Mind the gap

One of the dangers of a political world that expects absolute loyalty to fixed views of the world and roundly condemns dissenting or sceptical voices is it creates a bigger and bigger gap between what people say they believe and what they imply they believe by what they actually do. This can be particularly true of the many politicians and senior officials who lecture us on climate change and the virus.

Today we see this in the long term issue of green transformation, and in the shorter term issue of how we should respond to the virus. Polls show a high degree of agreement with the Green movement propositions that climate change is real and a serious threat to our lives and livelihoods. There is also agreement with governments pursuing policies to lower carbon dioxide output. People do not want to be seen to disagree with the establishment consensus.

This makes it curious that most people are not rushing out to buy an electric car or to trade in their diesel for a bicycle. There are no queues to replace the gas or oil boiler in the home with an electric system based on renewable power or heat pumps. Those who do take up cycling – and many do – are usually doing so as a leisure or keep fit activity, not as a way of getting children to school, going to work or picking up food from the shops. Prior to the virus many MPs and others were happy both to tell pollsters something more needed to be done about climate change, whilst continuing to book their foreign holiday jet flights, renew their internal combustion engine vehicle, continue with a meat and dairy based diet and buy products that had been shipped half way round the world to get to them.

I remember the ultimate irony when I went to a pre CV 19 meeting in London to hear the case for more electric cars. I asked the leading advocate about his own car buying habits. Without any sense of shame he told me he had not got around to buying an electric vehicle and had no plans to.

All this suggests that people do not think the threat of climate change is so great that they need to make much if any change in their own behaviours.

The polls on CV 19 show that 71% of the UK public are concerned or very concerned about CV 19 for themselves, and 87% are similarly concerned about CV 19’s impact on the country as a whole. There has been majority support for lock downs, quarantines and early closing of hospitality venues.

Yet the recently released Kings College London study of public responses to the measures from March to August shows that only 18% of those suspecting they have the virus did actually self isolate, and only 11% of those contacted by Test and Trace to alert them to recent exposure to the virus stayed at home as requested. The study concludes that many people just find the need to stay at home with no ability to go to work, go to the shops or see friends and relatives too difficult. It may not be affordable, it may prevent looking after the people they care for, or it may be too stressful. Clearly whilst acknowledging CV 19 is a threat they do not think their own chances of getting the serious form of the disease are high enough to require them to comply with the isolation guidance.

334 Comments

  1. GilesB
    September 27, 2020

    Fish rot from the head.

    Lying politicians have set a bad example. Egregiously when they stand on a manifesto that they do not agree with and do not intend to support.

    This should not be just a case of being sacked as an MP. It is a criminal deception, voter fraud that should lead to fines and imprisonment.

    Giving up the party whip before voting against a manifesto commitment is not sufficient. They must not vote against, or risk criminal prosecution.

    1. turboterrier
      September 27, 2020

      +1 Trust and credibility has gone that is if it was ever there in the first place

      1. Hope
        September 27, 2020

        JR, it is called group think.

        MSM helping creating fear- like the govt taking out front page adverts in every paper!

        Govt was content to let 18 million people fly in during lock down, plane loads from virus hot spots without test or trace because it claimed it made no difference. It makes an absolute mockery of its decision for local lock downs!

        One poll you might be interested in is Labour ahead of Fake Tories.

        Give people the facts and let them choose, it is called democracy.

      2. Hope
        September 27, 2020

        Excellent cogent analysis by Lord Sumption today. It would pay your govt. to read it and act upon it straight away.

      3. Hope
        September 27, 2020

        1984 Health Act was designed to quarantine infectious people. Not lock up healthy people. This act is in accord with historical practice.

        The govt is deliberately using the wrong legislation to avoid accountability.

        1. glen cullen
          September 27, 2020

          Agree

    2. Original Chris
      September 27, 2020

      Yes, Giles B, and worse still is Tory MPs apparently standing by while the transformation of our society by the Left, in the person of Boris Johnson, is being effected. The MPs should be fighting to repeal the Act, not just tweaking it. They should stand firm against this grab by the Left of our freedoms and rights, and against the agenda (which is well under way) to completely transform our lives/way of life.

      Do not be fooled and think because Boris Johnson is labelled “Tory” that this takeover of our society is not happening, and, critically, that it is not planned. It is, and very swiftly, and we have got to take action. Write again to MPs before Wednesday, as Hitchens in his excellent M o S article suggests:

      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-8776033/PETER-HITCHENS-Boris-great-idea-Burn-house-TWICE-rid-wasps-nest.html Excerpts below:

      “Johnson was never compelled to strangle the economy and turn daily life into a crime. He chose to do it
.”
      “His actions make nonsense of his words. It was the same when he said: ‘I am deeply, spiritually reluctant to make any of these impositions, or infringe anyone’s freedom.’ No he is not. If he was, he would have listened to the many brilliant experts whose wise counsel he has ignored from the start, such as Sunetra Gupta, John Lee and Carl Heneghan
.”

    3. Martin in Cardiff
      September 27, 2020

      Actually, I don’t think that our Government are any more morally degenerate than a large proportion of the electorate are, not that that is any cause for rejoicing in the least.

      So I don’t accept your analogy about rotting fish for the country.

      1. Margaret Brandreth-
        September 27, 2020

        I agree there

      2. Edward2
        September 27, 2020

        That’s where you lefties go wrong.
        You feel you are intellectually superior.
        Then you want to control us plebs.

      3. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        Certainly they are more sound than you.

  2. Lifelogic
    September 27, 2020

    Indeed.

    You say “Polls show a high degree of agreement with the Green movement propositions that climate change is real and a serious threat to our lives and livelihoods.”

    Well of course “climate changes” the climate has always changed and always will do and it can be a serious threat to our lives and livelihoods. As of course can many other things volcanoes, earth quakes, asteroid impacts, viruses and bacteria …….Who could disagree with this? I certainly do not? But this does not mean that mankind is the main driver of it and that a climate catastrophe is round the corner. Still less does it mean that spending ÂŁbillions on renewable, electric cars, heat pumps and the likes will make any significant different and is sensible. These think will not even make any significant change to CO2 levels.

    We are currently actually in a dearth of CO2 by historical standards. Levels have been up to 10 times more than current levels.

    Of course climate changes (and of course black lives and indeed all lives matter). But the agenda behind these slogans is very different indeed and often profoundly damaging and evil. There are far far more sensible ways to spend money than an idiotic war against plant food.

    1. Lifelogic
      September 27, 2020

      See “How to Spend $75 Billion to Make the World a Better Place by Bjþrn Lomborg for some sense on this. Though even he is rather too taken in the alarmists idiotic agenda in my view.

      But perhaps he is just playing along for political reasons to have more effect?

      1. wes
        September 27, 2020

        Better still read “False Alarm” by Bjorn Lomborg.

        1. Hope
          September 27, 2020

          Brain wash people enough they believe anything. Emperor’s clothes! Hence govt disgracefully brainwashing children of tender years to believe a man can be a woman! Scientifically impossible but your govt. is brainwashing children exactly that. Those who disagree will be punished!

          Get out of office, your govt not fit for purpose. To go along with it makes you equally responsible for this disgraceful conduct.

