Was speaking to my kids at the weekend. The return to school looks a mess on the face of it. Only 30 % capacity and so many regulations. My son is seriously thinking about not letting his two go to primary school. It all seems unbalanced with pubs, cinemas likely reopening sooner. Local councils blaming 5he government and government blaming council. Swinney needs to think again.
Completely agree. It’s not proportionate. Someone is playing silly buggers. Even now some schools are managing 121’s with kids over zoom and ‘virtual’ classes. Some are doing nothing, it’s not consistent even within district councils.Headmaster rang us last week and said he will keep our twins together but it will be only 2 days a week schooling. Despite our efforts, they are both seriously missing out on education, socialising and the routine and whilst i have been fully supportive of the government and its approach, if i can go to a shop in a few weeks time then my kids can go to school in my opinion and this needs to be sorted as the number one priority.
I have posted a number of times that in following the U.K. timescale for lockdown Sturgeon was too late. The same issues have been experienced in Scotland as in England around initial testing, care homes and PPE. The Scottish Government will have to face that in the subsequent enquiry. Could she have locked down earlier than England? Legally probably, politically very difficult at the time. Our track and trace now seems to be working ok albeit we are still short of detail. Her communication to the Scottish people has been very good compared to Westminster. Too many deaths though, particularly in care homes.Johnson and his government has come in for some stinging criticism (possibly justified) including many on this forum for not going into lockdown earlier. I just wondered whether that critism extended to Sturgeon and Drakeford and if not why not?
Unless I am wrong (and I sure someone will point out if I am lol) both Sturgeon and Drakeford had the powers to introduce the lock down earlier than Johnson if they wanted to to. They have a made a point of not following the UK s lead on lock down easing since. Both are in charge of their own healthcare systems with their own health care advisers?
Interested to hear thoughts on this?
I have posted a number of times that in following the U.K. timescale for lockdown Sturgeon was too late. The same issues have been experienced in Scotland as in England around initial testing, care homes and PPE. The Scottish Government will have to face that in the subsequent enquiry. Could she have locked down earlier than England? Legally probably, politically very difficult at the time. Our track and trace now seems to be working ok albeit we are still short of detail. Her communication to the Scottish people has been very good compared to Westminster. Too many deaths though, particularly in care homes.
Johnson and his government has come in for some stinging criticism (possibly justified) including many on this forum for not going into lockdown earlier. I just wondered whether that critism extended to Sturgeon and Drakeford and if not why not?
Unless I am wrong (and I sure someone will point out if I am lol) both Sturgeon and Drakeford had the powers to introduce the lock down earlier than Johnson if they wanted to to. They have a made a point of not following the UK s lead on lock down easing since. Both are in charge of their own healthcare systems with their own health care advisers?
Interested to hear thoughts on this?
Good Post, I didnt know a lot of that. thanks for replying.While I have not criticized the uk gov for not locking down earlier, and ive in fact openly welcomed their not locking down harder, nor do i have any intention of doing a one gov vs other who messed up less contest, i think its a valid point as well as a bit loaded.
For a start, they Did lock down earlier. And harder. Some measures by only a week, some more. Mass gatherings first, a good 11 days before the uk partial lockdown, smaller gatherings next, movement and visits next, travel to work after that, schools only 2 days before etc etc, construction sites up here were shut a good 2 weeks before anyone in England even clarified what should or shouldn't be open.
Now admittedly at the time i thought she was just trying to one-up Boris and make a political point, whether it be control or that she Can do better. In hindsight, i guess she was just acting more resolutely on the same advice.
I genuinely don't know what the powers truly are, but i know quite a few chose to follow the guidance that suited them, irrespective of political 'convictions'. I heard Yes badge wearing folk say 'well if Boris says its ok' and do things contrary to guidance here, and i heard life long tory voters agreeing with her.
As for the criticism, i'm not sure who you mean, the media, folk on here or folk in general, i'd perhaps agree I've seen somewhat more aimed at westminster, but that could simple be relative to the population and media presence respectively.
They also are not following uk's lockdown easing, being far more cautious, and phasing it much more slowly. I could list examples again, but ive already rambled on a fair bit.
One thing she couldn't do legally is control Scotland's borders. So she couldn't stop flights in as border control is Westminster jurisdiction. What she could have done is insist on all arrivals going through quarantine for two weeks as that is deemed a public health matter.Thanks for the response Saddleworth
One thing she couldn't do legally is control Scotland's borders. So she couldn't stop flights in as border control is Westminster jurisdiction. What she could have done is insist on all arrivals going through quarantine for two weeks as that is deemed a public health matter.
Some interesting stuff today, at her press conference she was quite clear that she wants to eradicate the virus from Scotland and the health advice is she could achieve that by September if infection rates continue to fall at current rates. No new deaths in three days and new cases are in single figures daily. She asked a question of Johnson publicly to confirm that his strategy for England was also to eradicate the virus. I am sure that he will answer yes and then just continue as he is. I can see a scenario if the R rate varies significantly between the two countries that she will insist on quarantine for England to Scotland visits.