Corona Virus

[The Horse's Mouth]

13 minutes ago, Abrasive fox said:

That's it isn't it, it's like watching Liverpool defend Suarez. It's beyond partisan, calling him 'Mr Brexit' they'll blame everything on 'the left' or the 'MSM'. It's cultish behaviour, they'll never criticise their divine leader - you've got Darren Grimes crying because Adam Boulton was short with him because he called him out for being a fan boy ('I think Dominic Cummings is a fantastic man, but I don't know him').

 

Whether you think he should be sacked or not, I can't understand how people don't understand he's broken the rules and refused to apologise....and as for the explanation yesterday, just wow.

Both sides have been pretty embarrassing, I think comparing a 240 mile trip to racial abuse kind of emphasises you're all just as bad as each other 

[CosbehFox]

1 minute ago, The Horse's Mouth said:

Both sides have been pretty embarrassing, I think comparing a 240 mile trip to racial abuse kind of emphasises you're all just as bad as each other 

Abrasive is comparing the reaction (or the defence), not the event

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

1 minute ago, The Horse's Mouth said:

Both sides have been pretty embarrassing, I think comparing a 240 mile trip to racial abuse kind of emphasises you're all just as bad as each other 

If its been compared to that then I agree, its ridiculous as far as I'm aware I havent though.

[Guest worth_the_wait]

1 hour ago, foxile5 said:

He's the mouthpiece to their agenda and is delivering the instructions for everyone else to not do it. He's literally the face of the pandemic response.

Yesterday's press conference was probably the first time most of us had ever heard Dominic Cummings speak.

 

And as for face of the pandemic ... err, no.

[StanSP]

No one likes Darren Grimes, surely? 

 

 

[Unabomber]

2 minutes ago, StanSP said:

No one likes Darren Grimes, surely? 

 

 

Think he’s a parody account 

[Jimothy]

[Tuna]

 

[hackneyfox]

2 hours ago, Dahnsouff said:

Trip to the castle is inexcusable but what is that to do with Government as a whole?

On Sunday Johnson told us the second stories (about castles and bluebells were 'palpably untrue') .

On Monday Cummings admits he did go to the castle.

So either he lied to Johnson or Johnson lied to the country.

If you can't see how they're linked then you need to go for a drive.

[WigstonWanderer]

1 hour ago, The Horse's Mouth said:

Sturgeon must condemn 

Was he symptomatic when he made the journey?

[Alf Bentley]

28 minutes ago, Facecloth said:

 

His Mum being Glenda Jackson, of course.....

[Jimothy]

1 hour ago, The Horse's Mouth said:

Sturgeon must condemn 

Lots of people relocated right at the start of lockdown for practical or safety reasons. He wasn't symptomatic when he made the journey. I live alone, if I wasnt working still I'd probably have gone and stayed at my sisters for the duration rather than be alone my flat most the time when I'm not at work. What I wouldn't have done is go when showing symptoms or wait a few weeks then go. If you were planning to isolate away from where you were at the start of this it was a decision the make early on.

 

Oh and before anyone claims bias, I hate the SNP.

[BlueSi13]

So my last take regarding Cummings and the total collapse of the media's case against him:

• No conversation with police regarding lockdown guidelines - Durham Police confirmed their initial statement was false
• He didn't have any contact with his parents
• He did not visit Durham for a second time - deepest condolences to the Guardian and Mirror (and Daily Mail for that matter) for their false story.
• Did not break the 14 day isolation period
• Missed the funeral of his close uncle in accordance with guidelines

But what he did do was take a drive to Barnard Castle after his self-isolation period was over.  This is all the media have left against him.  But even this could be interpreted as acceptable according to the College of Policing guidelines:

 

 

The COVID-19 bill also does not limit anyones ability to travel for exercise.

 

However, even if we were to all agree that it's a breach of the rules.  All it does is make him as bad as Stephen Kinnock who decided to drive 150 miles to visit his dad on his birthday.  Not only was Kinnock not sacked or forced to resign by Starmer, he was actually promoted to the Shadow Cabinet.

 

Sure it's a shame to see some MP's and traditionally right-wing commentators turn against him.  However in most cases those doing the sniping have had personal issues with Cummings (Baker,Bone), voted remain (Ellwood, Hammond, Harper, Ross), those bricking it over a few bad polls (Wallace, Dale) and those that jumped too soon and are too scared to row-back (Hartley-Brewer).

 

Sure Johnson may decide to pull the trigger in the end, but if he does, he's toast to a huge percentage of the Conservative electorate as the weak label is the hardest to remove in politics.  Even more dangerous with the Conservative curse Farage ever-so-slowly re-entering the fray...

[BlueSi13]

Emily Thornberry, the gift that keeps on giving:

 

 

Absolutely no shame.

[leicsmac]

Leaving the journey up to Durham itself aside, I'm curious as to what you make of the idea Cummings changed/falsified information on his blog to make himself look like more of an expert on coronaviruses and their provenance in order to pad out his story, @BlueSi13?

 

There was a bit upstream about it but a main story is here:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52808059

 

I'm not sure that the UK should have people pretending to have scientific expertise on this matter, there's enough trouble happened from that Stateside.

[StanSP]

11 minutes ago, BlueSi13 said:

• No conversation with police regarding lockdown guidelines - Durham Police confirmed their initial statement was false
• He didn't have any contact with his parents
• He did not visit Durham for a second time - deepest condolences to the Guardian and Mirror (and Daily Mail for that matter) for their false story.
• Did not break the 14 day isolation period
• Missed the funeral of his close uncle in accordance with guidelines

But what he did do was take a drive to Barnard Castle after his self-isolation period was over.  This is all the media have left against him.  But even this could be interpreted as acceptable according to the College of Policing guidelines:

Where have Durham Police said this? 