      2. Original Chris
        September 27, 2020

        Lifelogic, I believe it will not be that long before the whole global warming/climate change agenda will be revealed for the scam that I think it is – a massive money generating and laundering exercise to enrich the PTB and to finance their one world government/new world order agenda, and a method of controlling the populace who they will regulate heavily and tax mercilessly. With UN Agenda 21 and 2030 the people will be pushing bikes up the hill, in the name of sustainability, while those at the top will have those extra fancy unaffordable electric cars.
        China (CCP) very much has an interest in the one world government agenda of the globalists and it is not coincidental that they have apparently effected significant infiltration of/influence on our society and government departments. I suspect they ultimately have plans to run the one world government themselves (see the degree of CCP influence over the WHO, one of the global governance organisations that the globalists promote). The CCP funding and influence on the WHO is apparently mainly why P Trump has stopped funding the WHO).
        Questions have to be asked of our MPs.
        When is Johnson going to firmly and irrevocably remove Huawei from 5G (I do not refer to vague promises).
        Why is Huawei apparently still being allowed to go ahead and build Imperial College technical hub, installing 5G?
        What is the influence of the CCP on parliamentarians and the civil service? What are the activities of that special group of (Tory Mps apparently) who are apparently pushing hard to get CCP far more involved in industry and technology and education in the UK?
        If you do not have any qualms or do not believe how the CCP operates through infiltration, see the wonderful speech by USA Secretary of State Pompeo to State Governors about the infiltration of American society and government and education (and Hollywood) by the CCP. He quoted from a document which had been drawn up by a CCP think tank of all the State Governors, categorising them according to their degree of amenability i.e how “cooperative” theywere with the CCP. Pompeo was basically saying he knew which Democrat and other State Governors were apparently working with/for the CCP, or could be recruited. It is a great speech, with key remarks at 3.28 approx.
        Youtube video entitled:
        “US States and the China Competition: Secretary Pompeo’s Remarks to the NGA”
        Feb 8th 2020

        1. Lifelogic
          September 27, 2020

          I hope you are right and it will “not be long” but no sign of much sanity as yet. Huge majorities in the UK parliament for this war on plant food lunacy. Even in New Zealand 119 of 120 MPs voted to pass their Zero Carbon Bill last year. Politics seems to appeal in the main to scientifically ignorant, virtue-signalling dopes with degrees in things like law and PPE. People who suffer from group think and a desire to order other people about.

          The MPs get to virtue signal and everyone else get to pay for their ignorance & stupidity.

          1. Original Chris
            September 27, 2020

            Lifelogic, America will be first to be delivered by President Trump from the corrupt globalists and their one world government goal (with such scam se.g. global warming being an essential multibillion dollar source of finance).

            What happens in America in November, when P Trump hopefully wins, will have huge knock on effects in this country, and for the good. We will have to be patient, but in the meanwhile the Marxist globalists will continue to wreak havoc here unless the Tory MPs can mount a belated attack.

        2. rose
          September 27, 2020

          I read somewhere that the CCP is adept at seducing our Conservative MPs and top civil servants, not with actual sums of money, but by making them feel really special. Lobster canapes on arrival at the airport etc.

        3. fedupsoutherner
          September 28, 2020

          Original Chris

          After reading your post I looked up the CCP and was amazed at what I was reading. Trump certainly doesn’t get everything wrong!
          Chinas influence and corruption is weadling its way into many aspects of Western society and it’s not good news.

    2. Ian Wragg
      September 27, 2020

      It’s like the polls in America people won’t openly admit to supporting Trump. People we all know who work particularly in the public sector don’t admit to voting Conservative or their offence of being continually fed a diet of LGBT propaganda.
      People understand the climate changes and realise that windmills don’t work and electric cars are useless except for short commutes.
      We returned from the south coast yesterday. 482 miles round trip, and still indicating 84 miles left in the tank.
      What’s happening with Covid is a naked power grab by politicians trying to force through unpopular policies.
      There will be insurrection before Christmas and you deserve all you get.

      1. Hope
        September 27, 2020

        Ian,
        Same for university lecturers who will not admit to vote to leave EU or be conservative, it is a job protection not to say your views. The anti liberal bunch smear, name call and derived anyone who does not share their view.

        I suspect the same culture exists at the BBC.

        1. Narrow Shoulders
          September 27, 2020

          Similar tot hat grain company that painted a train in rainbow colours. Was everyone too afraid to say, “this is a bad idea”?

          1. Narrow Shoulders
            September 27, 2020

            “to the train company”

            Read before posting, sorry

      2. Martin in Cardiff
        September 27, 2020

        Insurrection?

        Like Farage’s “march of the hundred thousand” you mean?

        What went wrong there then?

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          September 27, 2020

          Nothing dear, we won!

      3. No Longer Anonymous
        September 27, 2020

        I expect Boris will be out of office by January and the Tory government will not last the next year.

        Insurrection is coming from a myriad of sources, including the Tory voting base.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          September 27, 2020

          Depends who replaces Boris. He needs to go as soon as we have the candidate we want lined up. A true Tory can turn this around, it will take brilliance, that’s why there is only 1 candidate as far as I am concerned.

    3. Original Chris
      September 27, 2020

      Lifelogic, I believe it will not be that long before the whole global warming/climate change agenda will be revealed for the scam that I think it is – a massive money generating and laundering exercise to enrich the PTB and to finance their one world government/new world order agenda, and a method of controlling the populace who they will regulate heavily and tax mercilessly. With UN Agenda 21 and 2030 the people will be pushing bikes up the hill, in the name of sustainability, while those at the top will have those extra fancy unaffordable electric cars.

      China (CCP) very much has an interest in the one world government agenda of the globalists and it is not coincidental that they have apparently effected significant infiltration of/influence on our society and government departments. I suspect they ultimately have plans to run the one world government themselves (see the degree of CCP influence over the WHO, one of the global governance organisations that the globalists promote). The CCP funding and influence on the WHO is apparently mainly why P Trump has stopped funding the WHO).

      Questions have to be asked of our MPs.
      When is Johnson going to firmly and irrevocably remove Huawei from 5G (I do not refer to vague promises).
      Why is Huawei apparently still being allowed to go ahead and build Imperial College technical hub, installing 5G?
      What is the influence of the CCP on parliamentarians and the civil service? What are the activities of that special group of (Tory Mps apparently) who are apparently pushing hard to get CCP far more involved in industry and technology and education in the UK?

      If you do not have any qualms or do not believe how the CCP operates through infiltration, see the wonderful speech by USA Secretary of State Pompeo to State Governors about the infiltration of American society and government and education (and Hollywood) by the CCP. He quoted from a document which had been drawn up by a CCP think tank of all the State Governors, categorising them according to their degree of amenability i.e how “cooperative” theywere with the CCP. Pompeo was basically saying he knew which Democrat and other State Governors were apparently working with/for the CCP, or could be recruited. It is a great speech, with key remarks at 3.28 approx.
      Youtube video entitled:
      “US States and the China Competition: Secretary Pompeo’s Remarks to the NGA”
      Feb 8th 2020

    4. DavidJ
      September 27, 2020

      The wholesale swallowing of the Green Nonsense is simply means of exerting an unacceptable level of control over us. Those enforcing it would be more at home in a communist dictatorship, along with their globalist pals.

  3. agricola
    September 27, 2020

    Peoples actual decisions on the electric vehicle are logical. It is expensive to buy, batteries are not green, recharging is slow, range is inadequate, facilities for re-charging are scarce, and overall a scheme dreamt up by the usual bunch of scientific and engineering illiterates in Psrliament and the civil service. There are viable sensible alternatives.

    Climate change in the UK is a positive thing. A more agreable outdoor life and a greater range of home grown produce. Once we accept that climate changing is normal and not a doomsday new religion, life can adopt to it.

    Unconnected with CC is the way we treat the planet. Much can be done to stop fouling it and to clean it up as the Japanese are begining to demonstrate. Mans wonton behaviour is more likely to destroy the planet than any shift in nature such as climate. The sun drives climate, man fouls the environment.

    1. Lifelogic
      September 27, 2020

      Indeed a typical electric car might only use circa ÂŁ3,000 of electricity during its lifetime even less before the fist battery needs replacing. Plus this There is almost certainly more fossil fuel energy using the manufacture or the vehicles and batteries. For most people with current technology and costs they make very little sense. Keep you old far more flexible car until the politicians force you to change. Just as the fools tried to do with condensing boilers and those horrible compact florescent lamps.

      They are not zero emission they are at best emissions elsewhere vehicles. In the manufacture, the mines for the battery and other materials, from the tyres and at the power station.

