Cant see Raab getting the gig and many peoples favourite Tory, Sunak, may have emptied the UK's piggy bank by the time the next Leadership battle comes along.
It's going to be "interesting" times ahead for everyone and with millions more people likely to be jobless, throwing your cap into the Leadership race would be a brave thing to do, as it may be a very short lived premiership.

Mind you, Labour really need to get their act together or they will STILL be in opposition.

Well, as I posted this seven weeks ago I'd say I'm not far off the mark.

Looks like the political "gamble" to keep London in tier 2 has backfired in spectacular style.
There is talk of London moving into a tier 3 with added constraints, as cases have exploded.

Nice one Boris (again) !

Its been clear for a while that tier 2, and the relaxed behaviour of parts of the hospitality sector (admittedly anecdotally, but in Warrington at least there is plenty of suspect behaviour) doesn't do enough to keep levels down. So it seems inevitable that we will be in some kind of yo yo between tiers until the vaccination programme has reached the required level. Track and tracing would help alongside this but I think we have all given up on that ever being fit for purpose!

Northerners will be happy to see the cockneys being locked up for Xmas. I'm sure Burnham is enjoying a bubbly tonight on two fronts(Leigh and cockneys), albeit his naughty mate Kay has run off to Africa to avoid the press!

Why would anyone be happy with any of this, cockerneees have had the same regulations brought to them as others have received - nothing to celebrate in any way shape or form

Tbf, parts of London should have been in tier 3 already.
Their numbers were much worse than parts of the North and yet, once again, Bojo & Co have waited too long.
Hope you enjoyed your Scotch egg and eight pints though

Threatening head teachers who want to close schools before Xmas is ridiculous . Schools are one of the main drivers of Coviid particularly in London https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-how ... sf-twitter Having children at school for between 5 and 9 days before the government is allowing them to go and visit family all around the country is a recipe for disaster . Still a national lockdown in January will. Put the lid on the north south debate for a while. !!

Threatening head teachers who want to close schools before Xmas is ridiculous . Schools are one of the main drivers of Coviid particularly in London https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-how ... sf-twitter Having children at school for between 5 and 9 days before the government is allowing them to go and visit family all around the country is a recipe for disaster . Still a national lockdown in January will. Put the lid on the north south debate for a while. !!

Quote ="Durham Giant"Threatening head teachers who want to close schools before Xmas is ridiculous . Schools are one of the main drivers of Coviid particularly in London https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-how ... sf-twitter Having children at school for between 5 and 9 days before the government is allowing them to go and visit family all around the country is a recipe for disaster . Still a national lockdown in January will. Put the lid on the north south debate for a while. !!'" It was interesting to hear that at one of the "threatened" schools there are 1/3 of the pupils away from school, either with Covid or isolating and there were 23 teachers absent for the same reasons. Without actually being political (for once), it must be an absolute nightmare trying to manage pupils and staff etc and keep everyone safe. And getting back to politics. IF Bojo had lifted those areas into tier 3 at the appropriate time, perhaps it would have been easier to keep schools open

Quote ="Durham Giant"Threatening head teachers who want to close schools before Xmas is ridiculous . Schools are one of the main drivers of Coviid particularly in London https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-how ... sf-twitter Having children at school for between 5 and 9 days before the government is allowing them to go and visit family all around the country is a recipe for disaster . Still a national lockdown in January will. Put the lid on the north south debate for a while. !!'" It was interesting to hear that at one of the "threatened" schools there are 1/3 of the pupils away from school, either with Covid or isolating and there were 23 teachers absent for the same reasons. Without actually being political (for once), it must be an absolute nightmare trying to manage pupils and staff etc and keep everyone safe. And getting back to politics. IF Bojo had lifted those areas into tier 3 at the appropriate time, perhaps it would have been easier to keep schools open

My kids bot at secondary school have missed 7 weeks between them at school due to Covid cases and year groups having to isolate. That is 35% of teaching time during the last term . Why they could not all be sent home for the last 7 days to help reduce transmission dates prior to the Xmas free for allis beyond me

Were they not being continued to be taught during isolation, my understanding is that teachers have to provide the same teaching whether pupils are at school or at home, indeed I know of one teacher who was in isolation teaching the full class at school via Teams - obviously can’t be the same but they’d shouldn’t be losing anything like the teaching time you have indicated

Don't worry as Im out in Goves leafy Surrey, so its padded jackets, Hunters, real ale and scotch eggs this weekend.

Its ok saying parts had higher numbers etc, 1; areas are not broken down into parts, 2; it's not just about numbers........but you know that anyway

Yes they were being taught via Teams but it is not as good as the in person teaching they would have got. Also when teachers are off the classes may be taken by a teacher who is not specialised in that subject No alternative really but in poorer areas there are children who are not able to access this. Yet the government still won’t make decisions about what happens for exams next year. Not an issue for my kids but for those who, are taking exams it will be worrying.

Thought they had decided on next years GCSE exams, to be undertaken with specific assistant aids, advised of the exam subjects and able to take books in with them - grandson is in year 11 and is happy with this rather than year long assessments

The only reason London wasn’t in tier 3 is because of the pressure of Bojos mates.

No one in the north is sticking to the guidelines anyway lol

Pubs and restaurants closed where I am Jean, in what way is the north not complying

Plenty of examples in and around Warrington unfortunately, seeing lots of people from nearby tier 3 coming into Warrington and not sticking to the rules of tier 2 even where should not be mixing households indoor. Also, plenty of us in tier 2 that are ignoring the mixing indoors rules too. Pubs are doing things like 2 tapas for £2 and also just leaving empty plates on the table so you can sit and drink for the rest of the evening. All of this I have seen either on social media or friends/relatives telling me their own experiences. Not saying it is happening just in the north though, just my experiences.

Do they do those scotch eggs and real ale in a take away format

Could be a good way of getting around the hunting ban. Ride around with a satchel filled with ale and snacks and just accidentally kill a fox whilst delivering.

Hancocks got a cheek locking Surrey down bar Jeremy Hunts patch!!

I was out in the village earlier and one of the pubs was receiving a delivery!!

Numbers have risen 50% in the past week and we deserve nothing less.

Fortunately I'm within walking distance of the Hampshire border so can 'sneak' over!

that’s against the rules

It's ok, he's a tory loving southerner, they do what they want anyway

Not for much longer

I am sorry but Johnson is without doubt the most useless PM in modern history. He was warned not to relax Christmas too much but no he knew best, he wants to be liked. He was even stating last week that it would be inhuman to restrict families at Christmas because they will have made plans, but today in some areas you cannot mix at all in in others for Christmas day only.
The problem is that the cabinet is equally useless, last week the education secretary was threatening some councils if they shut schools early only to do the same but at the 11th hour on the last day of school. He also indicated that teachers may be needed for testing only for the school minister to say they won’t.

Bloody southerners ruining Christmas for everyone else !