It’s early morning and I’m already fuming! Today, the peacocks are given the opportunity to ‘vote by zoom’ on the Lockdown now already in force. It’s no secret that my opinion of said peacocks is not precisely stellar, but it’s now quickly becoming subterranean when even parliamentary stalwarts such a Sir John Redwood are only going to fiddle at the edges of that Lockdown Legislation rather than question the whole thing – because he and the rest all ‘believe’ the data on which BJ and SAGE have been basing this latest lockdown.
The SAGEs – let’s briefly remind ourselves that they’re not elected representatives, that we cannot deselect them – are relishing their power. They want ever ‘moar lockdowns’ and Mr W has already come out with remarks to that effect:
“Chris Whitty […] cautioned people not to “kid ourselves” that the advent of vaccines would mean that the virus disappeared in spring. He warned that the lockdown restrictions could be lifted only “by degrees”. [He] said that although vaccination could do the “heavy lifting”, it was possible that some restrictions might have to be imposed again next winter when the virus was most likely to spread. The deaths from Covid-19 would not drop to zero but the number of cases would be manageable.” (link, paywalled)
That is the direction SAGE and therefore BJ are planning to go: in order to achieve a ‘manageable number of covid deaths’ the rest of the country, our non-covid health, the economy, education must be prepared for more sacrifices by rolling lockdowns. I learned a new word when I read the next ‘Whitty-saying’ about those future lockdowns:
“But the aim of this is to de-risk it as much as possible by the vaccine, to the point where actually we get to the stage where the risk is incredibly low relative to where we are now.” (link, paywalled)
What the fluff is ‘de-risk’? Never mind that this clearly means that only SAGE will determine when all things covid have been ‘de-risked’ to being ‘incredibly low’! Never mind that the attending ‘journalists’ didn’t ask for a number to show what is meant by ‘incredibly low’ even though the MSM, again up to their eyebrows in numbers and graphs, relish SAGE numbers.
This is even more astonishing because our peacocks are clearly so impressed by those latest SAGE numbers that they’ll agree to BJ’s lockdown, only demanding ‘more and better vaccination’. Some covid ‘rebels’ are however prepared to stand up, even to the covid rabbits in their own ranks:
“Sir Desmond Swayne said he would vote against the measures and warned: “There will be a chorus who will not put up with this, who will turn up and shout ‘no’ against it.” [He] suggested some colleagues had been “overawed by the scale of the great consensus out there”, which he characterised as: “This [new strain] is a terrible thing, and you [sceptics] shut up.” (paywalled link)
The main ‘debating point’ will be about vaccination and perhaps about the Education Minister being made to walk the plank for his decision to close schools. Well, he used to be the chief whip, so that looks like the revenge of the whipped mice. It’s plain peacocking though, or do the MPs really believe he could have stood up against his PM, SAGE and the Teachers’ Unions’? Here’s Sir Desmond Swayne again, saying:
“I’m appalled that we are where we are. I’m deeply suspicious of the science, and the fact is that we’ve been bounced again. The Government lacks the scientific and statistical expertise to ask the right questions and review the data and modelling.” (paywalled link)
I concur: this government is scientifically illiterate. Sadly most MPs are clearly unwilling to educate themselves. Does even one of those peacocks actually read Lockdown Sceptics? Instead they are trying to look good by demanding an ‘exit strategy’ and reports about vaccination.
Even Sir John Redwood – who surely ought to know about numbers! – looks impotent when I read this morning’s Diary entry. Yes, one can look reasonable and ‘learned’ even while accepting the fallacy of the SAGEs numbers by talking about their ‘vaccine strategy’.
As for that ‘strategy’ – oh dearie me! There’s the ‘strategy’ of only giving one jab and prolonging the time to that second, booster jab to get as many people jabbed as possible. Even so, Whitty is not just hedging the SAGE’s bets but is clearly planning for a prolonged lockdown:
“For the next three to four months the number of vaccines we have available is going to constrain our ability to get through the 25 million to 30 million people we must do to get through” (link, paywalled).
