UK Covid death toll

[Tom Joad]

I'm not interested in this drawing battle lines  to pitch brexiteers, libertarians and covid sceptics in one corner and the left in another. I think that's just a case of looking for something and finding something that fits. 
From my experience, the hard left was always the mainstay of anti EU sentiment. Especially in Holland and Belgium but also the UK, Tony Benn being a well known example. I understand this was a protectionist idea, against the idea of cheap, imported labour and EU rulings against large state subsidies in industry.
Further, I'm finding covid sceptics in all walks of life. Some people I've known for years and from all walks of life. Some Grammar school educated, some New Agers, one factory worker, quite a few environmentalists, those just from the top of my head. Some of these I have discussed things with, others I know better than to try any debate with. Then there are those that just ignore it mainly due to selfish reasons.
I don't mind differing opinions, it keeps the mind a lot healthier than just preaching to the converted. Just my onions.

Imo hard left is just the flip of the coin from hard right. The country suffers when pandering to either side. It’s not a left or right thing but you can see from SM and MSM there is a correlation as there is in the US. It’s where our polarised politics is currently. 

Anyway we are discussing differing opinions but that doesn’t mean they are all equal. Some opinions on Covid are dangerous and put other people’s lives at risk. Should their opinion be put on a equal footing to someone who works in the frontline in a hospital for example?

 Agree, both extremes are dangerous.   IMO, only open discussion can flush out extremes. Also, any covering up or forced censorships will pander to the wilder of the conspiracy theories. Without going over old ground too much, the best summary of the referendum that I read was Stewart Maconie's account. Himself a remainer, he railed against the arrogance of the political elite and the accusations of remainers,( you know, "They're all thick racists on the Brexit side"). Maconie pointed out it was the vote of those that felt ignored, of those that  wanted to give London and the Home Counties a black eye. Also pointing out that he grew up and lived amongst Brexit voting areas and they are your mates, your cousins, the bloke down the pub that you always say hello to. We don't all have to agree, but we do have to live and work together.
 It is a lesson that  should not be ignored when dealing with Covid sceptics. They aren't all mad. One I regularly debate with is far from stupid, he can lose me in any argument. The classic conspiracy theory starts with a grain of truth (so I'm told). Whichever bizarre turns they take from there must be kept in clear sight. Any censorship simply feeds the beast, "you see what they're hiding from us?"