      1. Lifelogic
        September 27, 2020

        Keeping your old vehicle is nearly always greener too.

        1. Fred H
          September 27, 2020

          and MOT being one of the best measures to protect us.

        2. Mark
          September 27, 2020

          So many strands coming together – social media issues, XR and BLM ( with the police non-action), mishandling Covid, Green blob etc.

          Of course, this can’t be heading for a global government/great reset – that’s just conspiracy theory.

          Until you see the title for the World Economic Forum conference early next year….hiding in plain sight !!

          https://www.weforum.org/press/2020/06/the-great-reset-a-unique-twin-summit-to-begin-2021/

    2. turboterrier
      September 27, 2020

      +1

    3. SM
      September 27, 2020

      Agricola – well said, thank you.

    4. Julian Flood
      September 27, 2020

      “overall a scheme dreamt up by the usual bunch of scientific and engineering illiterates in Parliament and the civil service. “

      When the Minister for Energy and Climate change doesn’t realise that electricity has to be stored if it doesn’t get used straight away – yes, really, I saw it with my own eyes – and those proposing a hydrogen economy don’t understand that it would be about as safe as a smart motorway, then you get some idea of the science deficit in current mainstream politicians. There are a few exceptions but the rule seems to be that history, classics or (above all) PPE trump any STEM subject.

      “There are viable sensible alternatives. “

      Indeed there are. For example, convert large vehicles like buses, HGVs etc to run on compressed natural gas – minimal NOX, vanishingly small particulate emissions and the fuel is under our feet. Too sensible?

      JF

      1. Lifelogic
        September 27, 2020

        +1

      2. DaveK
        September 27, 2020

        Also ensure all diesel vehicles have AdBlu systems fitted.

    5. DavidJ
      September 27, 2020

      Agreed.

  4. Lifelogic
    September 27, 2020

    The problem we now have (in the UK and much of the world) is that governments, charities, the BBC, the foolish Greta, Lucas, Attenborough, Carney and Prince Charles types, the hypocrites, do as I say not as I do dopes and actresses and the many bent or deluded “climate” scientists have convinced much of the largely unscientific public that a war against CO2 is a sensible thing to waste £billions of tax payers’ money on when it clearly is not.

    Politicians then have to play to this deluded crowd as we saw with the lunacy of the climate change act, Paris accord and the net zero carbon agenda. One good think this virus could do would be to kill this misguided religion dead.

    Get Charles Moore, Peter Lilley, Matt Ridley, Paul Dacre types to sort out the BBC propaganda outfit on this and their many other issues. They are wrong and hugely biased on almost everything.

    Does anyone really think that the best way to stop forest fires is to cut manmade CO2 emissions by a tiny amount in world terms. This rather than managing the forests better? If I lived near one I certainly would not be remotely impressed by the former. Even if it worked (which it won’t) it would take very many years.

    1. fedupsoutherner
      September 27, 2020

      Great post L/L. I watched Boris going on about how Britain was going to be a leader in green initiatives and become the Saudi Arabia of wind power. I’ve heard that for years from Alex Salmond who was a keen advocate of wind power. Wind power in Scotland has caused so much heart ache for people who have no choce but to live near the damn things but they have also been the cause of bankruptcy for some. Scotland still imports a lot of power from England when the wind doesn’t blow. We need gas power stations to be able to ramp up when necessary. Without them the lights will go out. Climate change is happening but nothing we can do will change it. All Boris is going to do is bankrupt the economy and push people further down the road into poverty. Yes, we would all love to think we could control nature and stop some of the consequences of climate change and so we all nod our heads to the fantasy but the reality is that most people wont’ be able to afford the changes the governments wants us to make to our lives. We moved into our house which is old just over a year ago and we have just put in a new highly efficient oil boiler. We don’t have gas and my husband is dead against electric boilers which are not as efficient as oil or gas. Our electric bill has gone up twice in the space of a few months and changing doesn’t reallly make that much difference to the price. Everyone I know is concerned about their electric bill and although we have solar panels we haven’t got ÂŁ1k to fix them at the moment so are having to pay a larger bill. It’s all stuff and nonsense John and during a time like this where we are having to worry about tax rises and job losses then I’m afraid green issues are the last things on most people’s minds.

      1. Lifelogic
        September 27, 2020

        +1

  5. VirusMicromanagement
    September 27, 2020

    Message from Peter Hitchens. Daily Mail


    It’s time for MPs to do their jobs

    ON Wednesday, Parliament must vote to renew or ditch the dictatorial Coronavirus Bill, which it enacted in a sort of mesmerised trance, without a vote, half a year ago.

    It should scrap this nasty, despotic thing. And you can help. You need to email your MPs now, in large numbers. Do not try to reason with them.

    Be polite, brief and acid. Say you have noticed that MPs have ceased to do the job for which they are paid more than ÂŁ80,000 a year.

    They are not representing you. They have let hundreds of thousands of jobs be destroyed without a squeak of protest.

    1. Lifelogic
      September 27, 2020

      Indeed. But destroying real jobs, creating parasitic ones and damaging overall living standards is what politicians and government have been doing for many years. All done by excessive taxation, a bloated and largely unproductive state sector, endless misguided red tape, unfair competition and virtual dire monopolies in health care, schools, universities, the BBC …. they should spend 20% of GDP not waste nearly 50%.

      Can the police really still retire on 60% of full pay after 30 years (perhaps at under 50) for perhaps another 20-60 years living off other tax payers?

      1. JoolsB
        September 27, 2020

        Totally agree. The state sector needs a huge cull including politicians. And definitely time to end early retirement and over generous tax payer funded pensions. Let them be subjected to the markets the same as those of us in the private sector. I agree it’s ludicrous that policemen can retire in their 40s after having served their 30 years but don’t expect any changes from this pathetic useless spineless Government too frit to stand up to the unions. Far easier to pick on the wealth creating private sector instead.

      2. Ed M
        September 27, 2020

        @Lifelogic,

        I agree, taxation should be at around 20% – but there would be anarchy in this country is you tried to achieve this politically and the anarchy would cost the country a lot more in the outcome.

        I am a Tory but Mr Starmer has come up with the best Tory snapshot manifesto I’ve ever heard: PATRIOTISM + FAMILY.

        There’s lots of scientific evidence to show that strong families = less mental and physical health and so less cost on NHS and increased productivity and less crime etc .. And patriotism of course is a virtue that is ancient and medieval in origin.

        To bring taxation down to 20% is ultimately down to culture / education / values of people – not politics. Politics can do a bit but it if tries and does too much —> anarchy from one degree to another that always costs country more in long-term – money, morale and more.

        The Tories should be focusing on PATRIOTISM and FAMILY – do everything to strengthen the family – to allow people in their families to get married and start a family etc .. Above all else.

        We need to return more to our Greco-Roman / Judaeo-Christian origins / history to achieve this. A radical return to Edmund Burke. Modern secular values, in particular since The Enlightenment and the 19th and 20th centuries have failed us to an important degree (but not completely either).

        1. Ed M
          September 27, 2020

          ‘Mr Starmer’ – Sir (Keith) Starmer

      3. No Longer Anonymous
        September 27, 2020

        ÂŁ130k lump sum. ÂŁ25k a year pension. Retired at 50 (which is the new 40 – long before ageing) … how much would you need to win in a lottery to generate this sort of return from a bank account ?

        ÂŁ1m ???

        My Dad drew his pension for more years than he served !

    2. Sir Patrick Vaccine
      September 27, 2020

      get writing to your MPs

      1. Anonymous
        September 27, 2020

        get writing to your MPs

        ….
        ok

      2. JoolsB
        September 27, 2020

        Who will probably take no notice and just pull a blanket reply out of the drawer as usual. That’s if they can be bothered to reply at all. Their loyalty is to their career paths and their party, certainly not their constituents.

