I am obviously getting the hang of how this government operates.

lol
You cant claim any credit for predicting his next move.

Exaggerate, waffle, U turn.

I didn’t see the mutation of the algorithm, that’s a new one. I bet Starmer won’t know where to start at the first PM questions, he has so much material over a short period to work from.

All Starmer need to do is let Boris fall on his own sword.
Severely tested but, boy, has he been found wanting.

They called us bitter Socialists when such accusations were made pre the GE but.........................
Having said that, the very fact that Labour, in 10 years of opposition, couldn't organise themselves to defeat this shower, is warning itself.
The HAVE to find enough middle ground to appeal to the masses and then supplement this with some decent policies.

The real issue for the Tories, which hasn't even been brokered yet, is, just how and when will the accrued debt (which makes the last recession look like the good times) be paid for.

Huge unemployment, huge business failures, massively shrinking tax receipts and a debt that dwarfs anything seen in our lifetime,

All the noise is that Boris will abdicate in January, probably on "ill health" and then what ?

(oh yeah, let's not forget Brexit)

The debt will be paid down over decades - we will not be the only country in this situation.

Everything will be overlooked if the government start to get things right from now and that is the biggest challenge going forward.

Boris needs to upgrade his cabinet and quickly - the likes of Williamson have been found wanting and need binning, a line drawing under where we are and effective policies instigated and implemented. Understand the country's mood and work with it.

Immigration is still an issue, returning to normality i.e. going back to office - which is more about the commute than working in the office and the cost of it - something needs to be done.

Put the exams back a month but don't cancel them again etc. No more austerity but no huge increases in public sector pay either - achieve a balance - encourage voters to return to normal.

We have become a nation terrified of this virus - its bonkers

What I find a little strange is that, although the small local businesses need their regular customers, who may be those who work in town and city centres, with the importance of getting kids back to school, it would be more sensible to leave people working from home until the schools are "bedded back in".
This will help stress on public transport and also help ensure that we dont have to back track on schools.
Trying to get schools back, everyone back in their usual place of work, eating out etc, all at the same time is surely going to see cases rise and with so many towns and cities (especially up North) getting close to hitting new restrictions, "we" seem to be turning the tap to full, instead of increasing the flow at a sensible level.
It seems that there is genuine panic starting to set in over the economy but, if we move too quickly, we will end up going backwards instead of forward.

How long do you bed in schools - 3 months? if it takes that long most small businesses will be really suffering and as the furlough scheme will be ending we will see significant increases in unemployment. London looks to be in a terrible state - no doubt Mr Khan will be deflecting blame as usual!!

Do you extend the furlough on a 50/50 basis especially for certain industries e.g. travel, theatres etc?

We have relaxed the rules plenty and we haven't see a huge spike in infections/deaths?

The government cannot employ everyone - something has to happen and risks have to be taken if we are to avoid a huge impact on the economy

OK, tap on full it is then ??

You do remember the "R" number and if it gets pat one there is a problem ?
If we are saying this no longer applies then what the hell were the last 5 months all about.

I haven't advocated extending furlough,, merely suggested that while getting schools open, with the increase in traffic, movement of people and contact, perhaps it would be wise to leave those who can work effectively from home, working at home and for clarity, probably for 3/4 weeks not Infinium.

Of course there is a balance to be struck but, we've already had parts of West Yorkshire, greater Manchester and Leicester back on partial lockdown and that was without the movement/contact that will happen with schools fully open.

What I am saying is lockdown hasn't existed for 2 months at least and the infection rate and R rate hasn't increased in fact the opposite.

I never said you suggested extending the furlough - that was my suggestion. The last 5 months was about one thing and one thing only - protecting the NHS - there were news shows showing people in Italy in corridors and the government got scared because the NHS was such a pivotal topic in the GE everything was abandoned to protect it - wrongly in my view. We built used Nightingale hospitals everywhere but did nothing about educating children - why couldn't we have built Nightingale schools?

Exams should have gone ahead but the fixation with the NHS blinded this government.

The outbreaks in the areas you mentioned are a cultural issue with one small sector of society - again like the NHS the Islam is an issue that the government don't seem to want to tackle - sweatshops in Leicester, multi-generational housing and mixing etc. Don't see many outbreaks in other densely populated areas with differing cultural mixes?

Absolutely agree regarding exams, even if it had meant moving them back (a little).
You may be right about the outbreaks but, I'm not privy to the precise information so, wouldn't want to make those generalisations.

As for the R number, your wrong.

It has been increasing (slightly) over the last couple of months and is currently said to be between 0.9 and 1.1.
We are right on the line, hence my comments about how quickly the tap is being turned on.

For me, it's better to give schools those couple of weeks and try to ensure that more areas dont have further restrictions put upon them, than it is to have a mass return to work, school, eating out etc all at the same time.
If everything remains ok, then turn the tap a little more.
I would have thought that "we" would want the virus as much under control as possible as we move into the winter months.