Boris Johnson tests positive for Covid-19

[two sheds]

Yes I'd like to see tories vote down pay rises for nurses now

 

[littlebabyjesus]

I think a silver lining of this whole thing is that the people who actually matter will be valued a whole lot fucking more after this eventually dies down. It's a total paradigm shift.

That is my hope. We may well be disappointed, though.

 

[Petcha]

Yes I'd like to see tories vote down pay rises for nurses now

25k a year as a starting salary. It's unbelievable. Double that.

 

[two sheds]

And attract more nurses to the NHS at the same time - pay them something like what they're worth

 

[Sprocket.]

The nurse who was administering and keeping an eye on me during my chemo session today remarked on Johnson’s predicament, well before we heard of his move to an ICU.
”No matter how you feel about him, if he gets critical or possibly dies from this. The impact on all other Covid-19 patients could be devastating to their attitude toward their own recovery.”
Going on to say,”If they can’t save the PM, what chance have I got?”

 

[A380]

I want him to live as that is an expression of my humanity. I also want to see him standing to give an account of himself, and be held to account, at the inevitable enquiry.

 

[brogdale]

But the point is not about some unicorn notion of future pay rise from the vermin; it’s about the poor fuckers dying right now because of these cunts’ policy decisions.
Fuck Johnson.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

We got daily check ins, albeit local cadres not medics, when doing isolation in a tiny Chinese village ffs

How were they doing the checks Jim?

 

[ska invita]

Yes I'd like to see tories vote down pay rises for nurses now

sorry sheds its not a laughing matter - you think it wouldnt happen? of course they would. The justifications for privatisation and sell-offs are going to be stronger than ever the state the economy will be in in 2021. Scorched earth awaits if they have their way

 

[Favelado]

I think a silver lining of this whole thing is that the people who actually matter will be valued a whole lot fucking more after this eventually dies down. It's a total paradigm shift.

That's what it feels like now but prepare to be disappointed when in 2023 it's like nothing ever happened and the Tories are further screwing the NHS. Don't be fooled by the emotions of the moment.

 

[two sheds]

sorry sheds its not a laughing matter - you think it wouldnt happen? of course they would. The justifications for privatisation and sell-offs are going to be stronger than ever the state the economy will be in in 2021. Scorched earth awaits if they have their way

Yes the wasn't right - more of a :cynical let's see them do it: smiley

 

[littlebabyjesus]

sorry sheds its not a laughing matter - you think it wouldnt happen? of course they would. The justifications for privatisation and sell-offs are going to be stronger than ever the state the economy will be in in 2021. Scorched earth awaits if they have their way

There will be a lot to play for, certainly. It won't happen in a vacuum here, though. I think there could be a wider reckoning internationally. Impossible to predict, imo, but while I hate the war analogies, the moral case of a nation's collective suffering does carry political weight.

 

[Favelado]

sorry sheds its not a laughing matter - you think it wouldnt happen? of course they would. The justifications for privatisation and sell-offs are going to be stronger than ever the state the economy will be in in 2021. Scorched earth awaits if they have their way

Absolutely agree with this. There's a lot of talk of systemic change for the better as a result of this. Do not bet on it.

 

[editor]

I think a silver lining of this whole thing is that the people who actually matter will be valued a whole lot fucking more after this eventually dies down. It's a total paradigm shift.

All those low paid 'non essential' people have suddenly become a shitload more essential. And they should now be paid accordingly.

 

[BristolEcho]

I agree with your sentiment. But is there any evidence that he was personally responsible for all that?

And I say that as someone who's partner is a nurse currently dealing with a whole lot of shit and me trying to make dad jokes to stop her crying over the shit she's going through on a daily basis. I think he may have been ill-advised on the herd community shit by people who are actually trained in this shit and got it totally wrong. And as far as PPE is concerned the entire world was caught short on that. We were all caught unawares. A few weeks ago I had a good job etc and now I'm on a benefit for the first time in my life. The whole fucking thing is bonkers.

My politics are are the polar opposite of Boris. But he's a guy. The people dancing on his grave are fucked up (imo).

It was building for some time though in China and at that point it was fairly obvious to most that it would be highly likely to head this way if it continued. I mean all they had to do was read the thread here to see how serious it was. I think caught off guard is pushing it a bit. If anything what I saw was constant jokes about it here by many higher echelons as if it could never happen here.

 

[Raheem]

He's a libertarian. Which is, as far as I understand it, why he was so reluctant to impose lockdown.

Subscribing to a political philosophy is not an excuse. The point isn't his reluctance, but the fact that he (and the cabinet) knew that a massive number of people would die as a result of it. For him not to put his reluctance to one side is unforgivable.

 

[BristolEcho]

Absolutely agree with this. There's a lot of talk of systemic change for the better as a result of this. Do not bet on it.

That can only happen if collectively people start to build on it. There is a chance, but all be it a slim one.

 

[binka]

I'm not sure if I want him to die or to make it through this as the knackered old husk of a man he thought he used to be

 

[elbows]

sorry sheds its not a laughing matter - you think it wouldnt happen? of course they would. The justifications for privatisation and sell-offs are going to be stronger than ever the state the economy will be in in 2021. Scorched earth awaits if they have their way

Their way is dead. Post-pandemic consensus instead.

