... it seems quite Soviet. I read a doctor who said "in good spirits" means off their trolley on morphine, probably fake news.
There has been no news of Vladimir Putin since he did a U-turn and decided to self-isolate.
Meanwhile, after the much publicised Russian gift of PPE equipment to New York there are more and more public complaints of lack of basic equipment in Russian hospitals.
Anyone fancy a Government of National Unity, headed by Nicola Sturgeon, Sir Keir Starmer, and Dr Caroline Lucas?
We might have a fighting chance of coming out of this ghastly scenario as a more decent, more compassionate, and more sensible country, if only the GGG (Ghastly Gang of Gobshites aka the tories) were off the stage.
Otherwise, it'll continue to be a sort of Greek tragedy on a large scale...
"I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody, you will be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands. People obviously can make up their own minds but I think the scientific evidence is… our judgement is that washing your hands is the crucial thing."
(At a press conference, as quoted in U.K. Leader Boris Johnson Boasts He Has Shaken Hands With Coronavirus Patients by Khaleda Rahman, 3 March 2020, Newsweek.)
"I want to stress that for the vast majority of the people of this country, we should be going about our business as usual. "
So just to be clear, if the PM is suddenly incapacitated nobody knows who's in charge until the Queen makes up her mind or there's a leadership contest? What happens if there's, say, an immediate defence situation that crops up just then?
It's my (outsider's) understanding the the UK is governed by the cabinet as a whole, not the Prime Minister acting alone as a single executive. (Anyone with a better understanding of the British government can chime in and correct me.) This gives a certain robustness to the day-to-day operations of the government (as well as all the drawbacks to anything done by committee).
In one sense, that's right - the Prime Minister is the first minister of the Government, and the others ministers of the various portfolios. But the PM almost certainly has some powers and duties specific to the office - eg directing that missiles be fired on Monaco and so forth. From vague memory, there are some functions the PM cannot carry out. Only the Lord President of the (Privy) Council can call a meeting of that august body, one which still has some vaguely real duties.
Or similar to the old saying about papal health: the Pope is always in perfect health, until he's dead.
John Paul II had very obvious signs of Parkinsons long before the Vatican would admit it.
The LDS handled their late President, Ezra Taft Benson, the same way. His own grandson (Pulitzer-winning cartoonist in the Phoenix newspaper) said his grandfather was totally senile and incapable of speaking, but the Mormons wouldn't admit it. They did announce when he went to meet Heavenly Father.
Whereas Johnson is more of a Libertarian, Raab is firmly in the social darwinian mould.
Oh, dear.
Well, if Boris and Raab get ill, Rishi Sunak (Chancellor) is next in line followed by Priti Patel (Home Secretary). I'd take the first three over her any day although they seem to have locked her in a cupboard for the duration. Patel hasn't done a single press conference or broadcast round since everything kicked off.
I hope he gets better, but clapforboris seems to be taking things a little far.
Am I the only one who finds Raab’s comments ill-judged at best? BJ is a ‘fighter’ so he will pull through?
So... those who have already died weren’t fighters, they were just weaklings? All it takes is being a strong character and nothing can phase you? If they were tougher they wouldn’t have died?
And if Boris doesn’t make it, does that mean it would turn out he wasn’t a fighter after all?
Am I the only one who finds Raab’s comments ill-judged at best? BJ is a ‘fighter’ so he will pull through?
So... those who have already died weren’t fighters, they were just weaklings? All it takes is being a strong character and nothing can phase you? If they were tougher they wouldn’t have died?
And if Boris doesn’t make it, does that mean it would turn out he wasn’t a fighter after all?
No. You're spot on. They are so down the rabbit hole of their social Darwinism they can't see, even now, how ridiculous it is.
Whereas Johnson is more of a Libertarian, Raab is firmly in the social darwinian mould.
Oh, dear.
Well, if Boris and Raab get ill, Rishi Sunak (Chancellor) is next in line followed by Priti Patel (Home Secretary). I'd take the first three over her any day although they seem to have locked her in a cupboard for the duration. Patel hasn't done a single press conference or broadcast round since everything kicked off.
I hope he gets better, but clapforboris seems to be taking things a little far.
Boris is a disaster for the country. But, what's most worrying is he's not the worst in the current cabinet.
Whereas Johnson is more of a Libertarian, Raab is firmly in the social darwinian mould.
Oh, dear.