        1. Lynn Atkinson
          September 27, 2020

          No they don’t. I have contacted 60 who I know personally. I am telling them the public reaction. I’m confirming to them their own observations. They ditched Thatcher because they thought she would lose an election. Boris is much easier to ditch.
          We must all work on the replacement, I a m demanding Redwood. I don’t care whether I or they would like to go to down a pint with him – we need him because this is such a bloody mess only he has the gravitas and ability to put us out!

          1. Hope
            September 28, 2020

            Lynne,
            JR is one of a few conservatives left in his party. They do not want him or his like. Any other society would seek his wisdom and advice from him and other experienced talented people. This does not exist in the Fake Tory party. It has been clear for 20 years. Stop hoping for the impossible and got for change.

    3. Mary M.
      September 27, 2020

      Repeal the Coronavirus Act 2020.

      Go to https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/313310 and click on ‘Sign this petition’ if you want the Coronavirus Act 2020 to be properly debated in Parliament next Wednesday.

      As I write, the petition has only 59,051 signatures – an increase of about 18,000 since last Tuesday, but still not enough. Tell all who value democracy.

      It is down to Speaker Lindsay Hoyle to allow the debate.

      100,000 signatures are needed for it to be considered for discussion in Parliament.

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        Good post

    4. James Bertram
      September 27, 2020

      Funnily enough, I sent this email to my Guildford MP a few days ago:

      ‘I note that you are not one of the 40 Conservative backbenchers who are signatories to the Brady Amendment on the repeal of the Coronavirus Act 2020.

      For a further 6 months are you content as our elected representative not to do the job you are paid for – to uphold the workings of democracy, and to subject government legislation to robust debate and scrutiny? Is it that you do not have the courage to visibly support this amendment that strives to return democracy to this country? Do you intend to keep your head down and sit on the fence over the most important issue of our lifetime – a free nation? Please explain.’

      I shall publicise widely how she votes on the matter (vote this Wednesday?)

    5. No Longer Anonymous
      September 27, 2020

      Peter Hitchens is a MUST read today.

      “Boris burnt the house down twice in order to get rid of a wasp nest, then stands in the ashes and blames everyone else.” Great stuff.

      It transpires that people have been dying in large numbers doing their duty to avoid CV19.

      One suspects the usual Tory blanket ban rather than target those clearly breaching lockdown. Everyone gets hit with a sugar tax, for example.

      (Even I’ve been doing my bit with CV19 despite not agreeing with it and hating having my face covered.)

    6. Original Chris
      September 27, 2020

      Clarification re my above comment “They will increase for a while as was expected when lockdown measures were slackened in the summer…) “They” refers to the number of cases.

  6. Mark B
    September 27, 2020

    Good morning.

    Governments should not be run via opinion polls. This is a Blairite concept. The only opinion poll that matters is the one where we all get a chance to vote on the pledges made by all the parties. YOUR party won Sir John with a handsome majority. Its pledges included, cutting immigration and getting BREXIT done. It did not include banning ICE vehicles and hybrids.

    If one was to conduct an opinion poll on Public Services and ask; Q1 “Do you believe the government should deliver better Public Services ?” I am sure than answer would be an unequivocal, “YES !” Then if you then asked the same people; Q2 “Would you support government spending more on Public Services ?” Again, I am sure than answer would be an unequivocal, “YES !” Then if you were to ask them; Q3 “So you support tax rises and are prepared to pay for it ?” I am sure most people would not, and that is the same with Climate Change and all the other guff. Nice and easy to support all these so called good causes, that is until you inform people of the cost. And that last bit is the part of the equation or the question that is never discussed or asked. Our screens are filled with loaded images of Polar Bears on ice block and falling lumps of ice, or people in hospital corridors and pictures of crying children etc.

    It is easy to sit here behind a keyboard and be a cynic, much harder for an MP with constituents to please and reassure, this I admit. But an MP has the position of being able to hold the government to account and it is that that is so crucial. Currently, this isn’t, and never really has, been happening.

    In this information age it is becoming harder for governments to fob people off with stuff like; “A pound in your pocket.” from the late Harold Wilson. See link below for an example of what I mean. It’s from the Commons Library 😉 People back then could be bamboozled, not now. Only the ignorant and, sadly, there are far too many of those.

    PS My elderly neighbours who I pop in to do some gardening for are beginning to suffer mentally. They have hardly been out since this all began. I am certain there are others. Sir John, this must stop !

    https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/pound-in-your-pocket-devaluation-50-years-on/

    1. acorn
      September 27, 2020

      This is a perfect moment for JR and his Diary’s denialist commenters, to team up with two other alt-right buffoons, Farage and Fox. Fox is raising funds for his “Reclaim” party, a sort of “UKIP for culture”. UKIP you will remember, was the BNP disguised by wearing jackets and ties.

      “Fresh off the back of claims Laurence Fox is planning to launch a new political party which will contradict the Tory stance on Covid-19, Nigel Farage has said he could also form a new party to oppose the government’s “authoritarian” measures.

      The Brexit Party leader(?) has added pressure on prime minister Boris Johnson by claiming the new measures are a threat to freedom, as sceptics fear a new lockdown to deal with the coronavirus.” (HT: The New European)

      As the only one who has actually been elected, JR could consolidate the whole of the above, into the “Live-and-Let-Die: How to Kill Granny and Grandad with a Virus Party”.

  7. agricola
    September 27, 2020

    As to the gap, it is increasing between the governed and those who would govern. A fact well demonstrated by Nigel Farage in his none parliamentary career. He was everywhere but parliament, but he conducted proceedings with a talent that shook the establishment to the core.

    Until there is greater democracy in the way we are governed the gap will increase. I see Extinction Rebellion and the flag wavers outside parliament as a symptom of the weaknesses. They thrive because of the brake on democracy. Do you see the present system of vested interests allowing further referendums after the trauma caused by the last one. Yet Switzerland lives by referendas on major questions and thrives in every sense. Whether we accept it or not, we a travelling through a period of great political change occasioned by the ever increasing information available to all.

    1. Andy
      September 27, 2020

      We are travelling through a period of great political change. Sadly it’s mostly due to the ever increasing amount of disinformation available to many.

      Far too many people now confuse opinion with fact.

      1. Edward2
        September 27, 2020

        Have a look at some facts on extinctioclock.org

        1. Edward2
          September 27, 2020

          Typo
          extinctionclock.org
          Missed off the “n”

        2. acorn
          September 27, 2020

          Christ Eddy, you can’t even spell the URL correctly.

          1. Edward2
            September 27, 2020

            It’s just a typo acorn
            Relax yourself.
            You lefties are so serious.

          2. Andy
            September 27, 2020

            Yeah – your problem would be believing idiots.

          3. Edward2
            September 27, 2020

            I believe less idiots than you Andy
            You believe everything you are told.
            Keep an open mind.
            Possibly too late for you.

      2. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        What great change? Politicians and Governments have always been a terrible let-down. Excepting dear Maggie for a few years perhaps.

    2. Mark
      September 27, 2020

      A problem is the increasing misinformation available to all, and the lack of education in how to distinguish between facts and fiction. The majority can thus easily swallow propaganda on issues such as climate, and reinforce their beliefs because they find a handful among those who do not swallow climate propaganda appear to have swallowed some other propaganda, like the idea that the moon landings never really happened.

  8. Peter
    September 27, 2020

    There are also huge gaps within populations on what they believe about the issues mentioned and also what they do. One of my sisters is terrified of the consequences covid might have on her husband’s health. As a consequence she is shielding and fearful of what she sees as the lax behaviour of others.

    Yesterday in Trafalgar Square there was a large gathering of people who do not believe covid is a major threat to health and ignored official health advice about social distancing and wearing masks.

    In the case of covid the government not only expects ‘absolute loyalty to fixed views’ but rigorously enforces it with police intervention to forcefully arrest, disperse and fine protesters.

    Other protests are not forcefully policed. On the contrary, the establishment openly displays sympathy towards them. Mobs are allowed to vandalise statues while police look on sympathetically or kneel down before them.