That brings us nicely to the end of March at best – the date when Sunak’s furlough scheme is running out – or to the end of April. At the beginning of May local and assembly elections are going to take place – any bets that they won’t? Any bets that BJ will tell us he’s ‘confident’ there will be elections, only to come out a few days later announcing that sadly, with a heavy heart, he had to cancel them, just like Christmas was cancelled? Thanks to the frightened peasants, happy with more lockdowns, this won’t raise any eyebrows.
Other SAGEs are already proposing that the lockdown screws to be tightened even further:
“Sage member Professor Andrew Hayward warned that we may need to do more than “stay at home and wait for the vaccine” to control the virus. Scientists and unions are calling for even tougher restrictions as cases of coronavirus soar, arguing that nurseries must close, the two-metre rule be reimposed and travel restrictions enacted between regions.” (paywalled link)
But – if case numbers ‘soar’ without bodies piling up outside mortuaries – doesn’t this mean the virus isn’t killing us all? That perhaps – attention: dirty hate word! – we might have herd immunity? The above quote is from an article aimed at the problem of ‘essential key workers’, the 10 million who keep the country running. Professor Jackie Cassell from Brighton and Sussex Medical school has thought deeply about this. It’s not, as one would expect, about prioritising their vaccination, it’s this:
“Social deprivation is not just associated with Covid-19 – it is the actual mechanism of getting infected. So in Tier 4 or lockdown, these essential workers are taking the bulk of society’s Covid-19 risk working. Therefore if we want to control Covid-19 we have to ensure that every essential worker – however precarious their job – knows they will get financial and personal support to self-isolate. Money, accommodation to protect vulnerable members of their household and the family or friends they provide unpaid care for. These are not optional extras. They are basics of infection control.” (paywalled link)
While I agree that these key workers should get the financial security they deserve – why not take 25% off the salary of the WFH civil serpents to pay for that? – I am astonished that this professor equates having a covid infection with ‘social deprivation’, and that ‘moar money’ equals ‘infection control’.
Ms Cassell seems to believe that key workers would go and get tested and then self-isolate if only they had more money, if only their jobs were secure, as those of the NHS staff and police are. Let’s not worry about safeguarding the electricity supply, the food deliveries, the removal of household refuse – provide key workers with money to self-isolate and thus ‘control the virus’. Words fail me!
Finally – the latest ‘news’ indicating already that BJ’s vaccination programme won’t work. It’s not because of the change in ‘jab strategy’, even as Mr V of SAGE told ‘the press’ that they’re still debating it but that, in fact, “we don’t know yet” (link, paywalled) if it’ll be effective against those scary mutations. No – it’s because ‘Our Sacred Cow’ is stamping her hooves. Just as in Lockdown 1 ‘Our NHS’ and PHE don’t want to cede a scintilla of their power.
For example, pharmacists – who have been giving flu jabs for years – aren’t envisaged to give covid jabs. The CEO of the group representing all pharmacies told the DT that “We’ve been telling the NHS that we’re ready, willing and desperate to help. But we’ve been met by a de facto silence.” (paywalled link). Sounds familiar, doesn’t it! In the same report we read that:
“Amid increasing questions over the urgency of the UK’s planned rollout, it emerged that there are five million doses of the Pfizer jab yet to be used, despite it being cleared over a month ago, and 3.5 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab held up waiting to pass the regulator’s safety checks.” (paywalled link)
Yes, well – safety first, by all accounts but why are the Pfizer jabs lingering in warehouses? Is it perhaps because of PHE ‘bureaucracy’? There’s a separate report which would indicate this:
“Public Health England has decided not to work on Sundays to deliver Covid-19 vaccines to NHS hospitals, according to leaked documents, amid growing questions over the urgency of the UK roll-out. Guidance issued to NHS Trusts warns that PHE will not deliver vaccines on Sundays or after agreed “cut-off points” every lunchtime, even if supplies are running low.” (paywalled link)
Doesn’t this make the ‘vaccine drive’ look like the next BJ shambles – a shambles for which we pay with more economic destruction and a generation of kids not being taught anything? A shambles produced by PHE and ‘Our NHS’ who would rather everything went the usual bureaucratic way than having to work on Sundays, the urgency of ‘covid deaths’ and all the rest notwithstanding?
