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

Britain's love for the NHS is apolitical and that's ultimately what will kill it.

— Jack Saundrs ❤🖤 (@jack_saundrs) March 27, 2020

Don't know if I wholly agree with this but it's definitely a point. And enough people cared about leaving the European Union more. Labour definitely said 'this is under threat', but it seemed to be too little too late.

In France though it's events and cold hard cash that follows:

Emmanuel Macron live on television announcing that, when this crisis is over, the French state will make a massive long-term investment in the nation's hospital and health system and its workers.

— Matthew Fraser (@frasermatthew) March 25, 2020

So it seems Johnson launched his appeal for British-built ventilators three days before an EU ventilator buying scheme closed and two days after Brussels publicly said Britain was free to join. Hard to square with No. 10 claims of “communication problems” https://t.co/zjhOmb9uM8 pic.twitter.com/gY9HJiNBoW

— Simon Nixon (@Simon_Nixon) March 27, 2020

Don't know if I wholly agree with this but it's definitely a point. And enough people cared about leaving the European Union more. Labour definitely said 'this is under threat', but it seemed to be too little too late.

― xyzzzz__,

Its partly true but I think its something slightly different. People who voted Boris but 'love the NHS' think the problems with the NHS are down to overuse (by other people), but also just didn't really believe Labour saying 'this is under threat'. There may be elements of they wouldnt really do that would they in that - (that Leopards Eating Peoples Faces Party thing)

Large sections of the public can't conceptualize the idea of the NHS being under threat, and consider any suggestions it might be as histrionic and made up - certainly not from the opposition but even to some extent if the Tories came right out and said 'this is what we're going to do'

I'm probably missing something but the link to the 100 deaths in a day that SV posted also says that roughly 90 percent of the tests carried out so far have come back negative which seems weird if they're only testing people with severe symptoms idgi.

― oscar bravo, Thursday, 26 March 2020 21:14 (yesterday)

I was wondering about this too - anyone have any idea how/why?

'too little too late' is a lot of the reason people didn't believe. The release of those documents showing us/uk government in talks functioned as a one day spectacle in an election campaign. The existential threat it's under doesn't hit the mark xp

something I hear a lot and am sometimes guilty of saying myself is "politicians are all the same" "they're all liars, you can't trust anything they tell you" which, I mean, we've certainly seen plenty of evidence for that kind of sentiment

but it turns into "all politicians will do exactly the same bad things no matter what their stated beliefs or policy, so I may as well just vote for whoever I like best", and then you hear - well, I've heard - "well I don't like Boris and I don't think he's doing a very good job with this virus thing, but I dislike Corbyn even more so he'd have done exactly the same bad things but even worse"

and one day, if it happens soon enough for Corbyn to still be in that nation's memory as That Very Bad Man Who Would Have Been Very Bad For Our Country, we'll hear "I think it's bad that the Tories have privatised the NHS, but Corbyn was very bad, so he'd have done it too, except he'd have spent the money on jam jars, and the lids wouldn't even have fitted properly" or something

Large sections of the public can't conceptualize the idea of the NHS being under threat, and consider any suggestions it might be as histrionic and made up

"they'd never be foolish enough to dismantle it!"

never going to forget the woman I met in A&E who within a minute of striking up conversation pivoted to "letting all these people in (to the country)" as to why we had a three hour wait on a Saturday evening

it's one of the most effective political lies ever, you kinda have to respect the craft

I got that from someone once in a hospital setting and just said, ‘unlike you, I was invited.’ The goldfish mouth on the bigot was very satisfying.

Just makes me long for them to have their faces rubbed in it, unfortunately the collateral damage would make that bad not good.
Younger generations look like they might be better humans, I suppose.

Doesn’t even help if you’re working in the damn NHS. My sister mentioned once that a patient had said of her that he wanted a nurse “who could speak English”, so you can imagine how bad it is for nurses who aren’t white and/or native English speakers.

I’ve just had a member of staff refused acknowledgement of her NHS status with her RPS letter with my stamp on it. “Anyone could make that up” she was told as everyone booed her. Poor kid is on the front counter serving the people who booed her.
So much for last night’s clap

— Tony Schofield (@tony_schofield) March 27, 2020

but it turns into "all politicians will do exactly the same bad things no matter what their stated beliefs or policy, so I may as well just vote for whoever I like best", and then you hear - well, I've heard - "well I don't like Boris and I don't think he's doing a very good job with this virus thing, but I dislike Corbyn even more so he'd have done exactly the same bad things but even worse"

and one day, if it happens soon enough for Corbyn to still be in that nation's memory as That Very Bad Man Who Would Have Been Very Bad For Our Country, we'll hear "I think it's bad that the Tories have privatised the NHS, but Corbyn was very bad, so he'd have done it too, except he'd have spent the money on jam jars, and the lids wouldn't even have fitted properly" or something

I know people who work in the NHS who voted for Johnson because "at least" he wasn't Jeremy Hunt ("who would have been a disaster for the NHS") and "was the best option available". This is pretty much exactly the thought process. If more people had felt they could rely upon Corbyn delivering upon his good intentions, then that NHS document might have made a difference but the constant attacks from the right worked and the Labour approach didn't, so we are where we are.

