United Kingdom VI: Summer Lovin'

[Cassius_Smoke]

But what about Pret?? Won't someone think about Pret?!

[monel]

Clap for Starbucks and Pret.

[MartyG]

and we're nowhere near the reopening of schools, return to work, furlough wrap up, winter season etc kicking in. That's 3/5's of the way to the Wave One peak already.

Reset the clock, countdown to the Third Wave begins in...

Also remember that any actions to combat the rise have a lag of a couple of weeks, so I would expect that figure to pass the May peak by the end of the week.

[Neon Ignition]

Given inaction was a central complaint of the figures for the first wave it'll be interesting to see how long the Tories hold on to the idea that local lockdowns work in the slightest as either a preventative measure or as an excuse to shift the blame before things really go to hell. That original blame game doesn't pay off when people return to working from home in droves, redundancies accelerate even further and businesses fold at ten times the rate because it was allowed to run rampant unchecked a second time for too long.

[cutmymilk]

Hancock banging on about social distancing today and meanwhile clubs were packed last night. They are complete idiots if they think that is even possible.

I had my new form class in school on Friday. It came in on Thursday that we need to wear masks in communal areas and pupils are to stay within 2 metres of us. This obviously hampers teaching.

I gave pupils a tour of the school and of course they couldn't stay within 2 metres of me. I didnt want to treat them like lepers so didn't enforce it too strongly but still, it is an unrealistic goal.

Year groups also can't mix despite them all walking to school together and mixing outside of school for months. These rules give the council and school get out clause to any litigation, nothing more.

[cutmymilk]

Double post sorry

[teddymeow]

Dominic Raab is a dickhead

WFH is damaging the economy. That is, if you're able to WFH you're destroying the economy.

[MartyG]

Here's my middle finger Raab, now spin on it.

[cutmymilk]

Wish I could! Workplace is a frustrating mess with rules that make no sense and contradict each other.

[fallenangle]

Amazed that the pupils even take any notice.

Back in my school days any arbitrary enforced regulations were like a red rag to a bull for some; wear this but not like that, go there but not here, do not smoke on the bus or behind the bicycle sheds. That was in the days when teachers would slap you for not paying attention, rap your knuckles with a ruler if they were in a bad mood and throw blackboard rubbers at miscreants talking in class.

Those teachers and pupils would be at war under the current regulations because the absurdity of many of them are so blatant: wear masks in the corridors but not in the classroom who even thought up that one?

I commuted 15 miles to school walking, train and bus with pupils 11 to 18 years old from at least 5 different schools. I've no doubt the same schools are doing exactly the same now, decades later. So you do that commute twice a day but now once you get into school they try to separate the age groups. I repeat who thinks this madness up?

[cutmymilk]

First one government, then one local council implements it. All of the other local councils who previously thought it was stupid think, "but what if..." and are worried about being sued. They give the option to schools. Schools implement it because "what if...."

They don't want to be sued by teachers and will blame us for not implementing impossible-to-implement rules if we get it. It is so transparent that it is annoying and affects out teaching to the extent that we basically can't teach as well. Because I teach a practical subject, trying to verbally help without seeing the problem is going to be a test!

There is an area near me in Wales where 3 teachers are confirmed to have it already. Entire classes sent home for 14 days. We are not even made to get tested before working...those are just the people who have voluntarily been tested. Unsustainable mess.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexit/pm-planning-to-override-key-parts-of-brexit-withdrawal-agreement/ar-BB18M9U6?ocid=spartan-ntp-feeds

Tories plan new legislation that tears up the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement on Northern Ireland. Not sure why this surprises the media, you don't have to stick to an agreement or a trade deal you never had an intention of making to begin with.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/06/coronavirus-fears-uk-government-lost-control-cases-soar

Labour calls on Hancock to explain why the Tories have lost control of COVID again as Hancock downplays the outbreak by saying it's largely younger people being infected. You know, those who are more likely to live at home with their older parents and siblings, and socialise with others, and mix in classes at school/college/uni - so totally not a concern.

[MartyG]

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/brexi...rtan-ntp-feeds
Tories plan new legislation that tears up the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement on Northern Ireland. Not sure why this surprises the media, you don't have to stick to an agreement or a trade deal you never had an intention of making to begin with.

You do if it's a legally internationally ratified agreement, which it is.

[Golgo]

U-turn #13, and another one Starmer can mention to reduce Johnson to a gibbering, twitching wreck in PMQs.

[MartyG]

It just shows the lack of cards the UK has (and has always had) to play against the EU - the UK decided to leave, the UK is in the weak position in the Brexit negotiations, it always has been and no amount of Johnson bluster will change that.