UK Covid death toll

[Protheroe]

but you still keep on wingeing about letting people do what they want

That's a fine misrepresentation.

Coming from the master I take that as a compliment 

We are at a point now where there is clear evidence that locking down earlier both times would have saved lives and businesses. We have a group in charge that have dithered and delayed because of the backbench (and frontbench by the sounds of it) overruling of the scientific evidence. Even to the point where there are people trying to justify their theories based on any scrap of noise (estimated case data was the one you highlighted), and it stinks - any form of contact, in the office, in the pub, in the street needs to be minimised as much as possible until we have the vaccine rolled out. Businesses have and will take a hit but a lot will recover (try to avoid misrepresenting me on this point again), I think the way that the govt have handled a good idea (furlough) badly just is another example of how shit they really are. 

The times article is a good summation - what are your views on it?

My view on the article when I read it yesterday was that it was another prissy view from those who have no actual responsibility for running the country - and would never receive any mainstream criticism for adopting an overly cautious approach.

The reality of the situation is, of course far more complex. Dithering? Unfortunately Covid 19 is not a zero sum game. All of these decisions can only ever be political decisions and I suspect the Johnson administration will (deservedly) die by the economic and social (not the health) consequences of short term and often knee jerk decisions.

I'm lucky, I'm *only* 40% down on turnover this year. There are many in a far far worse position. Particularly those who'll be affected by the 27,000 pending residential evictions (and their landlords). People like my last surviving uncle living in the middle of nowhere (yet still in Tier 3) who's hardly had any human contact since March - and I'll certainly be breaking the letter of the law to take a huge food parcel over to him later this week.

Now that London has gone into effective lockdown this afternoon I suspect we can expect to be under restrictions again until the end of February. Given that you're normally so negative about the prospects for business in Brexit Britain, frankly I'm amazed that you're so sanguine. This isn't final push, it's going to be the final pushover for many lives, livelihoods and businesses.