Tag Archives: Lockdown

It is welcome that all COVID restrictions in England (barring international travel and self-isolating requirements upon being “pinged” by the NHS app – which goes away on the 16th of August for those fully vaccinated and under 18) FINALLY go away today. Frankly, the restrictions have gone on way too …

There are two views of politics.  In the first the People are born free and the State intervenes to prevent oppression by powerful individuals and groups.  The purpose of the State is to protect freedom and the individual.  In the second view people are born into service to society and …

It is welcome news that Matt Hancock has resigned – though Boris Johnson should have sacked him. After all, as early as last year, he called him “f*cking hopeless.” Matt Hancock represents the worst in politicians – or rather yet human beings. This is a man who used his position …

By now, we are all well-versed in the health problems associated with Covid-19. But the knock-on effects in other areas of healthcare are only beginning to become clear more than a year after lockdown became the new normality. From difficulties faced by cancer patients to the mental health consequences of …

At last month’s Foundation for Education Development summit, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson revealed the government’s latest education agenda. While this roadmap to improve British schools and universities in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic envisaged germane proposals  to many issues, ranging from the £2.5-billion National Skills Fund to fund vocational …

Throughout 2020 the entire nation rose to the challenge of fighting covid-19. Everyone from kids to supermarket checkout staff has acted heroically in fighting this virus. As we look hopefully beyond the rolling lockdowns and national curbs on our freedom, I believe that 2021 can be an excellent year for …

In March I supported lockdown and I was rather dismissive of lockdown sceptics. I thought Covid was probably the worst pandemic for one hundred years. Shutting everything down for a few weeks seemed a reasonable response. I still think Covid is probably the worst pandemic for one hundred years. The …

I don’t recall demonstrations against the Scottish Government and Nicola Sturgeon.  It had begun to appear that Teflon Nicola was completely non-stick both in terms of her policies and in terms of whatever misdeeds the SNP got up to. The Scottish voters simply did not care. She could make a mess …

What could have been. Originally, Britain, led by a Prime Minister that called the mayor of Jaws his hero, intended to follow the “Swedish” strategy of trusting people’s common sense to tackle the coronavirus. However, the British government famously u-turned and decided instead to follow the extreme strategy of lockdown …

In every previous virus epidemic in history there was no lockdown. Neither in 1918-1919 (Spanish flu), nor 1957-1958 (Asian Flu) nor in 1968-1969 (Hong Kong Flu) did we attempt to prevent people from working or going to school. What if we had done the same this time? What if back …

The phrase of trial by media is pertinent from the last couple of days. I may only be in the adolescence phase of reading law, but I am sure in the fact that convictions come from trial by judge and jury and not by Owen Jones. I will be clear. …

Scotland entered lockdown at exactly the same time as the other parts of Britain. We did so because we were following the advice that had been given to the British Government by the SAGE committee of scientific experts. Boris Johnson announced a very cautious easing of this lockdown some time …

At first I was sceptical about how effective this lock down would be. I should say I remain highly sceptical about the effectiveness of this lockdown and its impact on slowing this virus. But that’s a discussion for another day. Today we should recognise the heroic effort of the British …

“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. The phrase from the United States’ Declaration of Independence which states our natural rights and which the executive is designed to protect and defend. Most governments all over the world are pursuing, as they see it, the continuation of life to the detriment …

It’s been a while.  I last posted a blog here, back in June 2018 and since then have managed to contain my utterings to 120 and then 240 characters but..  That just isn’t enough. What follows mostly applies to the UK but I suppose some will resonate in other countries. …