England’s new lockdown means a lot more than Johnson told us
Boris Johnson is locking down England until mid-February in the hope that the new vaccinations will show their effect by then.
That’s what we can glean from his announcement on January 4.
The alternative is that he has been told to keep everybody isolated until he knows whether the vaccine will work on the new strain of Covid-19.
You won’t have gathered that from what he told us all in his televised announcement, of course. Why would he bother to tell us what’s really going on?
Instead, he concentrated on his (false) claim that this new lockdown is needed because the new Covid variant has been pushing infections – and deaths – through the roof.
We don’t know that this is true. In fact, it is more likely that his silly attempts to tinker with the isolation he has forced on us are responsible for the terrifying increases.
Last year he insisted on having the shortest possible lockdown – starting it too late and ending it too early – because (we think) he needs to keep the economy ticking over for the sake of rich industrialists who donate generously to the Conservatives.
Keir Starmer (according to the same argument) backs him up to the hilt because he is at the beck and call of his own donors.
For clarity, here are the (new) new rules, courtesy of the BBC:
- People cannot leave their homes except for certain reasons, like the first lockdown last March
- These include essential medical needs, food shopping, exercise and work for those who cannot do so from home
- All schools and colleges will close to most pupils from Tuesday with remote learning until February half term
- Early years settings such as nurseries will stay open
- End-of-year exams will not take place this summer as normal
- Elsewhere, university students should not return to campuses and will be taught online
- Restaurants can continue to offer food delivery, but takeaway alcohol will be banned
- Outdoor sports venues – such as golf courses, tennis courts and outside gyms – must close
- But outdoor playgrounds will remain open
- Amateur team sports are not allowed, but elite sport such as Premier League football can continue
This Writer watched his announcement and my tweeted responses (and any discussion they prompted) say everything you need to know about what he told us:
Spin spin, lies lies yesterday
Yesterday
Schools will open
Children are safe
Teachers are safe— michelle wales (@MichelleWinif) January 4, 2021
Oh look, @BorisJohnson is pinning responsibility for his latest disaster on the 'new variant' of #Covid19UK that he has known about since September last year.
Too little, too late, Johnson!
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 4, 2021
Every attempt to control Covid by the Westminster government has been made too late and half-heartedly, with disastrous consequences for both public health and our ability to plan our lives.
— George Monbiot (@GeorgeMonbiot) January 4, 2021
To be honest Mike my vulnerable son in law has been getting his advice direct from health professionals who advised him to shield again back in November. His employer has been brilliant & furloughed him straight away. No thanks to Johnson & his shambolic band. I feel for others
— Sue Barnish. Save Our NHS 💙 (@SueBarnish) January 4, 2021
Yes. Anyone who was happy to see homeless people die on the streets and happy to allow disabled people to starve as their benefits were unjustly withheld is perfectly happy to have the benefits bill reduced by the deaths of the vulnerable.
— janbabs – Socialist (@janbabs) January 4, 2021
You think Boris is doing the best he can? He has literally ONLY JUST resumed the shielding scheme from July. Prior to that, CEV people were FORCED to go to work and play Russian roulette with their lives.
— Aleesha 🇵🇸 (@a_leesha1) January 4, 2021
Of course millions more people WON'T die but could be crippled. The people you mention may find themselves having to claim benefits – and being refused!
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 4, 2021
Where's the new financial support for businesses and employees affected by this new lockdown, @BorisJohnson ? #Covid19UK
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 4, 2021
That’s been the problem all along
— Roland Shaw (@shawsroland) January 4, 2021
"I believe that we're entering the last phase of the struggle," says the fool who told us in September (around when he was told about the new #Covid19UK variant) that everything would be back to normal by Christmas 2020. That's @BorisJohnson for you.
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 4, 2021
So that was what @BorisJohnson had to say – and 12 million people who voted for him cringed with humiliation at having triggered tens of thousands of deaths because he cannot do a single damn thing right. #Covid19UK
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 4, 2021
He was very matter of fact about it. He's not sorry for any deaths.
— Deborah ☮️🇵🇸🌹🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ ⚧️♀️ (@DebWhatford) January 4, 2021
.@KeirStarmer says @UKLabour – the Opposition – will back @BorisJohnson all the way. Not a single word of criticism because Starmer is a pale-blue opportunist who would have done the same as Johnson, to keep his businesspeople donors happy.
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 4, 2021
Beggars belief that PM has *again” acted too late, costing people’s lives
Ministers advised nearly 2 weeks ago that this variant demanded tougher action, incl. school closures & likely new lockdown
And where’s @RishiSunak? Business & self employed need help *now* #ExcludedUK
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) January 4, 2021
And it covers his frontal bald patch
— Tim Fenton (@zelo_street) January 4, 2021
.@BorisJohnson – please, YOU stay at home. Pass responsibility for government to somebody competent. That way, YOU might save some lives, although it won't make up for those you have already wasted. #Covid19UK #lockdown
— Mike Sivier (@MidWalesMike) January 4, 2021
The announcement means some people in England won’t have seen family members and friends in person for nearly a year – more than a year in some cases – by the time the new lockdown ends.
Some are likely to pass away, due to completely different causes from Covid-19, before any reunions can happen. Some have already done so.
It is absolutely tragic, but we must not let the amount of noise circulating around this issue cloud our judgement.
The peril to all of us is extreme because we are being attacked by two killers:
Firstly, the very competent murderer that is being passed from hand to unwitting hand; secondly, the killer-by-incompetence who is managing to wipe us out from Downing Street.
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Why would little fascist dictator dick johnson care about us peasants given we are all dispensable and his only remit is to increase his fascist bros wealth!
We have a fascist dictatorship and a one party system now so this means the callous vindictive boys can do whatever they wish because there is no opposition and anyway government is all about big business interests! Pandemic? What pandemic – it’s working fine – getting rid of all those non humans and ensuring the rest continue to slave for pittance wages!
Big question – where’s the track and trace system??? Oh yes it doesn’t exist because fascist dictator dick johnson gave our public money to his cronies who couldn’t be bothered to even create a working track and trace! Lockdowns don’t work unless a workable nationwide track and trace system is in place too!
Look forward to 2023 and 2024 with more lockdowns and no respite! Oh and little england is now a sovereign country now we’ve left the EU!!!