Not surprisingly I don't agree - either the vaccines work or they don't. Everywhere in Europe from July you can travel freely as long as you have had two jabs. What do we know that the likes of Germany, France, Italy Spain don't know?

The chances of a vaccine busting variant are miniscule - even in India this variant is now slowed down significantly in a country where vaccination is nowhere near at the levels we have.

To close the borders for ever because that is effectively what the last two posters are saying will impact commerce in this country in a permanent way for a virus that has killed 0.2% of the population many of whom would have died anyway - this is madness.

The idea of a zero Covid world is pie in the sky - we have to live with it in a normal fashion as we have done with other virus outbreaks e.g. Spanish Flu etc.

And yet, Wigan v Catalan this week is postponed, due to covid in the Wigan camp -

I love your optimism on vaccine busting variant's, somewhat premature, I think.

Every vaccine has an efficiency rate, and the efficiency of the covid vaccines is very high, however it seems each new variant is more resistant to the vaccine than the last, especially if you've only had 1 dose. The likelihood of further variants is increased the more it spreads, so we still need to maintain a level of caution, especially when talking about international travel, as most of the world is probably at the same point we were a few months ago with infections accelerating.

I highly doubt we'll see an increase in restrictions or another lockdown, but I'd also be very surprised if we reopen fully on 21st June also. I don't think we'll reopen until the schools and universities break up, at least.

Wigan. V Huddersfield apparently Giants camp has 5 positive tests.. apparently they all caught it playing Wakey a couple of weeks ago although I find that surprising as they seemed incapable of catching anything that day !1

Yeah, must have got it off each other on the bus coming over, as they never got near the Trinity players



On a serious note, the should be concern that players are becoming infected again. This had all gone very quiet until the relaxing of rules 3/4 weeks ago and we're on the brink of "open season" on the 21st June.
Thankfully serious infections are still very low. Mind you, they were 12 months or so ago and then the brown stuff hit the fan.

The Tories won the election and more people voted to leave the EU, why don't you accept that?

I have no choice other than to accept it.

However, there are still plenty of issues to be resolved on Brexit, not least the situation in N. Ireland, part of the UK that was literally thrown under the wheels of the Brexit bus, despite endless promises to the contrary by both Farage and Johnson.

The protocol in N. Ireland is not yet fully implemented and despite promises of a smooth transition and some kind of miracle technological solution, which still remains an idea in Michael Gove's head, my opinion (something which we are all free to express on an open forum) is that there is one hell of a schmidt storm to come, especially with Arlene Foster gone and a new, more radical, leader in her place.

Do you think that people should remain silent and be accepting of something that they feel is wrong or should they voice their opinion ?

For the record, so far Brexit has cost my business several £1000's, never mind the effects of covid) and whilst we adapt and change with the situation and remain successful, it was so bloody unnecessary (in my humble opinion).
There may be an upside at some point but, it certainly isn't evident yet, albeit, we are just a few months in to the new world.

Why are so many of the people who "won" and have so ruthlessly implemented everything they wanted so perpetually furious?

Moreover why are they so insecure that they can't cope with other people challenging their beliefs?

Any thoughts on weapons of mass destruction? Step forward and take a bow ,Blair and Campbell. I seem to remember they were something to do with the Labour Party.

No argument there. Although, in mitigation, it's hard to say no, when there is severe pressure from America.
Blair has become a pariah to many Labour supporters because of his actions on this issue supporters and rightly so.

Do you think that the Tories, would have acted any differently ??

However, the whole style of the Johnson premiership, is to bend the truth to breaking point or, just lie and then lie more to cover things when called out.

It's really strange that you find Blairs major failing as some kind of justification and validation for the new style of politics, a bit disappointing really.

Quite. The logic appears to be that because someone long out of power did something unforgivably stupid and deceitful 20 years ago we shouldn't hold to account the people currently in power for, over and over again, lying and diverting money to themselves and their friends.

It's terribly twisted logic but I guess it helps people who continue to support the Tory party sleep at night.

