June 21st

Mate, you’ve admitted already, we should have fully unlocked on the 21st. So I don’t understand your argument.

The reason we are still facing ridiculous restrictions is pretty clear - the Tory government.

People need to remember this at the next election.

 

I'd agree with this, but I suspect that the way many peoples' minds work will mean they forget about the restrictions and remember being "given their freedom back". Johnson will push hard on the success of the vaccination programme. And I'd not be surprised if he has the brass neck to trumpet reducing waiting lists - even though this will simply be addressing the backlog built up through lockdown. If that doesn't look plausible he'll promise more largesse that we will never see in reality in order to claim that he is addressing the problem.

Once Johnson has repealed the FTPA I think he will go to the polls ahead of schedule in late 2022 or early 2023, before the staggered corporation tax rises have kicked in and before further tax rises or service cutbacks have become necessary to balance the books following the pandemic. And so far as he can, Johnson will aim to fight the next election on brexit. He will claim that Labour want to reverse it, even though this is demonstrably untrue. Starmer and other senior figures have clearly stated they regard that as settled. But expect Johnson to push hard on that one, possibly accompanied by a confected row triggered by him unilaterally ditching some aspect of remaining agreed regulations flowing from the trade deal in order to provoke a reaction from his opponents.

Labour will not win the next election purely by calling Johnson's government out. They are richly entitled to do so, but that will impact as a negative message. They will need to project their own bold, imaginative and optimistic vision while retaining an air of competence and integrity. If he is still there, that is Starmer's main selling-point. But he has to survive Batley and Spen and possibly other internal battles first. If he retains the leadership maybe we could expect Keir Starmer selling Jeremy Corbyn's policies. There would be a certain irony there!

 

Alternative view: labour just voted to protect the public's right to protest

 

TBF F_R I think we're ALL p1ssed off about the need to prolonged ristrictions IMO.

 

Honestly I don't think that's the case at all. There's quite a few on here absolutely loving it. They want it to continue because the restrictions forced on hospitality are the best thing that's ever happened to them.

 

A take it that’s a bit of a joke yeah?

 

How can you possibly think this is true? Who could possibly see restrictions on hospitality as a good thing? Some people are neutral and unaffected by it for sure, but nobody thinks it’s a good thing. Why would they?

 

To be honest I wasn’t really trying to make any argument. Other than I think DB3k needs to be surgically removed from Twitter.

 

I think there are some on here who want all restrictions to be lifted so that loads of people die. Loads of people dying would be the best thing that's ever happened to them.

Hyperbole works both ways right?

 

I think he is referring to people saying table service is great etc hope it stays, I don't mind wearing masks going to pub etc on this thread. When okay it you may like it but its not good for the hospitality industry.

 

Yes because walking through a pub with a mask on and then taking it off when you sit down and table service is preventing loads of deaths im sure .

 

I actually agree with SuperTyke and feel that restrictions should be lifted on the 21st.

But his post completely undermines his position imo - because nobody on this planet actually wants restrictions to continue. They grudgingly accept that they might have to continue, but nobody is punching the air like there's been a last minute winner because we've got to carry on like this for another month.

And your post here had no relevance to my point I don't think.

 

Yippee, I want the hospitality industry to die. That would be the industry that me and my partner work in but...yippee.
FFS.

 

I think he is referring to people on this thread could have been you included saying they don't mind wearing masks at the pub and they hope that table service is here to stay. That's all very well you may enjoy it but the bloke owning the village pub who has to restrict numbers and then get more staff on to serve im sure he isn't too keen.

 

I'll say what I said to Jay. Name them.

 

Who on earth would ENJOY wearing masks at the pub?!! Nobody. We're willing to do it though because it gets the pubs/restaurants open and sees us through what is hopefully the final stages of getting past the virus. The village pub is open. Here in Ireland they're still not so I'd suggest things could be worse for those in the UK though to hear some of the comments on here you'd think everyone there was locked in their homes in irons.
As for table service going forward it's a preference. I'm sure if more people want it the hospitality industry will cater for that demand, if not they won't.

 

Fancy it coming out that blocking something off didn't actually work because it restricted airflow who would have thought

 

I don't think it helps to conflate two things. A preference for a more continental experience in the hospitality sector has nothing to do with the last lockdown we had or the remaining restrictions being in place.

Though I'm affected in a fairly unique way, that shouldn't be confused with wanting never ending restrictions. Even if that's what I may experience personally through choice, I've no desire to impose that on anyone else. I suspect, and it may be sooner than is sensible, that my wife just thinks sod it, and has had enough and wants to do something "normal". I'm getting that sense already and it's totally understandable, irrespective of the significant risks of doing so.

I'd gladly go back to before the pandemic, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't. And if I could go back to a previous time, I'd turn the dial a little more to ensure it was well before 2016.

 

He’s a real character.