The Triple Lock is on The Block

 

 We shall see...

Captain Reckless Goes Bouncy Bouncy

 

Early this morning, Captain Reckless (aka Keir Starmer) called for double-jabbed people in England who are identified as Covid contacts to be exempt from isolation from August 7, nine days earlier than planned.

By happenstance Mark Drakeford the Gauleiter of Wales announced on Thursday that the 7th would be the date that Wales would end the isolation requirement.

Bringing forward the ping exemption by 9 days will make little practical difference either way, had Starmer had some guts he would have called for it to be ended now (which, by happenstance, is 9 days until the 7th).

Umbrella Appeal

Prince Charles in stitches as Boris Johnson struggles with his umbrella pic.twitter.com/iJEeggZlt0

— The Sun (@TheSun) July 29, 2021

 

 Will someone please get Boris a functioning umbrella.

Labour's "Reckless" Policy

 

🚨 | NEW: Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner says that lifting quarantine for fully-vaccinated travellers from the U.S. and the EU would be "reckless"

Via @SkyNews

— Politics For All (@PoliticsForAlI) July 28, 2021

Labour, having first described Freedom Day as "reckless", has now described the changes in travel rules as "reckless".

This is now the official "policy" of Labour, to describe any change in Covid policy by the government as "reckless". 

Whilst not really a "policy" it does have the advantage that if used often enough during the course of the pandemic, it might (like a stopped clock) stand a chance of being right at some distant time in the future!

The Return of The Wizard of Oz

Boris Johnson returning to No10 after his 10 day isolation in the country, and 5 mins before election master (not including 2017 cock-up) also arriving at No10 5 mins before the floundering PM arrives. pic.twitter.com/Kof22pgFt9

— PoliticalPics (@PoliticalPics) July 27, 2021

The Wizard (Lynton Crosby) has returned to help Boris shore up his floundering poll numbers.

Schroedinger's Starmer

🚨🚨 | NEW: Keir Starmer says he supports the deputy speaker for kicking out Dawn Butler but he also supports Dawn Butler for what she said

— Politics For All (@PoliticsForAlI) July 26, 2021

Butler Banished

 

Labour MP Dawn Butler has been ordered to leave the Commons chamber after she refused to withdraw accusations that Boris Johnson is a liar.

Ms Butler said the prime minister had "lied to the House and the country over and over again".

Under parliamentary rules, MPs are not allowed to accuse each other of lying in the House of Commons.

The acting Deputy Speaker asked the MP to withdraw her remarks but Ms Butler refused and was ordered to leave.

As parliament is in recess, it means that Butler will not receive any pay during this time.

 

Hip Hip Hooray It's Recess Day!

 

The Man Who Would Be King

 

How the "mighty" have fallen!

Being so close to power, coupled with an obsessive hatred of Carrie, appears to have driven Dominic mad.

There's Going To Be a Fight!

 In the last few days before the parliamentary recess, Boris has decided to try to pick a fight.

With whom?

-nightclubs

-nightclub patrons

-Tory MPs

How?

-imposing Covid double jab passports on users of nightclubs/other large enclosed venues (pubs?) by the end of September

-funding the reforms to social care via a 1% rise in NI

Prognosis

The Covid passport is a large NUDGE to push the young (who have been tardy in taking up vaccines) to get vaccinated. On the assumption this works, it is almost guaranteed this policy will be abandoned before the end of September.

The rise in NI is a breach of the manifesto, and has enraged Tory MPs. However, rather perversely, the general public view it as less unpleasant than an increase in income tax (even though it is regressive).

Therefore, despite the Twitter meltdown and calls for anarchy over the above, it is probable the Boris has picked his fight in a rather thoughtful fashion and when push comes to shove the anger will vent itself harmlessly.

Snatching Defeat From The Jaws of Victory! - #FreedomDay

“Pingdemic” Plunges 1.73 Million into Isolation https://t.co/Lptzx9rsLS pic.twitter.com/n5tEjH2sUc

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) July 19, 2021

 

As Boris languishes in "isolation" in Chequers, he would do well to reflect on what could have been on this "Freedom Day".

He could have made a Churchillian speech outlining in honest terms:

1 The pandemic is still with us

2 We have to learn to live with it

3 There will be hospitalisations and deaths

4 The NHS can cope 

5 People should respect each others decisions eg wear/don't wear masks, distance/don't distance etc

6 We have to lift restrictions and return to living life

7 Double vaxxed won't need to isolate if pinged etc

Instead, for reasons that elude even his own party, both he and Rishi Sunak tried to evade the need to isolate then spent the rest of Sunday frantically denying that that was ever a serious decisions (even though the press release had already been issued).

Even now, he could face the country and admit his judgement failed him yesterday and as such will bring forward plans to al,low the double vaxxed to avoid isolation.

Sadly for the country, and for him, he won't!

Boris Fails To Make The Headlines

 

Despite No 10 bigging up Boris's levelling up speech yesterday, and despite Boris discussing beheading poppies and spreading jam, the media didn't bite and the speech failed to hit the headlines.

The reasons?

1 The speech was flowery, but contained little to no substance.

2 It coincided with the salt tax report, which Boris publicaly disowned.

3 A cynic might think the bigging up of the speech was to cover up for the fact that Thursday might have been the day for a Downing Street reception for England.

Anyhoo, I dare say a few people will be demoted/fired for this damp squib and at some stage later some substantive policies might be announced.

