Your not counting the one day they said they did meet it (honest) as being real are you? That was one hell of a twist.



Loved laughing at Michael Gove praising Matt Hancocks amazing achievement! Pure comedy!

It's like they're watching Trump and his cronies and thinking "hey, they're getting away with it, well have some of that!".

"Getting away with it" is the Johnson mantra - hoping not to get found out for their failings and despite listening to the science, the UK has the second highest covid 19 deaths in the world, behind the USA and although India will probably surpass both the UK and USA and there are some discrepancies in how each country collates it's figures, this doesn't make for great reading.



Despite the much hailed 100,000 tests a day, specifically on the 30th April

, the UK has fallen short.



It's still way to early to apportion blame and there is no doubt that it will be the scientists in the firing line, with Boris & Co absolving themselves of ANY responsibility, it is ultimately the fault of our government.

Even when our death rates are undeniably bad, Raab still manages to throw in some curve ball about the different ways in which other countries might be counting their deaths. It was almost like he was saying "yes, our death rates are high, but we're counting them properly. Are the other countries counting theirs properly?" It's that imperialist, Tory arrogance again, the one which Backwoodsman said was a 'tired, stale cliche'. "We're British. We're the best. We're right. Everyone else is just messing about".



For once, I wish they'd just concentrate on the situation here, and stop using the "hey look! a squirrel!" distraction tactic. It just appeals to the whataboutery brigade who will no doubt be spending their day parroting endless lines of "whatabout Italy, are they counting it right?", "whatabout Germany, are they counting it right?"



No doubt Cronus will be along shortly to explain the counting methods of each and every country, and why his beloved Raab is right on this one.

He's just running it past Mrs Flashman first, hopefully, for her sake, while she's still asleep.

Between them, they are making a right mess of the situation.



We had longer to prepare, absolutely hid behind our inability to test people, with Hancock spewing nonsense about the quality of the available tests, despite Germany, China, South Korea etc, etc all being comfortable with the tests that they were carrying out. Yet again, they have misled the public to absolve themselves of their responsibilities.



Cronus and Sal will be along to claim this is just "spin", you know, like Alistair Campbell did for Blair but, Boris and Cummings are prepared to mis lead all of us.



As the UK deaths continue to surpass those who we deem "equal" to the UK, they will eventually run out of excuses bur, at what cost, in both lives and livelihoods.

I agree with you the Government have not done well here and it will hurt them in the future - what they have got to do now is get everything right from now - release from lockdown and getting the economy up and running are key.

I'd have more respect for them if they were open, honest, and actually managing the situation. Instead, they're managing the message. Even today, we get another dead cat in Neil Ferguson's stepping down. The right wing papers have all lead with this story, despite the fact it happened a month ago. It's almost like they've been saving it up for a bad news day. Is it just coincidence they break the story as the UK registers the highest death toll in Europe? What's more important? A woman calling in on Neil Ferguson for a bit of nookie, or the UK's death rate hitting the highest in Europe? It's a tough one! Don't ever say newspapers don't direct the narrative.

Correct - And the admission from Patrick Valance that the government were too slow on testing etc. is demoted to a 1inch piece!!!!

Releasing the lockdown may put us right back to square one.

They need to get urgent help into care homes, in terms of testing and adequate PPE and stop telling fecking lies.



Hancock and his "no reliable test" is an absolute bloody disgrace.



Remember at the start, when we were told that "keeping deaths below 20,000 would be a good outcome" ?

What happens when they pass 50,000, which they may already have ??



If you look at how many people normally die at this time of year and compare 2020 with the past 5 years, there is one hell of a gap between the "usual" figure and this year, even when you take account of the numbers that the government are admitting to.



Now, either it's a very unfortunate year or, we aren't being told the truth and with Boris and Cummings "running" the show and the probability is that, the numbers losing their lives to covid 19 are being massively underestimated and in the absence of any meaningful tests, it will all be open to conjecture, which probably suits the government.



Of course, I'm just a "leftie" having a rant so feel free to dismiss my comments (as usual) but, you know that I'm right.



I remember certain posters ridiculing my comments when I suggested that the UK's death toll would surpass Italy, France and Spain but, guess what, we've proved that we are no 1 in Europe after all.

Their circulation is so low compared to TV and social there influence is no where near what it once was. If the radio and TV didn't lead with it then it would be a non-story

I agree with a lot of what you are saying but we cannot stay in lockdown forever - millions will lose their jobs over this and the despair that will cause could dwarf even the 50k deaths. There has to be a trade-off and we have to accept when we loosen lockdown there is a chance of greater infections.



