    “‘Crossing the Channel in a small boat is a huge risk. The criminal gangs who perpetuate this are ruthless and do not care about loss of life. We are working closely at all levels with the French authorities to tackle this dangerous and illegal activity. We will not stand by while ruthless criminals put the lives of vulnerable people at risk.

    ‘There is no reason why anyone should be risking their life and those of their children to cross the Channel. So, as well as doing everything we can to prevent these journeys from happening in the first place, if people do arrive on our shores illegally, we will work to return them to mainland Europe.

    ‘We are tackling illegal migrant crossings on all fronts with every agency including Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, NCA and policing teams working in tandem with the French authorities. We have three vessels in the Channel, extra patrols on French beaches, drones, specialist vehicles and detection equipment that has been deployed to stop small boats from leaving French shores.

    ‘Compared to where we were even a few months ago, the co-operation we are seeing with French authorities is paying dividends. There are multiple live investigations ongoing and we look for every opportunity to gather evidence and intelligence to disrupt these criminals and bring them to justice.

    ‘So far in 2020, 10 people smugglers have been convicted and put behind bars as a result of Immigration Enforcement investigations.

    ‘100 people smugglers were convicted for a total of 320 years in 2019, some of whom were using small boats to commit their crimes. This has been matched by 16 successful French prosecutions leading to 30 individuals being convicted with sentences of up to six years.

    ‘Despite all our robust action, people will always try to get to the UK. Border Force cutters are patrolling the Channel and we have already deployed equipment including drones, CCTV and night vision goggles.

    ‘Border Force Maritime continues to use Project Kraken to encourage the public and industry to report suspicious activity and reduce the threat from organised crime. If your constituent sees any suspicious activity related to this issue he should contact Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111. This information will then be passed to the relevant authority for further investigation.’”

      1. A risk they are willing to take. Remove the draw factor, i.e. free house+benefits, and they wouldn’t bother. Better still, scrap the Anglo-French deal, which clearly isn’t working, and return them to France.

      2. Well, that is an interesting question. One I posed some years ago. Why do these people not obtain passports and buy a ticket and come here as tourists? The going rate to be “smuggled” is apparently around £5000. If one can afford to pay smugglers one can afford to come here legally and stay illegally. That depends on who is paying the bills, of course. It may not be the immigrants, but the same people who pay for the immigrants smartphones.

        1. People used to do that, before visas became mandatory. Then they would have 6 months to find someone and get married to avoid getting chucked out.

          1. A lot more fun, and very likely turned into useful citizens, unlike some recent millions.

          2. Not sure, I have been propositioned by a few of them in my time. It’s not flattering.

    2. Given the numbers involved, (both Smugglers and immigrants) a far more effective measure would be to allow the would-be immigrants to pay HM Government what they would otherwise pay the smugglers, thus a) putting the smugglers out of business; b) saving prosecution costs; and c) saving the costs on incarceration and subsequent probation costs. On arrival in the Uk the new immigrants should be given NI numbers to allow them to work and contribute to society. I recognise that there could be a significant wave of immigrants which will inevitably depress the wages of low skilled jobs but this seems to be the policy of the Labour Party. As I’ve suggested before if the numbers become so great billeting them with those who actively support a policy of unlimited immigration would be a sensible and practical way forward.

        1. I was just day – dreaming. Didn’t King Alfred have a similar problem with the Saxon invasion – hostile foreigners with a pretty brutal religion?

      2. They seem to be able to pay the smugglers huge sums. I suppose some will have to pay it back by prostitution or slavery, but others, surely could just buy a fare and come by Eurostar, then disappear.

          1. I’m sure there are plenty of ways of obtaining fakes. But some are believed to have thrown their genuine ones away, in favour of pretending to be Syrian.

    3. Interesting language. Criminal invaders are called “vulnerable people”. The phrase “disrupt these criminals” does not mean arrest and imprison – for example see Operation Cerrar, 46 suspects identified, one in prison.