Is this not, in fact, proof again that the mad SAGEs and their helpers in ‘Our NHS’ prefer to keep the whole country in lockdowns, with brief respites? They don’t have to pay for this – we do, and not just with our taxes. We pay with our deteriorating health, with uneducated kids, with more deaths from non-covid causes. Why is it that we are again asked to sacrifice for ‘Our NHS’ while that ‘Sacred Cow’ isn’t sacrificing anything, not even by working on Sundays?
We’re drifting into a society where ‘fear’ rules, where power-mad bureaucrats rule and where our elected representatives are too scared to do their duty. However, there’s the unintended consequence that, thanks to this latest lockdown, more of us will have time to watch, read and listen to the various lockdown sceptical videos, blogs and podcasts, to educate ourselves.
The time will surely come when we’ll get rid of those mad Lockdownians, showing them up for the naked covid emperors they are.
KBO!
Registered deaths according to U G O V figures for the past 9 years
population increase not accounted for
2020…….504,514 (11 months only Dec not included)
2019…….530,841
2018…….541,589
2017…….533.255
2016…….525,048
2015…….529,655
2014…….501,424
2013…….506,790
2012…….499,331
Make of these figures what you will
I tend to believe in the old war cry,” Come on you sons of bitches ,do you want to live for ever”
You couldn’t make it up.
Media showing crowd peacefully wandering around the congress building. Those on steps of congress building – unmoving, waving flags and generally looking around. A sit-in but outside!
(Reporter: A dangerous crowd. Intimidating congress)
(Unsubstantiated) reports of clashes with the police
Democracy under threat (by peaceful demonstration??)
(Unsubstantiated) Trump whipping up the crowd
Congress pooing themselves – hiding under chairs and tables (due to flagwaving??)
(Reporter: We never thought we would see such a (peaceful??) demonstration in the American capital).
(Reporter: Never before have I have had to have a protection detail to report . . . (on a peaceful demo??). Said speaking from a space in the crowd. . .
(Reporter: They say the election was stolen because (Pres??) Trump said it was stolen) Nothing to do with dozens sworn affidavits to cheating.
Two (democratic??) ‘ringers’ get into parliament with camera crew in-tow – attack police – thrown out.
(A senator!!:) Worst attack since 119. and the attacker is Donald Trump – urging (unsubstantiated??) public to violence. This kind of attack . . .
Note: Police on the balcony hands in pockets. Police and national guard have clearly worked out it is a peaceful protest and attacking the public would be counter-productive. ”let them mill about in the cold and wind for a couple of hours and then ask them to go”
Note: the crowd is nowhere near as big as the (dangerous / violent??) remoaner crowds we saw outside the commons for weeks on end.
Yes well Viv, we’ve noticed before that J.R. sometimes treads very carefully.
Desmond Swayne seems to be coming back into the limelight.
If only we could arrange things so that the right people were pulling B.J.’s strings. It doesn’t really matter if our P.M. is a buffoon. What matters is what gets done.
Hear hear Pauline. Hancock has had his half hour and should now be put out to grass. His companions should include The Mekon and Ming The Merciless together with the other cabinet Treens. We may be able to get rid of the Fat Controller in time, but I cannot think of a Tory that is capable of giving the leadership we so desperately need. The only names I could accept is Swayne, and IDS.
Derek, that’s two more than my list out of the whole of Parliament!
Swaye a teacher of economics to school children and a bank manager without banking qualifications. Oh and the Home Guard.
IDS – he’s had his chance. NRB as they say in industry. (Not Required Back)
You’re right Pauline. My mind goes back to when JR was bidding for leadership of the Tory Party in May 1997, between Hague, Ken Clarke and JR. JR didn’t get quite enough backing and was eliminated. Then much to the consternation and fury of his campaign team, inexplicably backed Clarke! Hague at that time was burnishing anti-EU credentials and later lead an election campaign on “Keep the Pound”. He too, turned out to be a thorough washout with regard to Brexit. Nevertheless, the past action despite words would suggest to me JR is at best Quixotic in his judgement in many ways.