    None of this will end well.

    1. steve
      September 27, 2020

      Peter

      “Yesterday in Trafalgar Square there was a large gathering of people who do not believe covid is a major threat to health and ignored official health advice about social distancing and wearing masks.”

      Water cannon would sort that out. Or just simply lock them down on the spot and make them stay where they are for two weeks.

      They’re really kicking off because they don’t like a tory government and they don’t like brexit, both of which exist because of democratic majority vote.

      ‘Stop brexit’ gobs moved onto the latest anti-tory cause, is what they are.

      1. Northern Monkey
        September 27, 2020

        I’m not sure that you are correct, Steve.

        I like both Brexit (no deal, for preference!) and a conservative government.

        I don’t like an authoritarian, interfering nanny state which has vastly overstated the danger of covid-19 to the healthy majority of the country and which fails to protect adequately the vulnerable – the elderly and those with co-morbidities including disease of the immune system and lungs, and is prepared to let many others did without treatment so that facilities can be maintained in a state of readiness for a second wave of deaths that is not coming.

        I particularly don’t like a government that has lost sight of its identity.

        O for a conservative Conservative government!

        1. JoolsB
          September 27, 2020

          Totally agree Northern Monkey. The party calling themselves Conservative have been anything but for a long time – since 1990 to be accurate. Maybe it’s time to start voting for a party that isn’t called Conservative but is far more Conservative in values than the current bunch of pretenders. I.e. any party Nigel Farage represents by the next election.

        2. steve
          September 27, 2020

          Northern Monkey

          “I don’t like an authoritarian, interfering nanny state”

          You have Labour / Blair to thank for that.

          Boris must have one hand tied behind his back….doesn’t matter what he does the left and it’s liberal bum chums will always moan whinge and throw their toys out of the pram.

          We need a massive change in this country, the kind of change that will put the great back in Britain. Unfortunately the left wing disease is everywhere, and until someone comes up with a magic wand it will take time.

          My personal view is such that for the moment I am cutting Boris some slack, his job entails a level of stress that would break most people, however….so much as one concession to the French – led ungrateful EU or RoI, and my vote goes elsewhere at the next election.

          For now I am accepting the loss of some freedoms, but for me the conservatives are still on probation.

      2. Philip P.
        September 27, 2020

        Steve: As London mayor, Johnson bought water cannon vehicles from Germany for over ÂŁ320,000. Like you, he obviously felt that that was the right treatment for people who might disagree with him.

        Then he discovered too late that their use was not licensed on the UK mainland. They had to be sold for scrap in 2018 for ÂŁ11,000.

        Good to know the country’s in the hands of someone like that, isn’t it? ‘Not diligent’, as Lord Sumption rightly called him.

        1. Hope
          September 27, 2020

          PP, Not quite. One May did not give the license and one akhan dto diddydumps to scrap it. Criticism by all means but at least make sure your facts are correct.

          1. Sea Warrior
            September 27, 2020

            A wise project planner would have secured the permission before contracting for the purchase – and the mayor, or his staff, should have checked.
            Personally, I’m sick and tired of demonstrators infringing on the rights of others. Water-cannoning – especially with winter looming – gives a quicker result than ‘kettling’.

        2. Fred H
          September 27, 2020

          they didn’t have to be scrapped – the new Mayor did that!
          Why not licence them?

          1. rose
            September 27, 2020

            They were the only ones on the Mainland and it was criminal of Khan to get rid of them. As for Mrs May…she was just trying to belittle Boris as usual, as was Khan. How petty these two are which Boris never is.

        3. steve
          September 27, 2020

          Phillip P

          Electro-cardiac disruption (tasers) is classified as an instrument of torture and therefore illegal under international treaty.

          I’m sure they could manage the odd water cannon now & then.

      3. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        seems a long time since we had a Tory government – haven’t they noticed?

        1. Fred H
          September 27, 2020

          wot! not published?

      4. Christine
        September 27, 2020

        Some of the most ardent Brexiteers are against the lockdown and the loss of our liberties. They see the nonsense of most of the Government’s policies and the long-term damage being done to our economy. It’s as if we are being prepared for a Brexit sell out with powers being put in place to quell the civil unrest that would ensue.

        1. steve
          September 27, 2020

          Christine

          Yes it’s an interesting hypothesis, that could indeed turn out to be credible. Often wondered that myself.

          Unfortunately we’ll just have to wait and see if theres a bombshell due in January.

          If there is any sell out, then the conservatives will be out of power – and they won’t be needing a general election before they leave.

          Until then Boris should be given a fair chance, in my opinion.

      5. NBH
        September 27, 2020

        Where is your evidence for this ill-informed rant? Were you there?

      6. Peter
        September 27, 2020

        I don’t see the Trafalgar Square demonstration as being part of an anti-Tory or anti-Brexit Movement.

        Unlike other demonstrations that the police have ignored this one does not attract funding from globalists. This demonstration would hinder policies that increase control over populations.

        The fact that there was no pre-planned violence made it easier for police to break up. However action generates reaction. There was a photograph in the media of a woman in a tweed suit(not typical antifa attire) being knocked to the ground by police. I have been unable to find the related video. Protesters say they get removed from YouTube.

        The Sun has already taken sides. ‘Cops’ v ‘Thugs’ in the shorter words they think suitable for their readership.

        There has been no real debate on covid measures just high handed instructions from a government that seems as if it is not quite sure what it is doing.

        Covid was always going to draw criticism for any government. It is just a question of how much criticism, how long it continues and whether it builds. The omens are not good.

    2. steve
      September 27, 2020

      Peter

      “Other protests are not forcefully policed. On the contrary, the establishment openly displays sympathy towards them. Mobs are allowed to vandalise statues while police look on sympathetically or kneel down before them.

      None of this will end well.”

      History repeats, Peter. Just not necessarily in the same place.

  9. Jim
    September 27, 2020

    “All this suggests that people do not think the threat of climate change is so great that they need to make much if any change in their own behaviours”.

    You are an intelligent man Sir John and know perfectly well that electric cars are at best a niche product and that replacing a quiet small gas boiler with a large noisy heat pump on the exterior is expensive, inconvenient and ugly. You are being a bit disengenuous.

    The ‘Green’ product offerings have too many disadvantages. They may get better over time but possibly not. Government may force up the price of convenient things like fossil fuels but realistically many people cannot afford to change.

    The snag is that science has not come up with any good and affordable alternative to fossil fuels, this is not science’s fault, to do so may be impossible. In which case going Green becomes a political problem and so far going Green is not in the self-interest of any politician – hence you blame the self interest of ordinary people.

    Your government is offering households money to ‘go greener’ but no money for the one thing that would make a difference – a new boiler. Government plainly thinks the threat of climate change is not so serious as to help with something useful.

    1. graham1946
      September 27, 2020

      It’s not just the boiler – for heat pumps run at low constant temperatures and need larger radiators, electric boilers need the old water radiators removed and replaced with glorified electric storage heaters – they were a disaster the first time they were mooted. I had them and chucked them out in favour of a wet system . But the real kicker is that whatever we do in the UK to ruin our lives and our economy, it won’t make the slightest bit if measurable difference to the world. China and Asia will carry on dwarfing our output. It is all virtue signaling of the worst kind and any MP suggesting these drastic measures should be voted out. Problem there is that our young have been indoctrinated with this stuff and so it won’t happen.

  10. Lynn Atkinson
    September 27, 2020

    Yep. They also always say that taxes should ‘go up’ in polls, because it makes them look kind. But they always vote for lower taxes.
    I am ruthlessly honest with myself, and find that my really honest responses give me a pretty good idea of how other people feel and will vote.
    That’s why a secret ballot is critical and must be defended at all costs, with postal and proxy ballots severely limited.
    And we find even the ‘red wall’ like conservative politics so long as it is not called Conservative – or if they are desperate, even if …

    1. Lifelogic
      September 27, 2020

      People often do want higher taxes but usually only for everyone earning more than they do.