    4. 100 people smugglers were convicted for a total of 320 years in 2019

      An average of 3.2 years, and presumably out in less than 18 months after time on remand is taken into account.

      I wonder what the annual equivalent income is for the perpetrators, given we are told that the illegal immigrants pay around £5,000 a time.

    5. “put the lives of vulnerable people at risk”
      For one wild moment, I thought he meant the law-abiding citizens of the UK put at risk by the daily arrival of law-breakers.
      Silly me.

    6. After reading that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, but either would be from sadness.

    7. Once again, I have to take a quote from what appears to be a blatant lie. “We have three vessels in the Channel, extra patrols on French beaches, drones, specialist vehicles and detection equipment that has been deployed to stop small boats from leaving French shores.”

      Works well, doesn’t it?

      1. I replied to the idiot as follows:

        “Dear Mr Mayhew

        I am most grateful to you. What puzzles me is this. Since 18 March 2020, in France, it has been illegal
        for anyone to leave their place of residence without carrying a signed, dated and timed document saying
        why you are not at home.

        These regulations (in force until yesterday) are rigorously enforced by the French police.

        Calais is swarming with police. I know – I go there six times a year.

        For dozens of illegal immigrants to leave their camps, and wander several miles to the coast and a waiting
        boat WITHOUT being seen and stopped by a police officer is simply unbelievable.

        I understand that HMG pays France for extra patrols by reservist gendarmes; if that is so, we are wasting our
        money.

        Finally, given that, despite all the action described by the Home Office, hundreds of people are arriving
        illegally each week, WHY are they not immediately returned to France?

        I am sorry to be a bore – but if you could ask the Home Secretary to address these points, I should
        be most grateful

        Yours sincerely”

        1. Good on yer Bill, I think we all need to start haranguing our MPs to ask what they are doing about it all and do they wish to get re-elected; or is one go at the trough sufficient to keep them going with their fat pension for the rest of our miserable lives.

      2. I replied to the idiot as follows:

        “Dear Mr Mayhew

        I am most grateful to you. What puzzles me is this. Since 18 March 2020, in France, it has been illegal
        for anyone to leave their place of residence without carrying a signed, dated and timed document saying
        why you are not at home.

        These regulations (in force until yesterday) are rigorously enforced by the French police.

        Calais is swarming with police. I know – I go there six times a year.

        For dozens of illegal immigrants to leave their camps, and wander several miles to the coast and a waiting
        boat WITHOUT being seen and stopped by a police officer is simply unbelievable.

        I understand that HMG pays France for extra patrols by reservist gendarmes; if that is so, we are wasting our
        money.

        Finally, given that, despite all the action described by the Home Office, hundreds of people are arriving
        illegally each week, WHY are they not immediately returned to France?

        I am sorry to be a bore – but if you could ask the Home Secretary to address these points, I should
        be most grateful

        Yours sincerely”

  67. Factories are now being allowed to reopen* and will require to follow guidelines for distancing within the premises. If it is OK to reopen now, why were they ever closed?

    *Who would have thought the such an expression would ever be used in the UK?

    1. I read somewhere yesterday that far more businesses closed down than the Government were expecting. Many that could have remained open under the guidelines at the time opted to close and furlough their employees.
      Perhaps the Government should have issued rules rather than guidelines for the lockdown.

      1. Thery have no idea how real people will react. People will claim if they can.

        1. Agreed. I wonder who it is who is coming up with these ridiculous ‘rules’ about what we can and cannot do. None of the ‘rules’ seems to survive anything beyond the most cursory examination.
          I suspect the people concerned are eager bright-young-things, fresh into their political careers after securing their PPE degree who couldn’t organise a trip to the shops let alone a national lockdown.

          1. Some may even be the “misfits and weirdos” that Cummins advertised for at Christmas.

      2. Millions saw a Money Tree – coupled with indefinite free time at home. All paid for.

        The Chancellor was a daft pillock to introduce the scheme WITHOUT severely limiting the time it would run for.