Boris Cancels Snack Tax

 

UPDATE: Boris has also pushed back against the snack tax pic.twitter.com/3WsLVbuG0h

— Guido Fawkes (@GuidoFawkes) July 15, 2021

Rewarding Failure - Dame Dick To Be Dame Commander

 

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick will be made a Dame Commander by the Prince of Wales in recognition of her public service.

IRONY KLAXON - Masks for Staff None for Their Masters

 

It seems that, without any hint of irony whatsoever, MPs will not be obliged to wear masks but their staff will be.

A spokesperson for Speaker Hoyle told HuffPost UK: “We have no employment or contractual relationship with Members which would enable us to mandate the wearing of masks. We therefore encourage Members to support us in keeping the Estate safe.”

— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) July 12, 2021

Schrödinger's Bank Holiday

 

 Boris will declare a Bank Holiday (probably on the 19th of July), if England win on Sunday.

The Fake Pro Mask/Pro Lockdown Campaign

 

Boris's decision to axe masks and lockdown restrictions on 19 July has angered a few people, who believe that we should be muzzled and locked down for the foreseeable future.

Aside from the usual suspects eg FAKE SAGE, the Guardian, Peston, Every Doctor Ltd etc; an unknown person/group has decided to mount a social media campaign decrying the end of lockdown and the abandonment of masks.

All very subtle, maybe, until you realise that their social media posts (although allegedly from different people) are word for word identical.

The question is, who is behind these posts?

An Idiot Opines!

 

🚨 | NEW: Shadow health Secretary Jon Ashworth on Covid restrictions:

‘I don’t think any avoidable deaths are acceptable’

Via @JasonGroves1

— Politics For All (@PoliticsForAlI) July 6, 2021

Such a policy would mean that Labour would ban a.o.:

-smoking

-drinking

-salt

-sugar

-fat

-lethargy

-flying

-driving etc etc

As ever with those who claim to want to "protect" you, they ignore the concept of acceptable risk and living life to the full!

Labour Finally Comes Up With a Policy - Almost!

 

Hot on the heels of Boris's much awaited announcement about the relaxation of restrictions, Labour has finally decided to come up with a policy (albeit a rather half baked one).

In essence Labour don't want restrictions to be relaxed, they want masks to remain and there to be more ventilation.

This is all very well and "conservative", however it is a policy that would make bugger all difference to the ongoing rise in cases. The government has considered four very different options:

• Delaying “Freedom Day” by a month or two was seen as ineffective because, with the country already largely unlocked, cases would continue to rise anyway, and could then spike further when children go back to school in September. 

• Delaying to later in the year was a nonstarter because the virus transmits more easily indoors and the pressure on the NHS is worse in winter. 

• Proceeding with the July 19 date but with some restrictions remaining in place was also seen as ineffective because, at the current level of prevalence, minor measures would do little to prevent the spread of the virus. 

• The only other option was to implement harsher lockdown-style measures again now, which was seen as unjustifiable as the vast majority of the most vulnerable people now have double-jab protection.

Labour's "policy" (such as it is) has been considered and rejected in the above (grubby pieces of cloth hung around people's chins won't make any difference, if anything they will make things worse).

Thanks to Labour and the MSM's fetish about masks, there will now be a tedious argument on social media and in the MSM about one of the least effective aspects of the restrictions, namely masks. 

Labour, for reasons best known to themselves, have hung their policy on a grubby chin strap (which Keir says he will wear in busy places with other people - see above photo...oh hang on!).

The Return of Common Sense Post Hancock

 

As per Gov.UK, today Boris will say:

"Thanks to the successful rollout of our vaccination program, we are progressing cautiously through our roadmap. Today we will set out how we can restore people’s freedoms when we reach step four.

But I must stress that the pandemic is not over and that cases will continue to rise over the coming weeks.

As we begin to learn to live with this virus, we must all continue to carefully manage the risks from COVID and exercise judgment when going about our lives.”

He will announce the end of mandatory masks and an end to social distancing.

Announcements re double jabbed being allowed to return from amber countries without having to quarantine will come later this week.

As I have noted before, the removal/resignation of Hancock has led to a remarkably positive change of mood and tone within the government. Hancock's affair, and being caught out, was the best thing that could have happened for the country!

Labour Hold Batley and Spen

 

Labour has held Batley and Spen. Kim Leadbeater beat Tory Ryan Stephenson by just 323 votes after a bundle recount, despite George Galloway picking up more than 8,000 votes. 

It’s Labour’s first by-election victory since Corby in 2012.

Labour: 13,296

Conservative: 12,973

Workers Party (Galloway): 8,264

Lib Dems: 1,254

Yorkshire Party: 816

Turnout: 47.6 percent. 

Keir Starmer can rest easy, for now; whilst Angela, Andy and co bite their pillows and try to smile when in front of a camera.

Meanwhile Boris will have to start to do more than sit on a forklift truck doing the thumbs up sign!

Starmer's Rallying Cry - Onwards Unto Defeat!

 

Brimming with confidence, upbeat Labour leader "Sir" Keir Starmer issues his morale boosting by-election day statement: "I won't quit if we lose."

— Kevin O'Sullivan (@TVKev) July 1, 2021

Whither Batley and Spen?

 

The result in today's Batley and Spen by-election is not guaranteed for either the Tories or Labour, indeed it is not beyond the realms of possibility the George Galloway might win.

Should Labour lose, then the knives will be out for Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, who is denying that she is mounting a leadership challenge, will mount a leadership challenge.