[0762]

What I found interesting re Greater Manchester and the stance taken by Andy Burnham is the fact that many people of different political persuasions, incl quite a few local Tories (plus some in the GM Young Conservative group) actually support the GM Mayor and endorse his view re support for many vulnerable groups (plus many businesses, many of which are "teetering on the brink" of extinction) that he insisted were gonna suffer quite badly without additional govt support. I also notice these Tories, in a parliamentary vote, have turned down Marcus Rashford's appeal for provision of free school meals for children under 16 during school hols. Rashford briefly commented this is about humanity, not politics esp at a time when lots n lots of people in the social divide are forced out of work and will be in the future. But one can argue there is a welfare benefit provision in place but during this period of a national crisis, deprived families/children will be exposed greatly to food shortage challenges. Call it a "sticking plaster" during a pandemic that will at least help but I think most wealthy Tories (show me a poor Toerag eh!!) don't quite "get it" and never will as such free school provision is being practised in the devolved countries, Wales and Scotland.

[St Charles Owl]

Well thankfully for those struggling the politicians came to their senses and accepted the 60m on offer to Greater Manchester. I see South Yorkshire accepted the offer of 41m without all the political fuss today. Distribution of the money needs to be focussed on now and these local governments need to make sure the money goes to the right places and offers the most help where its needed.

[hibeejim21]

The tories made an absolute pretence of negotiating and Burnham showed it up for the farce it was. It's laughable the blame for this mess is being pushed in his direction.

Manchester has been in an enhanced lockdown without any additional financial support for over two months now and it hasn't worked. The elected local leaders should be kicking off about this big time and most Mancunians are glad Burnham is.

£65m was as low as he could possibly go without unacceptable levels of poverty in his region. Its nothing compared to what the tories have given out to their pals at Serco and Deloitte. This was just pure spite from the government. 5 million for fucks sake.

[hibeejim21]

And there you have it - tier 2 packages announced quick as a flash by fishy rishi.

The cynic in me thinks the tories are starving the North of funds because they are absolutely shiteing it over how much it will cost when they eventually have to lockdown London. And believe me that is coming soon.

If you are a minimum wage worker you earn less than the amount required to cover the basic costs of living in most of England. Being offered 66% of that means you are in bother.

Ending the furlough scheme in the way the government did was utter madness.

[Devongone]

Do you remember when economists used to lump expanding economies together and give them an acronym, like BRIC, Brazil, Russia, India and China was it?

Perhaps we can do something similar in regard to responses to Covid? I'm suggesting BUSUKI.

Brazil, United States, UK and India, drawn together by unfathomably motivated elected Populist leaders, whose governmental responses to the virus are resulting in the highest death rates.

Our own legally blond government is having either to borrow, or print more money than almost anywhere else, in order to deny health care to a population whose numbers might overwhelm available provision. Huge swathes of the country shut down whilst people huddle together at home relying on routine hygiene and toilet rolls as some kind of solution, to what? they don't quite know.

The average age of those dying from Covid is 82 and average life expectancy is 81. The old and unfit are dying, so universities are cancelling all lectures and everyone is wondering about special arrangements for Christmas. Roast the old and visit a demented turkey?

How many times will Santa have to sanitise his hands on Christmas Eve, and if he opts for mittens how many pairs will he need, and has the government made any special PPE provision for him?

What if there is no effective vaccine? What if Covid never does simply fade into the background like other viruses? Do we just continue inventing employment that used to exist and building HS2 to transport us even quicker to places we aren't allowed to go? And when we need to be prevented from doing things, who will prevent us and why would they bother? What will they have to gain, once money has become promises on which payment is never redeemed?

[hibeejim21]

Believe me the tories would like nothing better than just to open out society fully and say its just the old folks this is killing so lets shield them but everyone else crack on.... but there is a problem with that.

If it starts killing loads of elderly people they lose votes, literally. Also if they just let huge amounts of young people go around infected it will overwhelm the NHS in no time and increase cases of long covid and other health complications. It's not true that the young just brush off covid, its causing serious and long term issues for a number of young people. I saw on the news last night some poor guy in his 20s who is absolutely done in still weeks after covid had passed.

All we can do is trust in science. a vaccine will be wide spread by the spring hopefully, but that wont be the end. We will be living with social distancing/masks/working from home for a long time to come yet. In fact the era of crowded offices might be finished for good now.

[theo_luddite]

Unfortunately Jim, the era of crowded houses (no not the band) is far from finished and that is where far more of the transmissions are taking place on a day to day basis. The shit that gets in the news about crowds of people on the streets or in a UNI bar/canteen are few and far between, but serve the purpose of the Government being able to blame it all on us. Wouldn't mind a few of those BUSUKI's being fired at some of the inept of Westminster either Devon. Chain the barstewards to the railings at the end of Downing Street first.



However those bastards would be more than prepared to turn them on us ...... already talk of the Army assisting the police with their version of law enforcement.

[hibeejim21]

"This Black Lives Matter thing is wrong. Surely ALL Lives Matter"

"OK, so that'll include the poor sods risking life and limb to cross the Channel."

"NO, NOT LIKE THAT.... Er, we should be helping our own."

"Righto, better feed those kids then."

"NO, NOT LIKE THAT EITHER."



Thats the mindset of far too many in the UK today.

[theo_luddite]

Meanwhile - Maureen from Barnsley says - feck 'em all - Google her

---

OK I'll help ya - and this is in the Daily Fail ffs!!!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...iness.html

[hibeejim21]

Maureen from Barnsley WHO GREW UP DURING WORLD WAR 2!!!!

Giving a platform to these people might seem like a bit of fun but is actually dangerous.