Tory heroes so often turn out to be wash outs when it comes to democracy or the party in power viz: the Mogg! I suppose it’s Never Trust a Tory, really.
The shot: another one bites the dust.
“Sudden death – Portugese Woman, 41 – Was feeling fine, her Father said”
https://youtu.be/QL52qZk2E1c
Fighting to get the tongue or eyes, over a protesting corpse
I am sorry Viv, but everything you report on provides me with hilarity, Things like PHE and Sundays and/or Pharmacies, invites obscene or unacceptable comment. I do like clever sarcasm.and inappropriate words like ‘heartwarming” .
To those of you who think power mad bureaucrats is fanciful .It is just you and me getting what we want regardless.
I have no idea what the soper -intelligent think., but it seems to me that Covid has already won. We are just wandering around behind the lines doing a Florence Nightingale incompetantly and poorly. While employing soothsayers and bards to invent heroism for those paying. And with the toweringly useless counting the bodies remotely from France.
Sunday Morning Papers15 th June 1965. .. A Ministry Spokesman.
The much admired Head of the four and a quarter million strong, Home Office Rationing Ministry, Today hinted that the consignment of Eastern Island left handed crab claw meat could reach our shores next Tuesday week, storms and other unseen dangers permitting. The Scientific Liaison Shipping Department is confident that a decision could be reached early in December to release this consignment to arrive in the shops for Christmass ..Those with the essential paperwork may display the sticky label on the, to show the Constables.
TG Spokes………five paragraphs of stuff that could have been condensed into one. However, what the devil are you rambling on about insofar as the ‘Home Office Rationing Ministry’ and ‘left crab claw meat’ and what is the connection between the two. You’ve lost me, but perhaps Bletchley Park may be able to help out…………..Who has drunk all the whisky?
‘de-risked’ to being ‘incredibly low’!
This shows you where you can easily go and see for yourself on UK Gov’s own websites the true extent of their Chinese Communist Party virus scam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-RBOCL5OW0
While it is true that it is difficult for a man to understand when he is being paid handsomely to not understand, it is sometimes difficult for we ordinary mortals to tell when this applies. But sometimes it’s not that difficult to decide when it doesn’t.
Biggus Dickus
‘de-risked’ to being ‘incredibly low’!
I noticed that too. Next up buzzword Six-sigma. I doubt if anyone in the house of commons understands it nor could calculate it. (Its about one in a Brazillion). I just feel it coming to a health poppinjay near you.
This is as absolute scandal and should be widely circulated, except that most people have lost the ability to think.
‘Scientifically illiterate’
Add technologically illiterate,statistically illiterate to that. Also include (I can’t think of an ‘ally’ word) deficient in their understanding of the limitations of modelling complex systems.
A high pressure system with its anti-cyclonic gloom has settled over Europe. Wind turbines cease to turn. The solar panels gather enough photons to turn the turbines lest their bearings fail. The sacrifice of the clear-felled US woodlands becomes worthwhile as, mixed with coal, Drax ramps up its wood fired output until the needle rams against the stop. Emergency bids for power are invited for late this afternoon, any advance on £1000 per MW hr?
The mad cow disease crisis was a modelling crisis as was foot and mouth. The climate change crisis is a modelling crisis. Will the Cv19 crisis turn out to be another? Judging by the individuals concerned it would be a brave punter who would bet against.
JF
If you want to get scared about something, then get scared about this.
“Elon Musk Predicts when Superhuman AI and Killer Robots Will Arrive”
https://youtu.be/1t7CFL1v4nI
The interesting thing is that I had published here a series of articles years ago dealing with these issues but only now is this starting to become talked about, particularly in the mainstream media. Remember you heard it in Independence Daily first, I don’t know why it isn’t more widely read.