COVID-19: Unanswered Queations.

 It seems the media have slipped into full propaganda mode lately and just parrot the government line on anything, not just the Covid crisis. 

But there are questions that need to be asked. 

For instance why are we locking down the whole population when less than 5% are at serious risk of complications from the virus? 

Why are we  paying people that are effectively immune from the virus to stay at home?

What happens to the DNA information gathered as part of the Covid testing procedure? 

Is it stored and if it is, where is it stored and for how long? 

Who has access to the DNA information collected?

By what authority is the Government issuing Lockdowns?

What oversight is being done by the various Parliamentary committees regarding the Government's use of powers regarding Covid?

Are the Government just issuing illegal edits that can be challenged legally, or is there full Parliamentary approval?

What legal powers do the Police have under these circumstances? Are they acting legally or illegally?

What risk assessments have the Government done regarding Covid-19 and are they available for scrutiny?

How much has been spent during the Pandemic and how do the Government expect the money to be paid back?

Will taxes be raised in the future? If so, for how long?

The list goes on and on, but there seems to be no-one putting these questions to the various authorities.

There seems to be a blind acceptance by the press that the government can just issue commands and they get blindly implemented by the NHS and the Police. That's not how things work in a democracy. The government has to put it's plans before Parliament and then Parliament including the House of Lords ratify any changes to the legal framework.

If this is not being done, how legal are these edicts? Can they be challenged in court? 

For God's sake media, please wake up and do your job!

Brexit: Finally a Clean Brexit?

 Well, it seems the negotiations are over and we are heading for a full and complete exit from the EU in the New Year. 

Unless the posturing is all smoke an mirrors and some orchestrated chicanery of a "miracle/hard negotiated/last minute" deal is "pulled out of the hat". 

If the latter is the case, I call bullshit on the "deal".

Right now, businesses across the country should be getting letters to state the position they will find themselves in 10 weeks from now. Those letters should state categorically the trading terms in place for European trade. Notwithstanding the "Kent Passport", we should know what VAT rates apply, what tariffs if any apply on importation of goods etc. 

Businesses cannot be expected to go to the wire and change their systems overnight. IT systems need to be carefully programmed so that no errors creep in. So the rules need to be available and programs changed to accept them and then those systems need to be tested to confirm compliance with the rules and also to confirm no bugs are introduced anywhere else in the programme by the new code.

10 weeks is not a long time. Any less and we'll seriously face issues and errors arising out of ill-preparedness. And if the situation in Kent is anything to go by, it looks like the government is going down the "fine companies if they get it wrong, even if the rules aren't available" route, which is completely unfair.

Basically I see an inevitable hiatus in the trade between the UK and the EU while companies (once they get detailed information on the rules applicable) change their IT systems to cope and deal with the changes.

That's just the issues within the UK, never mind any issues thrown up on the EU side like even more rules  (compatible with UK rules or not), required paperwork, prohibitions on certain items and the blockage of port by disgruntled French fishermen.

2021 will have an interesting start to the year i think.

COVID-19: Wales in Lockdown.

 The Welsh government has announced a short sharp lockdown beginning November 9th. 

Who exactly is paying for all of these Welsh people to sit at home? I hope that the devolved government will be footing the bill and any damage to the Welsh economy will be paid for out of the Welsh pocket.

Otherwise I think the UK government should be quite right to overrule any decision like this that the English have to foot the bill for.

Also, what are they going to do about people in England not under lockdown rules crossing the border into Wales? Are they going to sit Police on every single road between the two countries stopping traffic?

When are they going to accept that it's past the time for lockdowns? They're good for stalling the inevitable, but once you have the extra capacity in place like the Nightingale hospitals, the lockdowns are not a positive measure. Instead they only prolong the length of the infection. 

Now we have the extra capacity available, let the country go about it's business and hospitalise those that need hospitalisation. Only if the nightingale hospitals are at serious risk of being overtopped should we start to restrict movements and meetings.

Common sense realy, which seems to be in very short supply in political circles these days. It seems emotions and posturing for political effect totally outweigh common sense.