Well I am a bit ahead of myself, the gains are not won yet, but all the potential is there and things like big government, tax and spend, basic income and stuff like that are back on the agenda at least.

The old ways had run out of steam anyway, even before this pandemic. The pandemic is the catalyst and the thing that makes change unavoidable, so I expect other things we were going to have to deal with this century anyway (climate, energy, the financial system, how much we work, wtf we are doing in general) will all end up mixed together and there we are, a new world. The hints have been there for a while.

Which reminds me that when Thatcher died I eventually ended up with the overwhelming feeling that it was the death of her ideas and what she stood for and ended up representing that I was really interested in.

 

[Petcha]

Subscribing to a political philosophy is not an excuse. The point isn't his reluctance, but the fact that he (and the cabinet) knew that a massive number of people would die as a result of it. For him not to put his reluctance to one side is unforgivable.

Well, bear in mind he was being advised by the 'greatest minds in the UK medical industry' or whatever they call themselves. People he didnt appoint.

They got it spectacularly wrong, as the Swedish model is about to prove.

 

[brogdale]

Subscribing to a political philosophy is not an excuse. The point isn't his reluctance, but the fact that he (and the cabinet) knew that a massive number of people would die as a result of it. For him not to put his reluctance to one side is unforgivable.

Yep.
Anyways...all this “libertarian” shite...Johnson is just a typical sociopathic Tory, happier to privilege the interests of financialised capital over those of the population at large.

 

[Smoking kills]

Johnson (has) always dreamed of being thought of and remembered like a great WWII leader. Churchill definitely, Hitler probably, Stalin probably not. I hope he doesn't end up being remembered like Tito.

 

[Gramsci]

IDS

Yeah, exactly, makes me realise the risk we’re (drivers) in.

Spoke to DPD driver today who said there’s one of his fellow drivers who has almost certainly got the virus, coughing like fuck and sweaty, but still working as he can’t afford to be off work. Fuck.

I hope you are ok.

Its , as you know, been normal practise for ages in the delivery industry for people to work whilst ill. Same for people I know on zero hours contracts. Only now with this virus has it become an issue.

 

[two sheds]

That can only happen if collectively people start to build on it. There is a chance, but all be it a slim one.

Indeed - remember in the 70s when there were crowds of people protesting in the streets when a hospital was going to be closed. There's a possibility of that again when this has all settled down I think ...


... once we've got a vaccine and some sort of treatment for it

 

[brogdale]

Johnson (has) always dreamed of being thought of and remembered like a great WWII leader. Churchill definitely, Hitler probably, Stalin probably not. I hope he doesn't end up being remembered like Tito.

Left leg gone?

 

[ddraig]

Indeed - remember in the 70s when there were crowds of people protesting in the streets when a hospital was going to be closed. There's a possibility of that again when this has all settled down I think ...


... once we've got a vaccine and some sort of treatment for it

Would love to believe that but it'll probably be more complaining posts on social media and the sharing of petitions, maybe a march :/

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Johnson (has) always dreamed of being thought of and remembered like a great WWII leader. Churchill definitely, Hitler probably, Stalin probably not. I hope he doesn't end up being remembered like Tito.

Oh many in Yugoslavia were saddened by the passing of Tito. They felt he held the country together. Johnson is nothing like Tito.

 

[Raheem]

Well, bear in mind he was being advised by the 'greatest minds in the UK medical industry' or whatever they call themselves. People he didnt appoint.

They got it spectacularly wrong, as the Swedish model is about to prove.

No, because the epidemiological advice accepted by the cabinet was that the herd immunity policy would cost at least 100,000 additional lives (a massive underestimate according to later modelling). Whether that was a price worth paying was a purely political decision, not a question of listening to experts.

 

[oryx]

Indeed - remember in the 70s when there were crowds of people protesting in the streets when a hospital was going to be closed.

That does still happen, fortunately - there were large protests when our local hospital (Lewisham) was under threat.

I agree with your general point.

I think that one of the by-products of this whole shitshow is that people (i.e. voters) may have more empathy for lower paid, essential workers and for people on benefits, having had more experience of the system. Probably belongs on another thread though...

 

[ska invita]

Their way is dead. Post-pandemic consensus instead.

Well I am a bit ahead of myself, the gains are not won yet, but all the potential is there and things like big government, tax and spend, basic income and stuff like that are back on the agenda at least.

The old ways had run out of steam anyway, even before this pandemic. The pandemic is the catalyst and the thing that makes change unavoidable, so I expect other things we were going to have to deal with this century anyway (climate, energy, the financial system, how much we work, wtf we are doing in general) will all end up mixed together and there we are, a new world. The hints have been there for a while.

Which reminds me that when Thatcher died I eventually ended up with the overwhelming feeling that it was the death of her ideas and what she stood for and ended up representing that I was really interested in.

Of course the positive possibility is there, perhaps thin ends of wedges are going in. But its currently 5 more years of Tories in charge. The current party has ditched it "centrists" and has a lot of rabids in the ranks, still waiting patiently for Brexit deregulation too. They will act in the only way they know how, in the way they've spent their whole lives reasserting. Stakes are high. Their way is far from dead however sickly it looks to us. On which note...