This is not a real news conference. The Chief Medical Officer & Chief Scientific Officer have either been gagged &/or have told No 10 that they will not publicly back the PM’s defence of Dominic Cummings. Follow up questions have been stopped.
There is now no reason why the daily briefing couldn’t have 4 or 5 socially distanced journalists a day in a briefing room asking the PM or ministers the questions face to face. Today’s questioning was a technical disaster. It was very convenient for the government.
Telling people the R rate is between 0.5 and 0.9 is quite useless. If it’s 0.9 that’s dangerously close to being above 1 and lifting lockdown is very risky. If it’s 0.5 it’s a good place to be in. Information is power. Bad information is dangerous.
Totally get that these circumstances are incredibly difficult, especially for those that make the big decisions. Whatever the rights and wrongs of policy, though, calling them a success seems hugely disrespectful and thoughtless to those that have suffered losses.
A column that nails it - deserves to go viral and for everyone to share the anger and horror. The British charlatan style has been sent packing by too much reality https://t.co/03qhRWejiW
If you can't scrutinise and criticise a government for thousands needlessly dying because of its catastrophic errors, we might as well shut this whole democracy thing down and call it a day.
Looking for millennials/uni students/renters who have moved back home with their parents during coronavirus times to interview by phone for article about the trials and tribulations and how to make the best of the situation. Interested in talking to parents too #journorequest RT
Please can all politicians stop talking about the PM having a lot of fight in him. I wish him well. But as one who has had cancer I can tell you this suggestion that disease respects those with “fight” is deeply offensive. It implies that those who lose are somehow to blame.