Could you imagine how Prime Ministerial he'd come across as if he ever came to one of these news conference specials by announcing some details the countries population didnt already know about?

The government needs a coherent strategy - this just seems so knee jerk all the time. I get these are very difficult times but he seems completely out of control and out of his depth. Only announced on Tuesday we were going into tier 3 now we are not - its bonkers

If we having lockdowns make them proper lockdowns not this let's close all the place where people can get a release from all the stress. The only places where they have contained the virus are either islands with small populations e.g. NZ/Australia or countries with very strict state intervention.

First thing we could do is stop international travel - keep the virus contained here, isolate the vulnerable, contain students to their campus, allocate times when people can move around?

It's utterly unforgivable that the new lockdown didn't happen 6 weeks ago when it was recommended by Sage.
How many more people have become infected and how many more people have died (and will still die) as a result of the governments inaction.
Having failed to stop movement quickly enough in March, they've done it again. It's an absolute scandal.

Add to that the timing, when most retail businesses do the bulk of their businesses and now have to close, when the "Christmas Rush" would normally be in full effect, I'm (almost) speechless.

The level of planning seems really good too - announcing a news conference at 4.0 and finally making it in front of the cameras after 6.30. He must have run out of room on the back of his "fag packet" response to the pandemic.

Shower and schmidt spring to mind.

They had to see the end of the 6 Nations game!!

Even the WHO say lockdowns don't work - all it will do is push the problem further on as did the last lockdown.

The only two good thing is schools remaining open - kids need to be in school - and a return of the original Furlough.

To give Boris his due he didn't want it but I suspect Hancock has leaked it to force him into it. Expect to see Hunt as health secretary before the end of the lockdown.

Sadly the lockdown is unlikely to finish in December - more like March.

Nobody WANTS a lockdown.
Surely, it's whatever is best for the population and if there is to be a lockdown, move quickly and dont allow the numbers to get even further out of control.
Boris had the audacity to mock Starmer a few weeks ago, when he had suggested a "fire break" and now, he's had to go with it.
10,000 of extra cases and 1000's of needless deaths.

Schools remaining open is debatable but, just imaging if the lockdown had been while the half term was being taken



Johnson is responsible for more deaths than the UK most prolific killer and he doesn't give a toss.

Half term was a week - so kids would have missed at least another two weeks, even Starmer had to admit that schools would have had to close for more than the week - that is if the lockdown/breaker had actually worked. If not they could have off school again for months.

This isn't about what is best for the population it is about what is best for the NHS - simple as.

If the schools close will teachers be getting 80% like everyone else - that might concentrate some minds!!

Don't be silly, like the DWP staff and HMRC staff, offices closed but still on full pay (don't even get me started on the pensions that you and I could only ever dream of), all the LA staff, the list is endless. But the socialist idiots still think the pocket can become ever deeper. And you and I will end up paying for it, and them, and their work shy offspring.

Sounds like the politics of envy, to me.

Maybe they are on full pay because, you know, they are working from home? The clue is in the name - WORKING from home. I've been working from home since March. My Mac at home is set up identically to my Mac at work, and the two are fully synced with Google G Suite. I could go and work in the Bahamas if I wanted to.

I'd imagine they'd be on full pay considering they will be teaching whatever happens. Our trust has a system in place to cover classroom based learning, blended learning and online learning. Get with the times, Sal. Your little fantasy of teachers sat at home watching Cash in the Attic is just an illusion in your own head.

They are not WORKING at all, have you tried contacting them?

No, you just spout usual garbage, and I hope you do go to the Bahamas, and lose internet connection.

Even you admitted it - even through gritted teeth - they weren't working anything like they were when the schools were open. I think its a fantasy in your head that they are. The kids were getting 6 hours a week - compared to 6 hours a day so 20% even you can put 2+2 together and get 4?

Don't be silly, he can't even understand the reality of other people's direct experience, he'd have 80% income tax on anyone who earns above 20K

So, do you think that schools will function anything close to normality, either in terms of the curriculum on offer or, in relation to the number of kids attending and staff, able to work as normal ?
Why do you choose to single teachers out here, is it because, we all now appreciate the work done by the NHS and they are the next "easy target".
For many people, working from home, is a much easier option.
Where working from home is an option, the diligent ones, still put in a shift and make a good contribution for their employer but, lets not pretend that everyone working from home offers the same output as they do in the workplace.

It does seem to be accepted that teenage pupils and those approaching sixth form / uni, do indeed carry and pass on the virus and much as it doesn't suit your agenda, consideration should be given to teachers and pupils alike.

Just take a peek at the absentee numbers if you need to know anything else

However your "solution" is to insist that all schools carry on as "normal" regardless of the consequence.

You should probably take issue with your local MP and the government as to why, having agreed to fund some tech for kids that dont have any, they then slashed this agreed budget by 80% but, dont let this stop you with your tirade against the teaching profession.

Do you know what became of this case?

Commercial businesses fund themselves it is very likely that if there isn't the work then the commercial business will reduce the headcount. Most businesses have seen improvements in personnel working from home.

It seems to me most teachers are catching it from each other because the wont stay in their bubbles? School attendance is c88% not sure what a normal attendance would be c95%? How many kids are not allowed back because their parents are keeping them off school?

There are plenty of working environments where people are at risk yet they are continuing - why are teachers always the first to cry wolf!!

Teaching seems completely the opposite and they seem the only group wanting their place of work closed - but they also want 100% pay - go figure.

If the syllabus is the same for each exam board surely you can have the same on line lesson for all schools - Macbeth is the same no matter which school you go to - the text doesn't change.

How utterly out of touch with reality do you need to be to think that the real problem with the country are those grifting fat cat teachers, getting rich off the back of the rest of us.

When the rates were highest in the North only local lockdowns with 67% of wages paid but when it started to increase in the South, now a full lockdown with 80% of wages paid go figure.

Yep. When London was looking like getting out of hand, earlier in the year, the whole country was put in lockdown, despite some areas not really seeing lots of cases. When it started spreading, again, in the North, there were targetted lockdowns. Same old, same old. Protect London at all costs. 'Levelling up', they call it.

As a fellow public servant your dibbling support for work shy teachers and their union is duly noted.

I've explained several times to you that i've never worked in the public sector.
However I'm also not a complete jerk about it, thinking I'm better than other people despite having no idea what their jobs entail.

are you suggesting he, and the rest of us, don't know what teachers do? (or don't do)

And your blind acceptance of anything and everything done by a misguided Tory government is also noted.

I have said many times Boris has been a disaster, the handling of Covid has been really poor - kids being off school for months on end was the worst outcome possible. The idea that this could happen again is surely not acceptable to any civilised economy - they are the future and their development is paramount.

Close shops, close bars agree with all that - infections in universities has slowed dramatically - keep kids in school

I don't think I am any better than anyone else - but kids not being educated should be abhorrent to everyone and should be a last resort, not as the unions see it a first option in what is nothing more that a power battle with the government.

Mentioned in PMQ's yesterday - Leeds council, Labour run - have yet to distribute >50% of the computers provided by the government for them to supply to kids who can't afford them.

Why is this? Not enough kids need them or Leeds Labour council can't be bothered?

All you lefties on here can criticise Boris all you want over this issue but perhaps you need to look closer at home as to why kids haven't got what they should have. Perhaps if teachers where more interested in the well being of their students rather than each other this wouldn't have happened?