      Politicians nearly always promise lower taxes before elections (for all the but top 10% or something) and promise better public services. Post election they invariably deliver higher taxes for nearly everyone, even worse public services, more expensive green crap and more and more red tape just for good measure.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        The State sector which live off taxes want higher taxes, because it means they get more. But taxpayers are afraid of stating openly that they want lower taxes. So when you canvass they say what they need to say to look ‘kind’.
        I always discount that when canvassing. That’s why I predicted our Tory vote to within .1% when I was the sub-agent at a by-election (which we lost) and within .3% at the subsequent GE – where we won the seat.
        My prediction was so accurate and unexpected that the opposition Candidate came to congratulate me. His people were way off…

  11. Richard1
    September 27, 2020

    Indeed peoples’ humbug is extraordinary. Some of the most strident ‘greens’ I know spend much time (or did pre Covid) flying around the world, drive large gas-guzzling cars, and generally make no changes at all which would actually impact their lifestyles. In a way it’s heartening as it shows their revealed opinions, as opposed to their stated ones, to be that apocalyptic end of the world is nigh climate warnings are BS.

  12. Sakara Gold
    September 27, 2020

    The EV issue is a question of cost and the lack of charging infrastructure. Many ex-labour voter families rely on a cheap petrol “run-around” to do the school run, go shopping or get to work.

    Bring the cost of an EV down and instal the charging infrastructure and people will buy.

    1. steve
      September 27, 2020

      Sakara Gold

      “The EV issue is a question of cost and the lack of charging infrastructure. ”

      More the fact that the entire concept is practically useless and inhibits freedom.

      “Bring the cost of an EV down and instal the charging infrastructure and people will buy.”

      I’d only buy if it was a gas turbine hybrid. Though in my opinion EV is doomed to distant memory as was LPG.

      1. Lifelogic
        September 27, 2020

        When they work people will buy them without the government ramming them down their throats. People happily buy led lighting now.

        A shame governments & the EU foolishly rammed those horrible and mercury filled compact florescent lamps on to everyone!

      2. Julian Flood
        September 27, 2020

        A re-heated Avon as used in the Lightning should make a nice school run vehicle.

        JF

        1. Mark B
          September 27, 2020

          I was once in a minibus (RAF Binbrook) waiting for a Lighting to take off. It nearly shook it to bits. Oh happy days 🙂

          1. Fred H
            September 28, 2020

            oh! and Concorde flying overhead twice a day.
            We’d pop outside to watch it and marvel at it.
            Noise? Pah!

      3. Mark
        September 27, 2020

        In reality LPG was supply driven. There was plentiful supply from the North Sea oilfields and a need to develop markets for it, with chemical demand for chemical derivatives (polypropylene, SBR rubber, etc.) being limited. It has the benefit of being cleaner burning than petrol, but the penalty of lower mpg and the cost of converting your engine and installing a large tank in the boot. It pays off for high mileage drivers who don’t need a boot.

        1. Mark
          September 27, 2020

          Of course it attracts a much lower duty rate – about half that on diesel and petrol if I remember correctly. I passed a station advertising it at 79ppl, compared with 112ppl for petrol recently.

        2. Alan Jutson
          September 27, 2020

          Mark

          I considered a conversion 20 years ago when I purchased a brand new 4 x 4 Pick up truck.

          Cost to convert then was ÂŁ2,000 with not many garages offering LPG at the time, thus I did not go for it.
          I worked out that best case scenario would be 80,000 miles before a break even point was reached, (if government did not increase the tax on it) so judged that ÂŁ2,000 at the time could earn a more significant return if it was invested in my business.

          20 years later truck has now done 120,000 miles, LPG still not readily available in most cases, so no regrets.

          Also my last information was LPG vehicles not allowed to use the channel tunnel or the ferries.

          1. Fred H
            September 27, 2020

            a silver lining!

    2. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      The EV development must be a private concern – not a penny of taxpayers money should be used – we don’t fund petrol forecourt stations

.not a penny

  13. Iain Gill
    September 27, 2020

    So Boris is giving the WHO more money, excuse me while I throw up. The government is clearly hell bent on making itself more unelectable than labour.

    1. Fred H
      September 27, 2020

      another in the long, long Covid damage done to brains.
      Poor Boris who is likely to be castigated forever after ignominious defeat, resulting from succumbing to the mind altering virus.

      1. graham1946
        September 27, 2020

        I think it’s the mind altering ray that seems to exist in Downing Street. I’ve said it for years – every PM goes in with good ideas and soon succumbs to it. It’s a true old adage, no matter who you vote for the government gets in – i.e. the civil service stopping things they don’t like and promoting their agenda. Better to have a complete clear out every election of MP’s and advisors and senior civil service. Promote a few of the lower orders based upon talent rather than accent, school or university or degree studied and get rid of the knighthoods for doing a well paid secure job.

        1. Alan Jutson
          September 27, 2020

          Graham that same ray you speak of also seemed to affect all those who attended EU meetings abroad.

          They all seemed to change mindset from supporting the UK to supporting the EU on almost every issue.

          Nigel Farage the only real exception.

        2. Fred H
          September 27, 2020

          what a breath of fresh air – – it’ll never catch on.

      2. Original Chris
        September 27, 2020

        I have got to the point of thinking that Johnson is not ill but succumbing to the power/influence of the globalists and doing their bidding. I think he has always been a globalist, despite purporting to be a fervent Brexiteer, but he has changed and he looks hunted almost and as though he is reading a script. This is not original Boris that we are seeing.

        The globalist deep state, call them what you will, operate through pressure on politicians. Could it be that they had enough on Boris to be able to pressure him to change course in the early days from herd immunity policy to lockdown (and to continue now with lockdown, maybe for 6 months, seizing people’s rights and freedoms, and ruling by ministerial decrees, with no scrutiny by Parliament)

    2. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      I’m sure there’s a good reason the USA is stopping funding to the WHO – are we saying they’re wrong (its not corrupt or in league with china)

    3. The Prangwizard
      September 27, 2020

      Prime Minister.

      Please explain why, when the country is, in effect bankrupt brought forward with your policies, it is sensible to borrow more money in order then to give it away abroad.

      I don’t want you to take my money to pay back such debt.

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        We gave ÂŁ67million to china to educate the idea of democracy 2019 – telegraph

        Has this country lost the plot

  14. Adam
    September 27, 2020

    Earth’s tilted axis causes climate change.
    Extinction Rebellion supporters would have more effect if they all went to the North Pole and leant the other way.
    Instead they create hot air, but at least they have to breathe in first, which might help filter some of the toxic fumes.

    1. Bryan Harris
      September 27, 2020

      @Adam – Nice one

      I keep asking when the ruling class will wake up to the lies behind climate change … Yet they still buy seafront properties — perhaps they know something after all

      1. Lifelogic
        September 27, 2020

        +1. Just them by they actions not what they say – rather like most politicians.

        1. Lifelogic
          September 27, 2020

          Judge them!

    2. steve
      September 27, 2020

      Adam

      “Extinction Rebellion supporters would have more effect if they all went to the North Pole and leant the other way.”

      If I had my way I’d send them to the North Pole, then put them in lockdown.

    3. Lifelogic
      September 27, 2020

      Millions of things and many complex interactions cause climate change in various directions. C02 is merely one of them and a rather minor one. Anth. CO2 an even more minor one.

      Furthermore CO2 has several very beneficial effects in greening the planet. On balance probably it is a net positive to have some more CO2. The world overall will not agree overall to reduce CO2 anyway so we will find out how positive or otherwise it is anyway.