          4. That should allow everyone to stay at home until the start of the next flu season when it can all start again.

            I pity your grandchildren, they face a mighty large national debt that will rule their lives.

      3. There were probably all sorts of unforeseeen knock on effects of the recommendations. In my company there was the immediate question about whether accommodation would be available for fieldworkers working away from home. I expect other businesses faced difficulties ensuring suitable facilities after doing a Covid19 risk assessment and thought it was easier to just close.

      4. Would you prefer to have a Government like China, which micro-manages to the nth degree?

      5. They were being offered free money, no wonder more closed than needed to.

        The original list specified that DIY shops and stores could remain open for instance. A family-run local hardware store did just that, operating a one-way system and only two customers at a time. Worked without a hitch. The local Homebase and the other big guns closed.

        The government should have pointed out at the time that this was a mis-use of the system, but they were too terrified of bad publicity and of ‘putting money before lives’.

    2. I read somewhere yesterday that far more businesses closed down than the Government were expecting. Many that could have remained open under the guidelines at the time opted to close and furlough their employees.
      Perhaps the Government should have issued rules rather than guidelines for the lockdown.

  68. Now the corona cops are arresting the homeless Spiked 12 May 2020.

    Some British police forces are out of control. Their enforcement of the lockdown has been draconian and overzealous. Meanwhile, prosecutors and the courts have attempted to criminalise people under laws which don’t even exist.

    Police have now charged a homeless man for violating the lockdown, according to Court News. The Crown Prosecution Service is reportedly determined to bring the case to court. The man was accused of leaving the place he was living, which was ‘no fixed abode’:

    One of the oddities of Police States is that the Police involved have no interest in the Law or its tenets. In fact they despise it as a hindrance to their real purpose which is to suppress any form of political dissent. The more arbitrary or irrational this appears the better since it blurs the boundary between what is permitted and what is not. This is where we now are. CV has speeded up this process that is all!

    https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/05/12/now-the-corona-cops-are-arresting-the-homeless/

    2. I like that sobriquet, ‘Corona Cops’. Very reminiscent of the Keystone Cops – and about as effective.

    4. Shame there isn’t a street named “No fixed Abode”. Loads could live there.

    5. I found out today that the horsebox taking one of the broodmares to the stud to be covered got stopped by the cops wanting to know why they were out and about! The lads had to show all the paperwork (I would have been tempted to add a diagram of the process as well!) before they were allowed to proceed.

  69. I’m surprised she didn’t demand her own private Zil lane…………
    “Miss Smith and her husband – who shared parental leave – were said to
    have ‘felt unsafe’ on the Tube in the rush-hour with a small baby. A
    spokesman for the couple said they wanted to live close to Westminster
    for ‘childcare reasons’.
    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8305595/Labour-MP-gets-taxpayer-funded-flat-six-miles-husbands-home.html?ito=amp_twitter_share-top

    2. Once more we see that the loudest whiners are the diners on taxpayer funding.

  70. Afternoon, all. Cold, windy and dull here and the weather isn’t much better, either 🙂 As you know, I live close to the Welsh border. Any problems I might have are nothing to those the residents of Redbrook, Gloucestershire (as opposed to Redbrook Maelor, which is actually in Wales) might have:

    https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/small-gloucestershire-village-stuck-middle-4123599?utm_campaign=1405574_12%2F05%2F2020&utm_medium=dotmailer&utm_source=Countryside%20Alliance&dm_i=44G9,U4JQ,1MJH5T,3NV9L,1

      1. On a scale of 0 to 10, I’d say about 7. I may be wrong since I’m often out of my depth on here.

      1. Don’t think so Anne.

        I’m not long back from my once a week late-night shop/exercise and heard a racket in quite a few houses.

        Incidentally, it’s absolutely brilliant having a supermarket to yourself (almost).

      1. What n earth are politicians thinking of .

        Why – the extermination of the British people and the eradication of their ancient sophisticated culture of course.

        Our establishment hates us, really hates us, we need to wake up quickly.