Well, if Boris and Raab get ill, Rishi Sunak (Chancellor) is next in line followed by Priti Patel (Home Secretary). I'd take the first three over her any day although they seem to have locked her in a cupboard for the duration. Patel hasn't done a single press conference or broadcast round since everything kicked off.
I hope he gets better, but clapforboris seems to be taking things a little far.
Boris is a disaster for the country. But, what's most worrying is he's not the worst in the current cabinet.
It's the tory party. That hole is as close to bottomless as makes no difference.
No, if the clapping on Thursday is for Boris, I will be staying in. And I think it terrible, really terrible and wrong, to take what has been a really good idea of a way to show support for people putting their lives on the line to save others, and assign it to De Pfeffel. I mean, what does clap for him mean? Does it mean you hope he gets better? Does it mean you support his policies? Will people see a difference between the two? I will pray for him (as an individual and also pray for him to gain some wisdom) but I will not clap.
I'm reminded of having to be quiet on the river cruise sailing past the hospital in which the late king of Thailand was being looked after. Except that he was officially supposed to have godlike status.
I thought the clap (as in round of applause) was supposed to be last night. Certainly didn't hear anything round here.
My take on Raab saying Johnson was a fighter was that the poor bugger was obviously in serious trouble. It's not the sort of thing you say when you think someone is doing OK. I agree I hate the language. Just don't get me started on dementia as a journey, another popular way of talking about a disease that I heartily despise.
Having read/heard several accounts of treatment in ICU for COVID 19, I suspect it means that his breathing rate is not increasing rapidly but remaining steady. There is not a lot of treatment available to respond to other than oxygen, fluids, antibiotics for the pneumonia he is reported not to have, keeping eyes moist with an eye dropper and turning on to stomachs when breathing becomes more challenging. Oh, and sedation - which puts a lie to continuing to work from his hospital bed.
Boris is sitting up and engaging with the clinical team. The nurse whose phone number he asked for, ran out screaming. When asked the standard set of questions, to the question, who is the prime minister, Boris replied Harold Wilson, a horrible northern twat.
Yes indeed (save that we did not have a daughter). Just realised an ambiguity in my post - I meant to say that Wilson was better than Major, not that BJ was. Callaghan was defeated by events beyond his control so it would be unfair to judge or rank him. And much as I dislike Thatcher's policies, she knew how to develop and implement them, far too effectively on many occasions.
"Sitting up in bed" in ICU terms may mean propped up so he doesn't drown in the fluid in his own lungs.
Assuming, not unreasonably, that a positive spin is being put on his condition.
It is very difficult to interpret the statements. I don't think that is accidental. To large extent the Tories have a presidential mindset. People to a large extent voted for Boris rather than Conservative pe se. So they are desperate to maintain the cult of personality.
I think it's probably true that he's still conscious and not on a ventilator because I don't think they would lie about that. Probably. The key point being that if we had a properly functioning government there would be no doubt. But they've lied about so much, it's impossible to be sure.
But Downing Street flatly denied that the prime minister’s health had seriously deteriorated, and insisted there were no plans at that point for him to be admitted to hospital.
Earlier on Sunday, Matt Hancock was asked just how ill the prime minister was. The health secretary told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “He’s OK. I’ve been talking to him every day, several times a day … he’s very much got his hand on the tiller. But he’s still got a temperature.” He added: “He’s working away inside Downing Street. He’s in good spirits.”
and from Monday we had:
Earlier, Robert Jenrick, the communities secretary, insisted Johnson was fit enough to lead the country from his hospital bed after he was admitted with persistent coronavirus symptoms.
I can tell you that the PM had a comfortable night in hospital, and he’s in good spirits. He’s still in hospital under observation. He is being given regular updates on developments, and he continues to lead the government.
That was before Raab managed to let slip he hadn't spoken to the PM since Saturday in answer to questions.
Lying seems to be the order of the day.
(and that was hard work tracking back what's actually been said under the later accretions)
I suspect other governments wouldn't have leaders modelling themselves on Churchill. No idea what would have happened if we'd had a Corbyn government in charge, but I suspect that we would have had some more reference to the experience of other governments and actual information to discuss when cabinet/COBRA planning was taking place, rather than the volte face following the Imperial College modelling.
Comments
There has been no news of Vladimir Putin since he did a U-turn and decided to self-isolate.
Meanwhile, after the much publicised Russian gift of PPE equipment to New York there are more and more public complaints of lack of basic equipment in Russian hospitals.