This is a very densely populated country and the lockdown has become less effective every week - the population will decide when lockdown ends, the best thing the government can do is set out a schedule that finishes at the end of May otherwise the general public wont support it. Not a chance you can enforce social distancing at nursery, primary and junior schools so you either accept that or kids don't get educated which is unacceptable.



If we accept the difference between normal death rate and new death rate as being Covid related how far is that off the figures being quoted. If you accept there are people not being recorded because of no tests then you have to accept people being recorded as having Covid that haven't - or do you think its only one way?

How many do you think are being recorded as Covid that havent had the virus ?? I'll go for very, very few.

As for the other way around, you do the math and if the vast majority of additional deaths are not covid related, then what do you think is killing everyone this year.



As for lockdown, it really is simple.



If it was worth having the lockdown initially then surely "we" have to see it through or, what was the point.



Personally, I believe that we should recognise the most vulnerable groups and protect them as much as possible -as we have done since lockdown began and for those less at risk, yes, get them back to work. Although there are major issues with all forms of public transport, which personally, I would avoid at all costs - easy if you live up north but, for those in London and some other major cities, this will be much harder.

Also, for those that can work from home, it should continue for some little while and will very likely be something that many people will both get used to and have to get used to.



Obviously regular and frequent reviews on how this changes anything.



Social distancing to continue



As for sport, I dont know what happens - the only option for the foreseeable future is behind closed doors and stream the events but, whether this is commercially workable, I really dont know.

Bojo announced 200000 tests daily available at the end of May

Test track trace app being tested in IOW

No major PPE issues being raised

Nightingdale hospitals being mothballed

Figures reducing; both deaths and new cases



Bojo and his team doing a great job as we move to the phased unlock

Thanks for the update Laura.

Got to be a WUM.



Nobody is that thick.

I believe they call it triggering nowadays.

Over to Peckham it is then ...

It says something about our actions that the failures are being pointed out in many other countries including the USA of all places.

Too late

Too late

Too late

I wouldn't celebrate too quickly

Too late and not quick enough



Highest number of deaths in europe

650 deaths a day still and your celebrating !!!!



Astonishing



Ask Bojo now about his speech in February

Where he said the UK would grasp this opportunity, take off its Clark Kent spectacles and emerge out of the phone Booth like Superman whilst everyone else was running away, we would meet this head on and take the opportunities it presented.

The government financially seem to have done a lot of good, that doesnt excuse a lot of the mistakes they have made.

The "Trump light" approach to their briefings/attitude and insistence of staying on message no matter what is awful and right out of the Bannon/Trump playbook.

You sir, have a sick sense of humour.

The country with the most time to prepare for the pandemic, has the highest death toll in Europe.



You are VERY easily pleased - Boris & co have made a right cock of this so far and the UK is starting to race away with the title of worst response to the covid19 pandemic.



I'm just surprised that you believe anything that this government tells us.

100,000 daily tests has been hit twice and only by counting tests that were "in the post" and not with tests that have actually been done





As I said, VERY easily pleased

Have you seen how quick he's become the fall guy?

Yes it was yesterday's news and the numbers of deaths keep going up - the government cannot avoid the facts.



Nobody is talking about it today are they?

I would say its easy to put deaths down to Covid - the errors want be in the 10 they will be in hundreds.



On lockdown how long will we need to be in lockdown to see it through - until we get a vaccine? Kids have to be educated this cannot continue much longer - its a trade off kids education v old people dying.



I agree re public transport but if we stagger when people come to work and continue the work from home - which I think will be a major factor going forward and we encourage kids to walk to school then the pressure on public services will be lessened.



As for the vulnerable - old people cannot be isolated forever - they have a life too - and if we are honest most know and are fully accepting of the risks - they just want whatever is left of their life to be lived as they see fit.



Testing/track and trace needs to be ramped up - we are coming into the summer when these viruses are less of a challenge perhaps it is a good time to build up so immunity before the cold comes again. Seems to have worked OK in Sweden?

Maybe all the trade off fans, who are justifying the deaths with positives, should provide the names of 1 or 2 of their family/friends who they are willing to see die for their beliefs?

Collateral damage like the tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi women and children, innit.

It's a bit harder to take for some when its within the confines of their own Little England.