      2. What n earth are politicians thinking of .

        Why – the extermination of the British people and the eradication of their ancient sophisticated culture of course.

        Our establishment hates us, really hates us, we need to wake up quickly.

        1. Except for themselves. They’ll continue to live as the European ruling class always has, well protected from the consequences of their treachery.

          2. As did the Revolutionaries…..

            “Infamous Robespierre – you will follow me”..

      1. That is the result of you complaining to your MP. You did ask that crossings by raft be stopped.

    5. Turning the screw once again on our social structure and long established cultre.
      I’m never going to vote for anyone ever again.
      I read there is a proposal to build 20 thousand homes in the north east to supply social housing for all the illegal migrants who have walked out of their own countries, leaving behind the lifestyles that none of them could be bothered to try and change. It’s not all about war and unrest.
      One of the first things many will do is, after they have assessed their new situation and if things are not quite to their liking is refer to the human rights act.
      And our stupid political classes will comply.
      I fear for the future of my once wonderful country and my family I’ll leave behind.

      1. Well, Middlesborough is currently a haven for migrants. Big business has bought up thousands of cheap houses and filled with them with migrants, and collects the housing benefit directly. (Look up “red doors scandal”).
        The UK Parliament working for business. I have to disagree slightly with your use of the word “stupid” in this context. While they may be stupid as we know it, they are doing this deliberately, with purpose, and to the enrichment of a few.

        1. 319140+ up ticks,
          Morning Hp,
          Planned designed orchestrated treachery, draws nourishment via the ballot booth on a regular basis, ie every GE.

  74. From the DT:

    What is the biggest threat to reopening the economy, and the rapid V-shaped recovery we are all hoping for? Demand collapsing as recession bites? Global supply chains falling apart as some countries fight fresh outbreaks? The banks pulling the plug before businesses can repair balance sheets, and customers feeling too nervous about the future to spend any money? Those are all risks. But the real threat is this: lawyers, health and safety officials and the trade unions.

    Anyone contemplating reopening a business, and a small business most of all, faces potentially ruinous legal claims, fines for breaching safety rules, and unions itching to blow the whistle on managers who are simply trying to do their job in incredibly difficult circumstances.

    1. Ackshally, the main – the only – threat is from spineless, incompetent, out of their depth politicians.

  76. OT – a curiosity. For years I have observed on French TV news programmes, when the newsreader introduces a story and then hands it over to a reporter,, when he/she says, “François Dupont has the story…” while saying those words, he/she briefly closes his/her eyes.

    I have just seen it twice in the last three minutes on BFMTV.

    As I don’t watch UK TV news etc, does the same facial phenomenon occur here?

    1. Gee – Maggie – you mean cliffs are, like, OMG, high and dangerous? And that tide thing goes in and out? Yikes…

      2. It is good advice. If you try to swim, especially in a riptide you will overtire yourself. Better to float with the flow and then gently swim back to shore.

        1. You can make a buoyancy aid out of your clothing (personal survival training kicks in here) to help you stay afloat.

  78. Thought for the day while we are yet again being lectured on social distancing.

    How did they come to the 2 metre rule?

    How many times have you entered a crowded room and there was a strong smell of scent or BO on the air?

    If you can smell BO, bad breath, perfume or aftershave you are almost certainly close enough to catch the virus.

      3. So to be safe, we have to talk to people far enough away they can’t hear us.

        Still, the youngsters will be fine – they “talk” to each other via text when they are sitting next to each other.

          1. Or one big enough for two to live in a certain degree of comfort and style.

      4. I always try to stay at least one room apart from people.

        I’m fortunate on that score, in that people always try to stay at least one room apart from me.

      1. Like the ‘no more than 2 – 3 units of alcohol per day’, that sort of guesswork, which was apparently plucked out of the air?

        2. 5 veg a day came from the same place.

          I have them, but there again I always have, out of preference, not because some busybody says I should.

    4. In the world of conspiracy theories, it has been suggested that satellite surveillance can’t positively identify people standing closer than 2 metres together.