      1. Bryan Harris
        September 27, 2020

        ++

    4. Timaction
      September 27, 2020

      Indeed. Milanovich cycles. The Earth’s tilt, orbit, tectonic plates and intensity of the Sun are the main drivers of climate change. Other local changes occur due to manmade use of land. The rain forests being the most inactive at the moment. Mass migration also encourages flooding as do EU directives of not dredging our rivers. How are the the Government doing with the boat people at Dover. How many has Priti useless removed? The Government the people on many issues.

  15. Sea Warrior
    September 27, 2020

    Listening to R5 this morning, I was struck by a report from inside one of the locked-down student halls of residence that stated that students were treating the whole thing as the opportunity for a big party, with social distancing cast aside as some were trying to infect the uninfected. That only reinforces my belief that university, for many, isn’t a maturing process but more of a delaying-maturing process. There’s an obvious need for more public hygiene advertising – aimed at the young. I saw one TV ad, produced for the Scottish government, that was very good.
    Back to cars: on the excellent ‘Five Live Science’ this morning, a report on how hybrids don’t live up to the hype, as many drivers stay in petrol mode and then lug a battery and electric motor around, unused. I believe Clarkson exposed the poor performance of one particular hybrid about a decade ago.

    1. rose
      September 27, 2020

      Let them all catch it and get it over with.

  16. kenneth
    September 27, 2020

    The environment needs conservation – not grand schemes.

    If we practised conservation:

    – re-using instead of recycling;
    – heating people and not buildings;
    etc

    …we would save money while protecting the environment.

    Good environmental policy should align with good economic policy and should not require any coercion.

    Instead of listening to Greenpeace’s grand schemes and the weird propaganda on the BBC, we should practice conservation.

    1. Ian Turner
      September 27, 2020

      Agreed – I feel much more strongly about plastic in our Oceans than any concerns about Carbon emissions.

      We live in a consumerist age. If you really want to limit carbon then start to re-pair and re-use, rather than re-cycle. We used to make things that lasted but now design things to have a limited lifetime. Do I need to scrap a perfectly good car because the ECU fails and cannot be replaced, or a washing machine because the bearings are gone but cannot be replaced (because the body is spot welded around them)?

    2. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      Good environmental policy is following the wishes of the majority voters and not the minority lobby groups – there’s a reason why the green party only have one MP

    3. No Longer Anonymous
      September 27, 2020

      We tried to.

      We told the Tories time and again that we wanted a smaller population with smaller families.

      Major threw the borders open and they haven’t been closed since.

      They have ignored the mandates they have been given repeatedly. Always saying when they are elected “Ah. But now we must think of the people who didn’t vote for us.”

      Labour never reciprocates when they win.

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        +1

    4. Bryan Harris
      September 27, 2020

      +++

      Like glass bottles instead of plastic

  17. Leslie Singleton
    September 27, 2020

    Dear Sir John–An individual decision on say an electric car is obviously not going to make even the slightest difference to what, if it exists at all, is a global concern. Till electric vehicles become compulsory there will be no change on that front.

  18. DaveM
    September 27, 2020

    When I joined the Royal Marines nearly 30 years ago, I knew that there was a risk of death or injury. I knew because I learned about what RMs did and I accepted that risk. I didn’t have to – I could have chosen a safer profession. But having accepted the risk I exercised appropriate caution when necessary and in many cases was – quite frankly – lucky. I have also made sure I didn’t expose my colleagues and subordinates to unnecessary risk by taking sensible decisions based on knowledge and fact. As a result I’ve enjoyed a long, successful and enjoyable career.

    If I had a serious physical ailment which I know would be acerbated by contracting CV-19 (a virus which I now know about in terms of risk of transmission etc) I would have the choice as to whether I took the risk of socialising, going to crowded areas, and so on, and if I chose to take those risks I know the mitigating actions to take in order to minimise them.

    What the PM is doing is locking all his troops in barracks (not the ones used by illegal immigrants I hope) during a benign conflict, because he’s terrified that one of them might get hurt. And in the process he’s destroying morale, causing angst amongst the troops, and wasting away their lives when they’re itching to get out and get on with it and are aware of the risks and dangers (and have made the choice to take the risk).

    I am hoping that you and your backbench colleagues can bring some sanity this week and persuade the PM that the two boffins who seem to have hypnotised him into a fearful trance are not offering balanced advice. Rather they are skewing scientific data in order to lock the country down and destroy lives in order to eradicate a virus which is not only harmless to the vast majority but which is unlikely ever to be deleted.

    Have a lovely Sunday.

    1. Mark B
      September 27, 2020

      Cheers DaveM and have a lovely Sunday yourself.

    2. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      +1 Agree – I believe Boris is in fear of being seen as doing nothing – but he made the wrong call

      Still haven’t seen any university student taken to hospital or died due to covid-19……but the media ould have you believe they’re dropping like flys

    3. No Longer Anonymous
      September 27, 2020

      +1

      And I’m in awe of the Royal Marines. The entry tests are brutal enough ! Goodness knows what a 9 mile speed march or a 30 miler must be like after months of sleep deprivation, injury, hunger and general discomfort.

  19. Bob Dixon
    September 27, 2020

    Earths climate has changed many times over millions of years without any imput from the human race.Are we responsible for the mild winters we are experiencing for the last 20 years?
    We need to change course on Covid restrictions before the economy is ruined beyond repair.

    1. Nigel
      September 27, 2020

      The Romans were growing grapes as far north as Leicester. Think about it!

    2. Sea Warrior
      September 27, 2020

      Indeed. I can remember scientists warning of an impending Ice Age, about thirty years ago.

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        +1

      2. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        they were indicating 1000 years time at the earliest.

    3. Bryan Harris
      September 27, 2020

      +++

  20. Bryan Harris
    September 27, 2020

    A bit of a mixed message, but some points to agree with.
    If so many agree with imposed restrictions, why do they break them so easily? Perhaps it is because they see CV as a threat, but the remedies imposed are unreal to them, despite having some agreement with them?

    My position is:
    a) the virus is very real and a threat to life;
    b) there are steps one can take at a personal level to reduce that threat;
    c) were I to get CV symptoms, I would isolate, but I’d also increase the use of remedies open to me that the government is not talking about;
    d) likewise, if I die due to CV then it will be my own responsibility.

    The ceaseless news and adverts about CV are enough to make anyone question what is going on — WE all know how fake the BBC is with it’s own agenda, making most believe that CV is over-hyped.

    Either the government is confused or working with wrong data/advice, or they are deliberately using this virus to get us ready for what is to come — We should have a poll on those 3 possibilities.

    1. Ian @Barkham
      September 27, 2020

      Perhaps even, people don’t like being dictated to by an authoritarian regime. Yet when simple asked the majority will heed advice.

      Those that are at the forefront of spreading it just don’t care, it isn’t them, and if by accident should it come their way it is for the state to look after them. Some one else is always responsible for their care and wellbeing.

    2. Christine
      September 27, 2020

      Good to see The Telegraph and David Davis expounding the virtues of taking Vitamin D as we head into the Winter months. Studies have shown that it cuts the complications from COVID dramatically.

  21. bigneil(newercomp)
    September 27, 2020

    So you say some people say one thing but do another?? – – -like politicians ” promising ” to reduce immigration? Then flooding us with foreign financial burdens who hate our culture,
    Then we are told we cannot criticize them – or else. Then put up our taxes for them to sit here and breed us (eventually ) out of existence????

    That sort of thing?? Say one thing and mean/do another John? – – we have had good teachers for decades – a Westminster full of them.

    1. Fred H
      September 27, 2020

      There are always thousands of Batman and Robin types only too willing to spout the painfully obvious nonsense contradicting common sense. We get it daily on here.

    2. Lifelogic
      September 27, 2020

      I hope there will enough shy trump voters (currently saying to pollsters they will vote for Biden or abstain) who will in reality vote for Trump.

      Enough to really annoy the BBC and ensure more sensible climate, energy and economic policies at least for the USA.

      1. Sea Warrior
        September 27, 2020

        It’ll be an election night worth staying up for, that’s for sure.

