Coronavirus

[bpoolrover]

I approve of him going to the farm but not to the castle lol, I have answered your question why you trying to argue over it?

[SydneyRover]

I'm not if you had said that a while ago it would have been the end of.

I just think that if the kids had come home and told me any part of that story they would be grounded until they told the truth.

[Ldr]

I'm claiming the fiver, Syd is doing a grand impression of one of the journalists at the daily press conferences. Ask the same question over and over to try and get that "gotcha" soundbite

[IDM]

He didn’t go to see his parents thou he went to make sure there was childcare which I agree with, they also said he broke no social distancing rules with is the main thing for me, having had a walk the other day seeing hundreds not social distancing they worry me far more than Cummings

But, again, do you or do you not approve of a senior government figure - regardless of the actual actions - taking advantage of a loophole which the vast majority of the population didn’t know was ok.?

[bpoolrover]

Ok Sydney

[bpoolrover]

He didn’t go to see his parents thou he went to make sure there was childcare which I agree with, they also said he broke no social distancing rules with is the main thing for me, having had a walk the other day seeing hundreds not social distancing they worry me far more than Cummings

But, again, do you or do you not approve of a senior government figure - regardless of the actual actions - taking advantage of a loophole which the vast majority of the population didn’t know was ok.?

I never saw it as a loophole because I new about it as did most people I have spoke to so it’s a hard one to answer

[IDM]

When all said and done the police are taking no further action and he has not even received a caution

Because had the police spotted him at the time their first action would have been to explain why he was in the wrong and to ask him to go back.

They also say that’s how they treat everyone.  They say they treat everyone the same, one rule for all..

[bpoolrover]

The only answer I can give which I’m sure won’t be good enough, when myself and my wife were poorly with it, if I thought we weee not going to be capable to look after our children I would have done the same

[bpoolrover]

When all said and done the police are taking no further action and he has not even received a caution

Because had the police spotted him at the time their first action would have been to explain why he was in the wrong and to ask him to go back.

They also say that’s how they treat everyone.  They say they treat everyone the same, one rule for all..

had the police stopped him on the way to the farm they would have let him carry on as that was acceptable from what they have said

[IDM]

He didn’t go to see his parents thou he went to make sure there was childcare which I agree with, they also said he broke no social distancing rules with is the main thing for me, having had a walk the other day seeing hundreds not social distancing they worry me far more than Cummings

But, again, do you or do you not approve of a senior government figure - regardless of the actual actions - taking advantage of a loophole which the vast majority of the population didn’t know was ok.?

I never saw it as a loophole because I new about it as did most people I have spoke to so it’s a hard one to answer

I’m not asking if you knew it was a loophole or not.  You must have seen the anger across most of the population and 40 odd Tory MPs.?

I ask again, do you approve of Cummings exploiting a loophole when most of the population didn’t know about it.?

Yes or no.?

[idler]

I read that the idea of the loophole was that it allowed mothers in abusive relationships to move to somewhere less dangerous?
DC in my opinion has driven a coach and horses through this intention.
It seems too big a coincidence that three family related events took place during his time there.

[IDM]

When all said and done the police are taking no further action and he has not even received a caution

Because had the police spotted him at the time their first action would have been to explain why he was in the wrong and to ask him to go back.

They also say that’s how they treat everyone.  They say they treat everyone the same, one rule for all..

had the police stopped him on the way to the farm they would have let him carry on as that was acceptable from what they have said

The police are referring to the Barnard Castle trip, and so am I.

[SydneyRover]

I'm claiming the fiver, Syd is doing a grand impression of one of the journalists at the daily press conferences. Ask the same question over and over to try and get that "gotcha" soundbite

When I have a conversation with someone I prefer they are honest with me and me them, because johnson and cumming and gove and have been shown to be lying f**ks and tory voters accept this and don't mind so I have to be careful when tory voters tell me stuff because they may be doing the same. if that's ok with you ldr

[Ldr]

Playing devils advocate IDM as you know my views on the matter already. It has been decried on here that the government hasnt treated the public like grown ups during the pandemic. Surely any grown up would (assuming they have internet access of course) check all the rules rather than just listen to headline messages. There is small print in everything. Cant have it both ways

[Ldr]

I'm claiming the fiver, Syd is doing a grand impression of one of the journalists at the daily press conferences. Ask the same question over and over to try and get that "gotcha" soundbite

When I have a conversation with someone I prefer they are honest with me and me them, because johnson and cumming and gove and have been shown to be lying f**ks and tory voters accept this and don't mind so I have to be careful when tory voters tell me stuff because they may be doing the same. if that's ok with you ldr

I forgot the smiley Syd

[SydneyRover]

so did I 

[bpoolrover]

I’m not going to answer a yes or no I approve of him going to the farm if that mean he exploited a loophole then yes as my kids safety would come before any rules

[IDM]

The only answer I can give which I’m sure won’t be good enough, when myself and my wife were poorly with it, if I thought we weee not going to be capable to look after our children I would have done the same

I hope you are both recovered..

But the issue isn’t that he did what he did, it’s that most people didn’t know that you could.

I am sorry to have to repeat this - I can imagine how the thread might look and I am genuinely not trying to have a go at you or to make this personal, but I really don’t see how you can’t see the point at hand.

[IDM]

I’m not going to answer a yes or no I approve of him going to the farm if that mean he exploited a loophole then yes as my kids safety would come before any rules

But can you see how that might have affected the rest of the population who don’t know about loopholes.?