 

You say it could be interpreted as acceptable. The lockdown rules at the time were you allowed to travel a short distance to exercise. 30mins is not a short distance in my opinion/interpretation. 

 

He may not have broken the 14 day isolation period, but that doesn't change the fact he travelled with symptoms (severe?) and put others at risk when he went to hospital. I also don't believe for one second he didn't stop off on the way up, also while symptomatic by his own admission. Given it's such a long journey, I don't buy the excuse of 'travelling to stop putting others at risk' given he stopped on the way back too. Also, given he was going from London (a high case load) to Durham (a lower case load)... 

[Carl the Llama]

1 hour ago, Unabomber said:

Think he’s a parody account 

https://twitter.com/darrengrimes_?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author I'm not so sure...

[String fellow]

I used to think that scruffy, bonkers, anarchists were the preserve of the loony left. Cummings has made me think again. What must world leaders think when they see someone walking into No.10 with his shirt-tail hanging out, advising Boris on what to do? Is the country safe, when the PM's chief adviser seems to think that the best way to test your eyesight is to go driving on a 60-mile round trip? I wonder how many of the electorate are starting to regret giving Boris his big win at the last GE?

[Tielemans63]

If the guy had addressed the nation yesterday and said "Yes, I did this. I put my family first and it was an error of judgement in light of what we'd asked others to do. I apologise but will do what I can to put things right." - It could have been a 10 minute prezzer and far, far fewer calls for his resignation. I for one, would have respected that. It's the lack of any humility, total arrogance and sheer disregard for the public's collective intelligence that enrages me. The whole 30 minute driving eye test story is just Trump-levels of absurdity. Just ****ing apologise.

 

I swear, for such highly intelligent human beings, precious few politicians seem to have ever realised the hugely powerful effect that showing a bit of humility can have. If you offer an unreserved apology you almost instantly disarm many of your critics. It would have prevented this from spiralling out of all proportion for a start, I'm sure of it.

[Voll Blau]

9 minutes ago, BlueSi13 said:

So my last take regarding Cummings and the total collapse of the media's case against him:

• No conversation with police regarding lockdown guidelines - Durham Police confirmed their initial statement was false
• He didn't have any contact with his parents
• He did not visit Durham for a second time - deepest condolences to the Guardian and Mirror (and Daily Mail for that matter) for their false story.
• Did not break the 14 day isolation period
• Missed the funeral of his close uncle in accordance with guidelines

But what he did do was take a drive to Barnard Castle after his self-isolation period was over.  This is all the media have left against him.  But even this could be interpreted as acceptable according to the College of Policing guidelines:

 

 

The COVID-19 bill also does not limit anyones ability to travel for exercise.

 

- By his own admission he didn't travel to Barnard Castle for the purpose of exercise. Plus, he had private woodland he could have - and indeed did - use for that purpose anyway. He drove to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight, committing a road traffic offence in the process.

- Durham Police indeed changed their statement, but have still been asked by the local PCC to investigate his actions.

- He did break lockdown, by his own admission, to collect his wife and son from hospital in Durham.

[fuchsntf]

2 hours ago, Facecloth said:

Lots of people relocated right at the start of lockdown for practical or safety reasons. He wasn't symptomatic when he made the journey. I live alone, if I wasnt working still I'd probably have gone and stayed at my sisters for the duration rather than be alone my flat most the time when I'm not at work. What I wouldn't have done is go when showing symptoms or wait a few weeks then go. If you were planning to isolate away from where you were at the start of this it was a decision the make early on.

 

Oh and before anyone claims bias, I hate the SNP.

Thats where I am ....

also someone Tell me if I am Misunderstanding something on this issue.

A guy admitted showing Corvid..symptoms gets in a car,Drives with no  Care or attention ( how could he,he admitted he thought he had the symptoms) over

250 miles...putting other road users in danger,if he suddenly felt weak...He needed to be aware,that he had his family,in the car and could easily be  involved in unnecessary contact,even an accident,meaning Medical staff/police would be forced to be in Contact with an unknown Corvid-19 infected person(s).

When Somebody gets into a carry should Not forget Their responsibility.....with or in this penedemic, more so!!!!

 

I have discussed this thought,with my older Children with kids ,well before DC-gate even came or forced into our thoughts..

Its out of order,Simply believing he was the only One who has difficulties in this New corvid-19 society...

I belong to the so called vulnerable- group,Living though , through the easier lockdown in Germany ,

I Love driving,but my wife did the shopping,while I stayed at home,My Wife Drove me ,if and when I had to go somewhere.

My 4 children,all with their own kids,all with the various Society hang ups caused by corvid-19,we didnt Meet or see other,until it became official possible,our grandkids we Couldnt support their parents und Babysit when They needed to go to work....!!!!

We have BC & AD, then BB & AB, Now we have DC....When will they ever learn...

 

 

 

 

 

[Dahnsouff]

Not with you on this @Facecloth as isolating at home is always infinitely preferable and I would only consider dragging my family anywhere in the circumstance of impending inability to care for my child. Look, he was clearly in the wrong, but for me, for the fantasy castle trip, not for relocating to Durham. The logic in staying in true isolation in his parents is at least mildly believable (at least too me)

[Dahnsouff]

Just curious, but were people this incensed by Robert Jenrick or Stephen Kinnock? Is it because Cummings is perceived as some form of Kingmaker? A sort of in the shadows nefarious sort?

[filbertway]

Interesting graphics relating to deaths in different age ranges on a week by week basis.

 

[EastAnglianFox]

Not a fan of Hancock but love how he got shot of Peston in about 5 seconds flat