      1. Good evening, Our Susan. Did you break the law and go to work today? On foot?

        I simply don’t believe in conspiracy theories. I just know that “they” are out to get us.

  79. 319140+ up ticks,
    May one ask any of the trusting souls that still
    support / vote lab/lib/con if they see and dangers in this open door / beach policy in play at the moment ?
    Does the invasion fleet not pose a ” queue at the factory gate” not cross ones mind ?
    Because you can bet your bollocks it has crossed many a managements minds.

    3. But how do you make the hand-cuffs and whip (or maybe you have them already).. i’ll get my leash.

        3. The British government should be inspired by the story of face masks here in France. They are only absolutely compulsory on public transport, otherwise it’s up to the individual. Shops (being private premises) are allowed to oblige their customers to put one on. Around here, about half the people voluntarily wear them when they go out shopping.

          The “general public” masks that the vast majority of people wear are home-made affairs, made out of 100% cotton sheets following a government-issued pattern. The Nottlers who have worked in hospitals will see immediately that these are therefore not going to be tremendously efficient, even if the guidelines say that they should be made with a double layer of fabric.

          Because these things are actually quite uncomfortable – the double layered ones reduce your ease of breathing, and because they don’t have any filters they get very hot and sticky – most people end up wearing them under their noses or even under their chins, which reduces the efficiency to zero. However, I have spotted some very zealous people wearing them while driving their cars – alone.

          Guidelines say that once the mask is taken off it must be put in a plastic bag and kept there until it is washed at 60 degrees for at least half an hour, and then it must be tumble-dried. Air drying is not allowed. These particular guidelines are not followed by anyone I don’t think. I have seen so many people put their masks back on over their faces from under their chins. And I know loads of people who have dutifully made a set of face masks but they don’t own a tumble-drier – as is, indeed, the case for us.

          Gesture politics; virtue-signalling – call it what you like. But the face masks the French government wants to make us all wear are a waste of time and effort.

          1. But it lets the government know how far they can go and what they can get away with.

          2. We were very pleasantly surprised when the lady from the Marie arrived with a mask for each of us; made by the commune’s sewing circle.

            Hot and sweaty to wear but it’s the thought that counts.

          3. We were offered masks by the village mayor who came round one afternoon, but I said I’d make my own. I’m afraid I’m paranoid about breathing, having nearly drowned as a child, and so my masks are only a single layer of fabric… but don’t tell anyone!

          4. As a one time competitive swimmer breathing has always been important, I probably inhale/exhale once for every time my wife breathes twice. When we are swimming in the pool that might well move to one in four.

            The thing about these wretched thick masks is that they inhibit natural breathing and I suspect that people might well throw out more pathogens through a damp mask than they would if they breathed normally.

          6. Wait until some cowed soul bounces a half brick off the back of your head for killing people because you’re not wearing it.

          7. Around here, they’ll have plenty of heads to choose from, I’ll take my chances.

            I wear it on the odd times I have to go up to the village.

          8. What a palaver …It’s bad enough being incarcerated without the added aggro of washing day!

    6. Evening Plum – I wore my neck warmer to Sainsbury’s today and used it as amask in the shop but not out of doors. It sits on my shoulders and I can pull it up over my mouth and nose when I go into the shop. I found it on my walk one day covered in mud. I washed it thoroughly and initially I thought it was a support for my thigh but eventually I worked out what it was for. I have a Thinsulate one now as well They are very good in the cold but as a mask I found I couldn’t wear it for much longer than the 20 minutes I was in the shop. I don’t think I could wear a mask fot the duration of a long journey.

      1. Hi Clydesider

        I certainly wouldn’t wear one …it would ruin my lippy….

      3. It would have held my attention more had it flashed backwards and forwards.

  81. Plum hankers after Tennis and may just be free from tomorrow to play.
    Me I want to get my Anchor (sic) out…

    I must down to the Cut again,
    To the vagrant boater life,
    From the River Wey
    It’s a heck of a way
    With all England for a wife,
    And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover
    And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream
    When the long day is over.