He could be dead by now, which God forbid, but we won't know until The Demonic One decides it's OK for us to be told...
Neither does anyone any good.
I thought Nicola Sturgeon hit the right note. Wishing someone well doesn't imply agreement or acquiescence with everything they do.
Johnson is a feckless thug. Being gravely ill doesn't change that fact.
Boris is gravely ill. Being a feckless thug doesn't change that fact.
AFZ
We might have a fighting chance of coming out of this ghastly scenario as a more decent, more compassionate, and more sensible country, if only the GGG (Ghastly Gang of Gobshites aka the tories) were off the stage.
Otherwise, it'll continue to be a sort of Greek tragedy on a large scale...
In one sense, that's right - the Prime Minister is the first minister of the Government, and the others ministers of the various portfolios. But the PM almost certainly has some powers and duties specific to the office - eg directing that missiles be fired on Monaco and so forth. From vague memory, there are some functions the PM cannot carry out. Only the Lord President of the (Privy) Council can call a meeting of that august body, one which still has some vaguely real duties.
John Paul II had very obvious signs of Parkinsons long before the Vatican would admit it.
The LDS handled their late President, Ezra Taft Benson, the same way. His own grandson (Pulitzer-winning cartoonist in the Phoenix newspaper) said his grandfather was totally senile and incapable of speaking, but the Mormons wouldn't admit it. They did announce when he went to meet Heavenly Father.
Well, if Boris and Raab get ill, Rishi Sunak (Chancellor) is next in line followed by Priti Patel (Home Secretary). I'd take the first three over her any day although they seem to have locked her in a cupboard for the duration. Patel hasn't done a single press conference or broadcast round since everything kicked off.
I hope he gets better, but clapforboris seems to be taking things a little far.
So... those who have already died weren’t fighters, they were just weaklings? All it takes is being a strong character and nothing can phase you? If they were tougher they wouldn’t have died?
And if Boris doesn’t make it, does that mean it would turn out he wasn’t a fighter after all?
No. You're spot on. They are so down the rabbit hole of their social Darwinism they can't see, even now, how ridiculous it is.
Here's another of my TLDR blog posts exploring these themes: http://alienfromzog.blogspot.com/2013/03/joblessness.html
AFZ
It's the tory party. That hole is as close to bottomless as makes no difference.
If the call is to clap for the NHS and him then how do we clarify we're not clapping for him?
I should have known I wouldn't be the first to make a Tinkerbell joke.
That really would be the icing on the cake for the poor bugger...and for assorted females, too, presumably.
Supposing he dies before tomorrow? Do we go out and clap with muffled (gloved) hands?
My take on Raab saying Johnson was a fighter was that the poor bugger was obviously in serious trouble. It's not the sort of thing you say when you think someone is doing OK. I agree I hate the language. Just don't get me started on dementia as a journey, another popular way of talking about a disease that I heartily despise.
Yes, 'he's a fighter' probably (in Polly Titian-speak) does indeed mean 'sharpen your knives for the leadership contest'...
Apart from the Cabinet, that is...
The man may not be in extremis, but he clearly has a way to go yet.
BTW, 'responding to treatment' does not necessarily mean responding positively...
*dammit
An image possibly NSFW, if applied to the Prime Minister...
Puts me in mind of those scenes in TV programmes where they apply the electrodes to the VictimPatient, and shout 'CLEAR!'.
The VictimPatient jumps, but is still dead...
Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt...
I've pulled things off the bottom of my shoe and emptied by daughter's potty of things that would be better Prime Ministers than Boris Johnson.
Assuming, not unreasonably, that a positive spin is being put on his condition.
It is very difficult to interpret the statements. I don't think that is accidental. To large extent the Tories have a presidential mindset. People to a large extent voted for Boris rather than Conservative pe se. So they are desperate to maintain the cult of personality.
I think it's probably true that he's still conscious and not on a ventilator because I don't think they would lie about that. Probably. The key point being that if we had a properly functioning government there would be no doubt. But they've lied about so much, it's impossible to be sure.
AFZ
The formal briefing from Monday included statements that he's fully engaged in Government after he'd been admitted to ICU - from Raab's statement on Monday 6 April - link to Gov.uk site. That was before Raab managed to let slip he hadn't spoken to the PM since Saturday in answer to questions.
Lying seems to be the order of the day.
(and that was hard work tracking back what's actually been said under the later accretions)