[idler]

The kid's safety is a moot point though. It's a sad reflection of where we are now that your first reaction is to check everything that a politician says after all of the lies we have been subjected to. Then we have an aide acting exactly the same.
How far have we fallen to be where we are now?

[BillyStubbsTears]

The only answer I can give which I’m sure won’t be good enough, when myself and my wife were poorly with it, if I thought we weee not going to be capable to look after our children I would have done the same

The problem is of course that they WEREN'T both poorly with it.

What Cummings did was to move to Durham in anticipation of them both being incapacitated. And  they weren't.

And here's the REALLY odd bit.

He has pointed out time and time again how important he is to Govt. But he shot off to Durham as a precaution without telling anyone on his management chain.

That, to my mind is either:
1) A disciplinary offence
or
2) A lie.

I really can't see any alternative.

[IDM]

Playing devils advocate IDM as you know my views on the matter already. It has been decried on here that the government hasnt treated the public like grown ups during the pandemic. Surely any grown up would (assuming they have internet access of course) check all the rules rather than just listen to headline messages. There is small print in everything. Cant have it both ways

The anger about what has happened and how the government is treating people is all across the country and not just on here.

And no, I don’t agree that people would look for the small print especially if they didn’t know it was there in the first place.

Compound that with the parrot-like drumming on of “stay at home” etc then the law abiding majority played by the rules.

Now it appears that in some circumstances the rules could have been circumvented..

So no, I don’t agree with you on this.

[bpoolrover]

Thank you mate and yes I’m fully better and my wife is getting there, I can’t answer thou as just about everyone I have spoke to new you could seek childcare if needed, let’s say they had both been really poorly or even mild symptoms means you can’t get out of bed and that can happen within hours of you feeling fine who would look after the child? Would you chance it because I wouldn’t, going to the castle is a lame excuse but seeing as there is no reports of him not social distancing I just feel that the 10s of thousands who are breaking social distancing rules are far worse than him

[bpoolrover]

The only answer I can give which I’m sure won’t be good enough, when myself and my wife were poorly with it, if I thought we weee not going to be capable to look after our children I would have done the same

The problem is of course that they WEREN'T both poorly with it.

What Cummings did was to move to Durham in anticipation of them both being incapacitated. And  they weren't.

And here's the REALLY odd bit.

He has pointed out time and time again how important he is to Govt. But he shot off to Durham as a precaution without telling anyone on his management chain.

That, to my mind is either:
1) A disciplinary offence
or
2) A lie.

I really can't see any alternative.

if one gets it there is probably a fair chance the other will, not always but probably so if they had waited till both were poorly it would have been to late and there would be a poor child with no help

[IDM]

Thank you mate and yes I’m fully better and my wife is getting there, I can’t answer thou as just about everyone I have spoke to new you could seek childcare if needed, let’s say they had both been really poorly or even mild symptoms means you can’t get out of bed and that can happen within hours of you feeling fine who would look after the child? Would you chance it because I wouldn’t, going to the castle is a lame excuse but seeing as there is no reports of him not social distancing I just feel that the 10s of thousands who are breaking social distancing rules are far worse than him

I agree Bpool - there are plenty of people flouting the rules regardless of knowing about any loopholes.  That however is a different issue.

Someone involved in making the rules is always going to be more scrutinised in how they comply, compared to the average person in the street.

The issue isn’t whether his (or anyone else’s) motivation to protect their family was right or wrong, nor even that the detail of the regulations may have permitted it.  It is that others - many many others - didn’t know that could do that.

This isn’t like someone exploiting a timing issue to get a cheaper football ticket or a better seat on a train because they know the ins and outs of the booking system, this is about life and death.

Life and death, that’s why this is such a big issue.

Again, let me make it clear that I am not trying to pick on you and I apologise if it comes over like that. 

But this is such an important issue - one news item, one person’s actions and the subsequent squirming about, are seriously undermining the government’s credibility and authority.

That in itself, at a time of reducing lockdown measures and track and trace is supposed to be starting, is a huge problem for our society.

[bpoolrover]

No problem idm your asking in a nice way so no problem, I can’t answer thou as I don’t understand what your asking, to me he has said he drove there to make sure his child was safe, I fully understand that and have no problem with it if one person or the whole world knows as I would do the same even if it broke the law

[Glyn_Wigley]

The only answer I can give which I’m sure won’t be good enough, when myself and my wife were poorly with it, if I thought we weee not going to be capable to look after our children I would have done the same

The problem is of course that they WEREN'T both poorly with it.

What Cummings did was to move to Durham in anticipation of them both being incapacitated. And  they weren't.

And here's the REALLY odd bit.

He has pointed out time and time again how important he is to Govt. But he shot off to Durham as a precaution without telling anyone on his management chain.

That, to my mind is either:
1) A disciplinary offence
or
2) A lie.

I really can't see any alternative.

if one gets it there is probably a fair chance the other will, not always but probably so if they had waited till both were poorly it would have been to late and there would be a poor child with no help

And that could very easily have happened halfway between London and Durham. Then the 'poor child with no help' would truly have had no help.

[bpoolrover]

Yes quite true Glyn

[Jonathan]

No matter what the regulatory position, returning to the workplace then driving to Durham after being exposed to suspected COVID was unquestionably outside the government advice and guidance. The police have not any should not be expected to comment on that. That is where it would be useful to hear from the CMO and CSA.

[Glyn_Wigley]

Yes quite true Glyn

And why I don't believe it, or indeed anything Cummings said after that as a result (although the 'eye-test' excuse was even more stunning in it's own right). No-one with the child's best interests at heart would have taken a risk as stupid as that.