    (with apols John Masefield)

    3. I trust you mean ‘men’ whereby all they have to prove it are X and Y chromosomes? Real men have a moral compass that would preclude them from even thinking of committing such an act, let alone plan and follow through on the plan. These people are base animals posing as humans. Disgusting is not a strong enough word to describe them.
      I understand what you mean, Stephenroi.

      1. ? Search me – either historical photo or ‘allied ‘troops still in there?

    5. ‘Unidentified’.

      Only as to their names and addresses.

      At this moment I think we can rule out the Quakers.

      1. Apparently there can only be one Religion of Peace and according to the perpetrators of this atrocity, a crime against humanity, it isn’t Shia.

    1. I love this chap – what a fantastic musician he is. He certainly out-Lorne’s Gibson on this song!

  84. We got the hedge finished. Stove chuntering away – it is very cold in Norf Narfurk.

    I will join you tomorrow, in the expected gale. HMG are issuing “guidelines” about how to cope with gales. Only 50 pages – so it’s a quick read….

    Have a jolly evening planning your breakout tomorrow.

    1. it is very cold in Norf Narfurk.

      Indeed.
      Haven’t put the heating on yet, though. Might put the woodburner on later, might not.

    4. HMG Guidelines, Bill, a good starter for relighting the wood-burner, several times, I’d think.

    5. Our stove is on too. We’ve got just enough firewood for the rest of the week I reckon.

  85. Well isn’t that nice. To help with the additional expenses of the lock down, our Canadian government has just announced a special $300 payment to seniors.

    Now if only we had somewhere to spend it.

    Extra expenses? No golf, no curling, no gym, no bars, no restaurants, no coffee shops, no book stores, no travel all come together as meaning no spending. They have even opened the provincial parks but are not charging for entry this month.

    Bah, they wiIl not buy my vote.

      1. A lovely girl I knew used to work as Prince Philip’s secretary. She took me to The Royal Albert Hall and we watched Gordon Lightfoot from the Royal Box. She also took me to Windsor Castle for a ball held for all those who worked for the royal family. Joe Loss and his band played the music.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Nr98eRS_c

  89. I am watching the film ‘ A Private Function’. A plethora of British acting talent.

    Interesting that in all strata of society under rationing are prepared to break the rules and regulations. Including the Police.

    When a situation like this arises people make their own choices which is what democracy is all about.

    I do hope all the nasty bastards had their collar numbers filmed and will find after the crisis is over that so also is their standing.

    2. You can just see the wailing and despair if that is done.

      Maybe tell transport bosses to put public transport back to full service as well.

  91. Ooh I have just been called a smug pompous puss pot.

    Wonderful, I haven’t list my touch with the woke of heart.

    1. Just don’t pass away just yet otherwise they will be saying you died of a woken heart….

      1. oh it is a canadian newspaper..I casually mentioned that the latest government grant to seniors is not exactly a wise use of money because many seniors have no mortgage and have few expenses. Woke link from no mortgage to respect, income and need.

        I replied a few times but have become bored. I thought that the Post is a right wing leaning paper but obviously not the readers.

        Back to baiting comments on fox news I suppose

  95. 319140+ up ticks,
    Would it be extreme thinking in thinking that there could come a point where the politico’s say we are debating
    the chances of returning to under the brussels umbrella
    or having in-depth negotiations with the islamic ideology
    followers of GB.
    That is the way ALL signs are pointing.

  96. Some doctors are starting to see Covid as less of a typical respiratory disease, and more of one that involves dangerous clotting, said Rasulo, who is also an associate professor of anesthesia and intensive care. “That’s quite frightening when you think of it, because we didn’t know what we’re up against until we were in a later stage.”

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-05-04/coronavirus-causes-blood-clots-harming-organs-from-brain-to-toes

    When I posted a video about blood groups and susceptibity to infections like malaria and cholera I was looking for reasons why the COVID-19 virus was more than just a respiratory pathogen.

