(17 Sep 2020, 12:46 pm)Adrian wrote This is nonsense. On several levels.
1. We have (significantly) the 3rd highest rate per 100,000, so it is absurd to suggest it is not about cases.
2. Nobody gets into politics because they don't care about people; but there are different ideologies. Again, its absurd to suggest that Councils are trying to 'get one up' on the Government, and quite frankly without any evidence to support the claim.
3. Hancock was not backed into a corner. He is the Health Secretary and it is ultimately his call.
4. I would suggest that students are more angered about being forced to sit 30+ in a classroom, without any respect for social distancing.
I would love to hear your explanation about why extra measures will do nothing to prevent the spread and why you think there is "absolutely no need for blanket restrictions" Bold statement to make, but nothing to support it!
1. The region as a whole, yes, does have the third highest rate. But it's also centred around hotspots in Sunderland and the east parts of County Durham, with a smaller number of cases in Newcastle and Gateshead. Darlington has had a higher number of cases than the north of Northumberland, yet is not included. If it was purely about the number of cases, the it would be included
2. Fair point, but I'm glad there doesn't seem to be any additional powers given to the local authorities, I wouldn't trust them in the slightest.
3. The fact that he basically said the councils came to him and asked for assistance suggests it was not what he wanted to do. Had he deemed it necessary, he would have taken the credit.
4. Students of voting age aren't 'forced' to sit in a classroom of 30+, it's their choice of whether they want to go to University or not. And being of that age, and knowing plenty of people of that age, I can almost guarantee they're more annoyed about not being able to socialise than their education.
My explanation:
In my experience there's sod all difference in drunks between 10pm and 12pm. Making them close earlier isn't going to stop them going out. In fact, go to a Spoons at 11am and there's people just as bad as the drunks you see at 11pm. The issue isn't the closing time, it's the fact they're open in the first place. Drunk people don't start becoming 'friendly' once it hits 10pm, they're going to ignore social distancing regardless of the time.
I think the fact that there are parts of the North East with very few cases yet still have restrictions very much supports my point about the blanket restrictions not being needed