Coronavirus

[jeremyp]

And Stratton is gone. Good.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59584736

I don't see anything good about it. She's lost her job for a very minor point but all the people who were at the party (and thus breaking the law) and the prime minister who is continually lying about the party remain employed.

[Udayana]

I don't see anything good about it. She's lost her job for a very minor point but all the people who were at the party (and thus breaking the law) and the prime minister who is continually lying about the party remain employed.

hmm. on the whole she was good at her job -  putting a gloss on Boris' lies and misdirection. And, though one could feel sorry at her tearful statement, she didn't speak the truth about what she knew about rule breaking at No 10. It was just a bit of PR, getting her out of the issue.

[ProfessorDavey]

hmm. on the whole she was good at her job -  putting a gloss on Boris' lies and misdirection.

Not sure she was - don't forget that she was originally brought in to front daily press conferences - that never happened, presumably because she simply wasn't good enough to fulfil that role. You may ask therefore how she got the job - the fact that she is a chum (or is that chum-ess) of Sunak and Carrie Symonds couldn't possibly have anything to do with why she was appointed, could it .

And, though one could feel sorry at her tearful statement, she didn't speak the truth about what she knew about rule breaking at No 10. It was just a bit of PR, getting her out of the issue.

A classic case of being sorry for getting caught, rather than being sorry for what she did.

And of course the dry-run press conference, as jaw droopingly appalling as it was, isn't really the issue here. The issue is the illegal party held at no10 that precipitated the need to plan for what to say when the press got hold of the story.

[Aruntraveller]

I don't see anything good about it. She's lost her job for a very minor point but all the people who were at the party (and thus breaking the law) and the prime minister who is continually lying about the party remain employed.

We'll have to differ. One less cheerleader for the liar in chief is a good thing in my mind. Although I do agree the others involved should lose their jobs as well.

[Gordon]

John Crace in fine form.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/dec/09/gathering-storm-ministers-party-pieces-fail-to-convince

[Nearly Sane]

More from Cold War Steve

[Gordon]

I like that: I'm not a fan of the Monarchy but it would be wonderful if there were some ancient and obscure precedent that allowed the Queen to dismiss Johnson for being a lying arsehole.

[Nearly Sane]

The suggestion from the Scottish govt that people defer 'Christmas parties' seems problematic to me in that no suppirt is being given to the hospitality industry as a result of this 'suggestion'

[Udayana]

https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2021/modelling-potential-impact-omicron-england

Latest LSHTM modelling (paper still to be peer reviewed) wrt. Omicron, suggests possible 25,000 to 75,000 Covid deaths over the next 5 months, depending on social distancing measures or restrictions.

 

[Spud]

Bulgaria and Ukraine, 26% and 28% fully vaccinated, have both past the peak of their third wave. Cases in Russia also seem to be declining - good news. Perhaps things are moving more slowly there due to lower temperatures (currently -13` in Moscow)

[Nearly Sane]

Oh shit! Johnson to mumble at the nation after Strictly, possibly to announce last year's Christmas party winners. If there are more restrictions, then the acts of the UK Govt will have undermined people's likelihood to comply.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59629916

[Nearly Sane]

Underwhelming performing from the racist incompetent lying thug
 

[Anchorman]

Underwhelming performing from the racist incompetent lying thug
 

   

All the gravitas of a whelk with none of the abilities.

[Aruntraveller]

Led by Donkeys take on the Met:

https://youtu.be/9Y18CrgFdh4

[Nearly Sane]

Plague Island

BREAKINGRecord daily UK coronavirus cases for second day in a row

A further 88,376 coronavirus cases have been reported in the UK, according to the government's daily figures.

There have also been another 146 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

The UK reported 78,610 cases yesterday.

[jeremyp]

Led by Donkeys take on the Met:

https://youtu.be/9Y18CrgFdh4

There is a case to be made that Boris Johnson has single handedly destroyed this country. And this party thing makes me so angry because it makes it blatantly obvious that he just doesn't care.

[Aruntraveller]

The ever excellent John Crace on Scientists versus elected representatives:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/dec/16/boris-johnson-go-out-catch-covid-ignore-the-science-or-trust-in-chris-whitty

[Gordon]

Another twist in the hugely entertaining pantomime of Tories having parties when they shouldn't - it seems that the Cabinet Secretary, a Simon Case, who is charged with investigated said parties himself had a party.

Various quotes about this can be found in the Guardian Live blog. I'm enjoying the schadenfreude.

It appears that the Cabinet Secretary’s office had covid law breaching Xmas parties too
The same Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, tasked by Boris Johnson to investigate Xmas parties
Shouldn’t be difficult to investigate!
We’re now in pure Alice in Wonderland territory

Right so everyone in Westminster who had a lockdown-busting Christmas party is now just briefing against everyone else in Westminster who also had a Christmas party, in some sort of circular firing squad where executions are conducted with cheap prosecco.

[Udayana]

Another twist in the hugely entertaining pantomime of Tories having parties when they shouldn't - it seems that the Cabinet Secretary, a Simon Case, who is charged with investigated said parties himself had a party.

Various quotes about this can be found in the Guardian Live blog. I'm enjoying the schadenfreude.

Yup .. also the BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-59701369

Just the sheer cheek of accepting the role as head of the inquiry into the Downing St. parties is astonishing.

[ProfessorDavey]

Another twist in the hugely entertaining pantomime of Tories having parties when they shouldn't - it seems that the Cabinet Secretary, a Simon Case, who is charged with investigated said parties himself had a party.

Various quotes about this can be found in the Guardian Live blog. I'm enjoying the schadenfreude.

Yes I'd seen this too - details are apparently:

'Simon Case and team had a Christmas party on Dec 17 2020 at 5.30 pm in room 103 of the Cabinet Office. The digital calendar invites sent in advance called it "Christmas party!"'

How can he head an investigation into alleged christmas parties, when his own office was clearly inviting people to a Christmas party at a physical location (so clearly not purely virtual Zoom).

[Gordon]

I think the only explanation is that Johnson is a 'Typhoid Tory' figure, with apologies to 'Typhoid Mary': everyone who associates with him seemingly gets infected whilst he carries on regardless.

He, like Mary, needs to be quarantined on a long-term basis to protect the rest of us.

[Udayana]

I think the only explanation is that Johnson is a 'Typhoid Tory' figure, with apologies to 'Typhoid Mary': everyone who associates with him seemingly gets infected whilst he carries on regardless.

He, like Mary, needs to be quarantined on a long-term basis to protect the rest of us.

Suspect it is already too late ... corruption may already be spreading down through the civil service.   

[Gordon]

It's now being reported that Simon is off the Case (again Guardian Live blog).

Simon Case is no longer leading the Whitehall investigation in lockdown rule breaking in Downing Street

[Gordon]

I'm thoroughly enjoying this: Marina Hyde notes:

Case is off the case. Asked to turn in his gun and party hat.

[Aruntraveller]

For those who like this sort of thing (I do) interactive graphics about vaccine rollouts and boosters across the world:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2021/dec/17/vaccine-rollout-data-by-country-shows-who-has-vaccinated-faster-and-why-exposing-the-global-covid-19-divide

(Still working my way through it)