FWIW I think the world has changed fundamentally now and there's no going back to even two or three months ago for either party, so god knows what happens even if they get the crisis under control.

bozza got the rona

Boris Johnson has a new girlfriend: her name is Rona.

bingo!

Angela Rayner self-reporting too apparently

All right, who made a wish while they were clapping last night?

comrade covid-19, u have yr orders

covid we can believe in

had we but the technology to harness this sudden vast cheering wave of schadenfreude

is this like the time he got that dog?

I liked the cheering mostly because I haven’t been able to leave my flat in days and it was nice to hear all those human voices around.

Yeah, this is selfish I know but I just enjoyed getting to say hi to the neighbour at the balcony next door.

it's a hard time for dealers and smackheads right now in my neck of the woods. 

The right opportunity to post this amazing message that a friend from Berlin fwd me from his coke dealer:

We have taken the following measures to deliver to you as safely as possible:

Our drivers are equipped with disinfectants to clean important contact surfaces before and during their shift.

Our drivers wear gloves for protection.

Our drivers are of course also obliged to follow the recommended protective measures of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) and to stay at home if they feel uncomfortable.

We also ask for your support: please only order if you feel fit and behave in the vehicle with due regard to the driver's health.

^ wow!

BREAKING: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for #coronavirus.

The PM is reportedly self-isolating in Downing Street but is continuing to lead the government's response to #COVID19.

More on this story: https://t.co/Pto1iKFuZG pic.twitter.com/8UzcEkYcc1

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 27, 2020

Wonder if Cummings got it

Especially wonder if he ever did have his surgery.

Where's your fucking herd immunity now then?

You could have a million deaths and you’d still get bootlickers like this

You have worked harder than any PM could ever have been expected to. Get well soon Boris. A grateful country wishes all the very best.

— Mark Vipond (@markvipond) March 27, 2020

Should the PM be incapacitated it has already been agreed that the Foreign Secretary, @DominicRaab, will take over his duties until he’s well enough to resume them.

— Lewis Goodall (@lewis_goodall) March 27, 2020

well catching it and getting over it is a vital part of building up herd immunity, i for one applaud our prime minister for leading by example and i certainly hope he doesn’t die suffocating with lungs filled with fluid

we're all gonna die xp

TBH this is a magnificent propaganda campaign on a stick for him.

i hope they don't have to put him down like a rabid dog

If he's got mild symptoms and gets over them then no one will know if it manifests itself as just a bit of a cough and he can claim he's suffered with the rest of the country, feels our pain, we're all in this together etc etc.

we will never hear the end of this now

"I beat the rona; I am basically churchill"

unless...

"I know people who work in the NHS who voted for Johnson because "at least" he wasn't Jeremy Hunt ("who would have been a disaster for the NHS") and "was the best option available"."

At what level in the NHS by the way? I did talk to a couple of nurses while on a canvass and it was Labour but I'm sure you could find that disconnect anywhere.

A lot of it is complacency on the part of the public in regards to the NHS with Brexit as a bigger issue in the mind of enough voters to depress the Lab vote, with confidence in Corbyn to deliver as well.

"TBH this is a magnificent propaganda campaign on a stick for him."

I wouldn't be surprised if the cunt has been licking hand-rails for weeks trying to get it, he will milk the fuck out of it now.

look, we need this, i'm off to buy gin

At what level in the NHS by the way?

Relatively junior nurse/midwife level. I'm sure he is held in contempt by a lot of NHS workers but I've also encountered others who have that hating-your-employer thing that allows them to slag it off with impunity.

FWIW I also know some very Corbyn-sceptic doctors who voted Labour without a second thought. I'm not making blanket statements here, just saying these lines of thought exist and can be widespread.

i know people just vote on a whim but this is the counsel of despair

I think whether Johnson gets out of this with his credibility intact (lol) or not depends on what happens with the death figures or whether the NHS breaks or not. Looking at the that fucking FT chart we might be worse than Iran but not as bad as Italy or Spain.

ok let's see if i can make it to little Tesco without getting mugged by the busies

i have to admit after my initial burst of amusement my immediate next thought was “ratings”

I wouldn't be surprised if the cunt has been licking hand-rails for weeks trying to get it, he will milk the fuck out of it now.

I'm not sure I follow the logic. Why would he need to contract coronavirus to say he has coronavirus?

TBH this is a magnificent propaganda campaign on a stick for him.

I have a whim to ask "how do we even know" but I guess that's tinfoil hat stuff and tbh it's amazing they don't all have it if Nadine Dorries had it (and some others iirc, but I've already forgotten who was confirmed and what was idle speculation based on them being sweaty and out-of-it, which various Cabinet ministers are apt to appear at the best of times)

talking of things that might make certain ministers appear sweaty and out of it, that dealer text is amazing! did you translate it, Daniel, or do Berlin dealers text their clients in English?

It's in English - I'd wager an outfit organised enough to come up with that text would also be smart enough not to forego the huge demographic of trust fund coke fiends who've moved to Berlin and haven't bothered to learn German.