I don’t support the Tory party, chiefly because David Cameron cheerfully wiped out the dying embers of the Conservative party when he came into power. So there is no Tory party to support. In pointing out Blair’s WMD lies I am merely pointing out that political lies aren’t just confined to the Tory party. Almost forgotten Cleggs students tuition fees classic, obviously that didn’t hamper his career . Politicians don’t you just love them.

Both Cameron and Clegg lost their political careers for their failings and Blair is reviled in the history books for his. (Clegg, to be fair, was junior partner in a coalition which inevitably involved negotiating to secure only some of his party's priorities, although I agree they focussed on the wrong ones in the negotiations).

All faced electoral consequences for what they did wrong (Cameron jumped first rather than face up to his epic disasters).

I believe it's an overly cynical view to say all politicians are liars, most simply can't deliver what they genuinely want to.
Either way, it's irrelevant what leaders of the past have done if you refuse to demand high - or any - standards from the current leadership.

I personally think most politicians are a pretty poor group who will accept grace and favour from anyone. No doubt you would support repealing of union legislation if Corbyn had got in. What is the difference between Labour giving favours to their funders and the Tories giving favours to theirs?

Glass half full rather than glass half empty - even this variant is showing to be far less damaging than the Kent variant - death's yesterday 13, ICU occupants c80 hospitalisations <1,000.

I ask again why is the rest of Europe prepared to open up to double vaccinated people yet the UK will not - are we more likely to get infected than the Germans or the French?

Secondly when do you think we should open up foreign travel?

What a bizarre comparison.
The Tories are giving contracts and favours to their friends and family, how on earth is this comparable with repealing SOME union legislation.
There is no doubt hat the unions still have major influence over some of Labour's policy decisions but, your comparison is still rather desperate.

Giving billions of pounds of taxpayers money to their friends and family is EXACTLY the same as changing the laws to give workers more power against employers. It's obvious innit!

I never said all politicians are liars. The tragic consequences of Blair’s lies was the death of thousands of people, also destabilising the Middle East.
Your comment that it’s irrelevant what past leaders have done is unbelievable. You certainly have a unique view of life.

You don't seem to be able to understand a dependent clause and for that I am truly sorry.

TBF not many people would. Are all your thoughts complete?

Absolutely no need to apologise, we are truly grateful for an intellectual giant to drop in and lecture us on the vagaries of the English language.
You may be able to help me with another matter, some braggart was on here the other day boasting about being the author of two books.
What’s the correct social etiquette response to this outstanding achievement, prostration on the ground in sheer admiration?

Who stands to gain from either decision - it is the funders of both of these parties. The unions gain significantly more than just mere money - they gain power and influence which would be far more costly than anything the Tories have given away. Unions were suggesting 15% pay increase in the NHS - that would cost c£5bn a year and that would be just for starters especially if Labour nationalised everything!!. As sleazy as the Tories have been those costs are dwarfed by these numbers

Sometimes I struggle to understand your one dimensional thought process and Ghost too - but perhaps as a non-lefty I am no privy to that higher level of thinking (sic)

You think the people who stand to benefit from a pay rise for NHS workers aren't primarily the people who would get a pay rise? Most of whom don't earn very much??

Your point remains a ridiculous false equivalency I'm afraid.

Who pays for it - no doubt ordinary tax payers - it has to be funded somehow?

It wont only be the NHS it will all public sector - do you think the likes of Unison, GMB and Unite are going to accept 0% when the NHS has had 15%? - your point remains naive and typical of your inability to see the wider picture - pretty typical of the vast majority of your posts.

The unions wil ask for a 10% pay increase for public sector workers (that isn't including teachers, or the NHS, as they're negotiated separately), as they do every year, but they will receive between 1% and 2%, as they do most years. They received a 2.5% annual increase a couple of years ago, which is the highest increase by far since the early 2000s.
Yes, unions have influence over the public sector, but the power they actually have is greatly overstated.