    This article explains why COVID-19 treatment to date involving mechanical ventilation is only 50% successful.
    COVID-19 survivors appear to be left with a nascent blood disorder that may flare up like malaria and which might explain why malaria treatments have shown faster recovery rates from COVID-19 side effects.

    1. This was in the public domain many weeks ago. The NHS have been carrying out the wrong treatment. Our heroes in the NHS have been killing patients not saving them. Treatment was required to block the virus laying claim to the haemoglobin. Antivirals can do that, paracetamol cannot.
      However, the NHS cannot do an about turn or they would lose face. More will die.

      1. I’m afraid you may well be right. I indeed made a comment here on one scientist’s summation of our predicament at the early stages of UK’s treatmant approach to COVID-19 that our body’s response to this pathogen involved a systemic adverse reaction that conventional life saving pathways stood little chance of overcoming.

      1. It would appear that forced lung ventilation with the aim of saving life by increaing blood oxygen saturation level becomes futile when the haemoglobin has become unable to transport the gas.

      2. It’s the last resort treatment. When they come at you with a ventilator, time to update the last will and testament. Jack.

      1. Is he going to be given flying lessons launched from a high building without the benefit of wings?

        1. I do not think so. I’m not sure that would be a hate crime under the new law, as there may be some religious exemptions.

      2. It seems it’s all part of a plan to destroy respect for the Establishment- and it appears the plan is working.

      3. Looks like his co-religionists would have him up to the roof before you could say ‘knife’.

        1. You might think so, but I’d be jailed if I commented… (Retrospective laws…mmmm…)

      4. 319140 + up ticks,
        Evening Hp,
        Thicker wads of wonga, next move will be south where the capital city brigade is established within governance waiting to come out of the lab. closet.

  98. https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/05/12/uk-coronavirus-is-no-longer-at-epidemic-levels-claim-oxford-university-experts/
    UK: Coronavirus is No Longer at Epidemic Levels Claim Oxford University Experts

    The Chinese coronavirus is no longer at epidemic levels in the United Kingdom as the rate of community transmission has fallen, a team of Oxford University experts claim.
    A study conducted by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in conjunction with Oxford University, Manchester University, and Public Health England (PHE), found that an estimated 136,000 people — 0.24 per cent of adults — are currently infected with the virus.

    Then why is the government still insisting on Lockdown?
    Why on Earth is the chancellor announcing financial support for furloughed employees until October?

    1. Because they want to force us back into the EU, cap in hand, and begging them to use us as Europe’s migrant repository?

    2. Because they will claim that lockdown has reduced the rate of transmission. It’s chicken and egg time.

    1. Was I supposed to think of gender identity services? I had hoped such rubbish would have gone the way of the climate looms.

      Ah breaking news. Trudeau is offering loans to big business as long as they sign up to a greener future.

    2. Good to know that MPs have REALLY IMPORTANT things to worry their ditsy litlle branes….

  100. It seems that the BHS (that isn’t the Home Stores) is advising riding centres they can re-open. It looks as though the Connemara might be getting a shock in the not too far distant future.

      1. Him – he’s a gelding. I think it’s just going to be a shock to his system 🙂 I am stepping up my exercise regime, but I can’t see myself shedding enough pounds to make a difference any time soon.

        1. Oops, blame the memory… 2K RAM doesn’t allow for tat level of detail.

    1. When a new community hospital namedafter pioneering nurse Mary Seacole opened in Surrey this month, itmarked a victory long in the making for Patrick Vernon.

      Patrick, a former NHS manager, has long campaigned for greater recognition for Seacole, a Jamaican-born nurse who cared for wounded British soldiers during the Crimean War.

      Strange, Mr Vernon is referred to as Patrick throughout the article: she is referred to as Seacole. (On a par when DT reporting about President Trump then)

    2. I always understood that she operated a ‘house of ill-repute’ in Scutari for the delectation of troops on ‘rest’ leave. No furlough there but plenty of furbelows.

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