love* in the time of plague (and by love* i mean brexit* and other dreary matters of uk politics)

also, the level of support for lockdown in polling is really quite something. Criticism has to be balanced against its popularity. (ofc there are gaping holes in the execution that he isn't exploiting)

Maybe I mean floating voters rather than swing voters. Its either a deliberate approach or its just the only mode he can operate in, temperamentally.

strongly suspect the latter but am more melt-ish than calz on this

good time to press the advantage may be if the government's more hawkish voices are successful in arguing for a premature end to lockdown

also, the level of support for lockdown in polling is really quite something. Criticism has to be balanced against its popularity.

I don't think anyone's suggesting Starmer should be calling for an end to the lockdown? I doubt nurses going w/o PPE or nursing homes collapsing would poll well with the public

One reason I think ending lockdown is a non starter even for the govt hawks is that people just don't believe its safe. There's no way people are going to start piling onto trains, for example.

there are still lots of swing or indeed floating voters ofc especially if you allow 'not voting' as one of the poles you can swing or float between, it's just that they make up such a big chunk of the electorate now that loyal partisan voters are shrinking (altho it will be interesting to see if the tory base re-solidifies post-brexit)

I don't think anyone's suggesting Starmer should be calling for an end to the lockdown?

One reason I think ending lockdown is a non starter even for the govt hawks is that people just don't believe its safe. There's no way people are going to start piling onto trains, for example.

It’s going to be hard for people to refuse to send their kids to school, or for those in precarious employment to refuse to go back to retail jobs, for example. Ultimately, unless you can work from home, or the government is going to pay you a secure wage for as long as you need it, it’s going to be a risk a lot of people are going to have to take.

That strikes me as too big a risk for the government - if people feel forced back into normal life and cases spike again it will provoke widespread fury without necessarily delivering any boost to the economy. Plus it just means another lockdown, more bailout cash etc.

those in precarious employment to refuse to go back to retail jobs, for example

They can make the employees go back into the shops but they can't do the same with shoppers

I'm continually impressed Stephen Bush's level headedness when dealing with government spokesmen like Dan Hodges, rarely takes the bait

I'm not suggesting the virus is infecting the fabric of reality of anything, but it's three years since Theresa May called a snap election.

aw man i remember all those crushed saboteurs, tragic

It's still unclear to me whether Leicester's title win was the cause, or the first effect, of the unraveling of reality.

of course! it's the tell-tale glitch

My god, have they really got Williamson doing the press conference today?

if that isn't god telling you to not watch it i don't know what is

It's still unclear to me whether Leicester's title win was the cause, or the first effect, of the unraveling of reality.

not entirely sure why ‘Bbc’ is there but I feel comfortable blaming the Mayans

someone's mad. (The Cygnus rebuttal is the weakest one, i reckon) https://healthmedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/04/19/response-to-sunday-times-insight-article/

There's an almost Trumpian petulance to some of that. So basically they're saying that their response has been A+ - no mention of the death stats, of course. The claims about threat levels are weak too - makes it look like events can only be reacted to, not foreseen. Wah wah wah

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/apr/19/disabled-people-left-off-coronavirus-vulnerable-list-go-without-food?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

When Denise Stephens, 41, who has multiple sclerosis and is immunocompromised, was rejected, she followed instructions to call her GP but hit a brick wall. “My GP said they couldn’t help me and they didn’t know why the government is directing people to them about this,” she said. Last month, Stephens contracted coronavirus. She has had to call an ambulance twice to her London home but is still not eligible for help with food or medication.

"highly selective criteria" for the vulnerable list, they've likely missed thousands of vulnerable people off it, many of whom would have died this year anyway no doubt.

Cycled past Downing Street and these signs thanking our ‘dear leader’ are everywhere pic.twitter.com/2QBI5oyZ3S

— Bruno Leipold (@BrunoLeipold) April 18, 2020

Dear Leader.. please die next time you contract the Rona

The French conference sounds wild, and good compared to ours (not that this is difficult):

French PM Edouard Philippe about to give a press conference on Covid-19. Will tweet the best bits.

— John Lichfield (@john_lichfield) April 19, 2020

Details/statements on what their reopening will look like for work, schools etc.

so which sinister dark money group do we reckon is propping up the awesome movement then

Goodness me!!!! Whoever thought of free broadband? They’ll be nationalising the railways next. Sorry, they already have. https://t.co/sfrLl2dV4r

— John McDonnell MP (@johnmcdonnellMP) April 19, 2020

https://sd.keepcalms.com/i/john-you-are-my-king-and-i-love-you.png

That doesn’t scan at all

let me have this one thing

The weird meme is correct.

Diane and big John truly out of fucks, a small bit of light in these dark times.

Just realised that today is #DianeMojitoDay Thanking you all for your kind thoughts and raising a glass to everybody🍹 pic.twitter.com/53WwZcjI5V

— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) April 19, 2020

This is quite good on the restaurant industry and yes, government support and communication will need to be very sensitive to that industry and many other sectors too. Expecting some bug fuck up somewhere post-lockdown with more damage than necessary.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/apr/19/will-britains-restaurants-survive-coronavirus

I had been thinking about that too, especially reading about how it went in Wuhan. The restaurants reopened but people didn’t come back. Me personally, if we’re back in London then I’ll be going to places, because I’m probably at far higher risk commuting than in a restaurant.

Also, fuck the landlords trying to evict restaurants! Who are they going to be renting to?!

i don't know how it works for retail landlords but i've seen plenty of places left to stand empty for years, presumably rather than offer affordable rents to would-be businesses

Just thinking about those thousands of pubs and restaurants sitting there in perfect working order - they're just going to be hoovered up by whoever does have money at the end of all this.

Tbh if I can afford it I will be straight back into restaurants at the earliest opportunity. There is nothing I want more than to have a stranger pouring wine for me right now.

I hope you’re right. All I want to do is book a massive table somewhere if it’s still open and get roundly fucked up with about fifteen of my friends.

i don't know how it works for retail landlords but i've seen plenty of places left to stand empty for years

As a trip down the High Street in Paisley and hundreds of other towns will quickly demonstrate.

hoping some of these fuckers are going to get ruined by being unable to service their own debts shortly

"Of course, I want nothing more than to see schools back, get them back to normal, make sure the children are sat around, learning, and experiencing the joy of being at school."

rofl

how benign of the bizarre creep who once offered putin out on sky news!

all cops are brilliant

Black guy being told to leave Clissold Park by 2 police officers while white guy practises handstands nearby. pic.twitter.com/xGjm6Ybz6Y

— Rivkah Brown (@RivkahBrown) April 19, 2020

Has the government's furlough website crashed yet?

#jobrejectionscheme is trending so i assume everything is going swimmingly

oh god

That #TonyBlair has a lovely smile. #bbcnews pic.twitter.com/sesFRUyLGT

— Peter Laws (@revpeterlaws) April 20, 2020

ha.

Pretty sure that happened in an Aphex Twin video.