    3. DavidJ
      September 27, 2020

      +10

  22. Ian Wilson
    September 27, 2020

    It is clear from previous posts on “green” issues that many, indeed most, of your respondents are knowledgeable enough to see through the climate change hysteria. They recognise that CO2 is not a serious threat – how could it be when there were ice ages and life thrived at a time CO2 levels were 10 – 20 times those of today?

    Many contributors also recognise that electric cars are far from green with the environmental damage from mining battery minerals, far worse than oil extraction. Then there’s the dreadful use of children working in dangerous conditions mining cobalt. Why aren’t ministers addressing this scandal instead of promoting it? I won’t consider an electric car while this persists.

    Finally, you have expressed concern at damage government action has done to our car industry. So why does our transport minister of all people kick our car makers in the teeth by driving a Tesla?

    1. Ian Turner
      September 27, 2020

      Why not encourage our car industry to start making really “Green” cars – something like the Morris Minor for instance. A small petrol-engined car that anyone could service and repair because it is simply built. A car that is designed to last at least 20 years plus and where the main components are easily and cheaply repairable but can also be replaced at small cost.

      No need to be self-driving, stop-start or air-conditioned. Limit the brake horsepower and top-speed to 70mph. Define a weight limit for non-commercial UK vehicles and tax commercial ones accordingly. Once you’ve got a really great design, sell it to the rest of the world (as they won’t be able to afford or run Teslas)

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        Why not leave it to market forces and allow the customer to buy whatever type of car they want

        Governments shouldn’t get involved

    2. Lifelogic
      September 27, 2020

      Grant Shapps (business and finance at Manchester Poly) clearly know nothing about energy, physics or transport. He even thinks (and often says) that electric cars are zero emission just to prove this.

  23. steve
    September 27, 2020

    JR

    Re your first para:

    No. We just have to box clever to win the game against PC, remain, woke, only BLM etc.

    Re the rest:

    Largely a matter of trust. Most people except virtue signalling idiots know they’re being had over with this green / EV rubbish.

    I am of the view that climate change is man made and due to the industrialisation of China and to a significant extent other asian regions.

    Why should we on our tiny island be paying the price for China stinking the planet out ?

    Shut China and other asian regions down, stick with current vehicle technology since engines these days are actually very clean. Build what we need in our own country.

    1. Martin
      September 27, 2020

      Perhaps you never visited the West End of London in pre congestion charge days?

      The air quality in the West End these days is way improved compared to the bad old days.

      1. Fred H
        September 28, 2020

        do you mean much fewer smells of burger bars, curry houses, coffee bars, rotting rubbish?

    2. Ian @Barkham
      September 27, 2020

      +1

    3. No Longer Anonymous
      September 27, 2020

      You can’t win the game when it’s only being played in one half of the field.

      We are not allowed to mention that there is a feral culture in our midst. Gangsta culture and the music that goes with it. Music that promotes violence, misogyny, theft and low cultural aspiration – yet we ban Land of Hope and Glory and are then told we must venerate Gangsta.

      Then there is the religious ideology which has been twisted out of shape. We are told to venerate that too.

      And on who is being violent to whom… simply count the bodies.

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        +1

    4. agricola
      September 27, 2020

      Climate Change is not man made. Man may cause local upsets through pollution, but that does not drive climate. The sun drives climate. Just investigate World climate before the industrial revolution. Account for the ice ages, shifts of continents and the the earths input with volcanos, tectonic plate shifts, not to mention asteroid and meteor strikes.

      Man is the great polluter and is begining to realise that it is unnecessary. In fact the waste we throw away can and is, in Japan, being turned into hydrogen to run hotels and transport. The result of burning hydrogen is water. In time by following the same path , we in the UK could reduce heart and respiratory disease, take that load off the NHS and ultimately the tax we pay. I envisage enormous factory ships harvesting all the plastic from the places it collects in the oceans, using solar to generate electricity at sea, and using said electricity to process the waste plastic into hydrogen that can then be compressed and delivered in smaller ships to coastal store stations. We can then fuel all personal and most other road trsnsport. All it requires is science and engineering. Lets go for it before others realise the potential of all our rubbish.

      1. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        the Climate Change agitators cause trouble for the least offenders- because they can get away with it.
        Why don’t they harangue China, India etc over population?
        Why don’t they harangue China, USA etc over coal burning?
        Why don’t they harangue many countries over waste dumping in oceans?

        1. glen cullen
          September 27, 2020

          Because its about causing trouble not change

          1. Fred H
            September 27, 2020

            excellent response – you could be onto something.

  24. BW
    September 27, 2020

    I cannot support measures regarding climate change. Not until we start at the beginning. World population growth. Two people who have produced 10 children, and some do because we pay them to do it, will be requiring 10 more cars, houses, gas boilers etc in 17 years time. So population growth is the biggest issue facing the planet, and it is hardly ever mentioned.

    1. Everhopeful
      September 27, 2020

      +1

    2. Mike Fountain
      September 27, 2020

      +1

    3. forthurst
      September 27, 2020

      That is because it is the same people pushing mass immigration of unassimilable aliens into civilised countries who are also pushing the climate hoax. Their history of troublemaking in other people’s countries is quite impressive: they seek the destruction of Western civilisation, no less.

    4. Alan Jutson
      September 27, 2020

      +1

  25. BeebTax
    September 27, 2020

    It’s always amused me to hear green campaigners talking about their travels and conference attendances in far flung places. The same campaigners who berate me for having a 20 year old petrol car (which is driven less than 20 miles per month). They are good, I am evil. Such is life.

    The Kings College Study Sir J quotes is surely misleading? It seemed to lump “concerned” and “very concerned” (of Covid) people together. I’m « concerned « but I’m not “very concerned”. My “concern” is minimal, I’m happy to mingle down the pub, go to the shops (without a mask if I could avoid a fine), and see young people in big groups having a nice time. So I shouldn’t be counted alongside those paralysed by fear of the disease.

    1. BJC
      September 27, 2020

      I’m equally amused by the ramblings of the newly annointed Environmentalist-in Chief, St David of Attenborough. Despite once declaring, “I just wish the world was twice as big and half of it was still unexplored”, this is the man who has spent his very long life travelling thousands of miles, much of it on old, pollution-spewing planes, to parts of the world the majority of us never even knew existed……..until he made it his life’s mission to single-handedly introduced us to its delights. Does he see the inconsistencies and hypocrisy in his “enlightened” position? I doubt it.

      1. Mike Durrans
        September 27, 2020

        You left a bit out

        Self appointed.

        Hes a useless being

  26. Nivek
    September 27, 2020

    “One of the dangers of a political world that expects absolute loyalty to fixed views of the world and roundly condemns dissenting or sceptical voices…”

    I would be interested to know whether or not you, as a legislator, propose to do anything to protect us from a political world such as you have just described. For example, I wrote recently that, with Piers Corbyn apparently being singled out among organisers of recent protests in being issued with a ÂŁ10,000 police fine, “it seems that the public’s freedom to react to a prolonged period of restrictions is among those freedoms currently being restricted”. I would like to know your position on this matter and on the police’s conduct at yesterday’s protest in Trafalgar Square.

    I would also be interested to know your position on the Rule of Law (Enforcement by Public Authorities) Bill, which I believe is due for its second reading at the end of November.

  27. Mike Wilson
    September 27, 2020

    People won’t buy electric cars because:

    1) They are too expensive
    2) The range is not good enough
    3) They take too long to charge
    4) The mining of the battery components is environmentally damaging and children are being used as miners
    5) There is no joined up thinking from government. If we all bought electric cars there would not be enough electricity generating capacity.

    Apart from those issues, they seem like a great idea.

    I’ve just replaced my gas boiler with a new gas boiler. Gas is one sixth the price of electricity.

    If we all threw away our gas boilers and started beating our homes with electricity:

    1) It would cost 6 times more if you just used electricity to power convector radiators in each room
    2) Storage radiators are basically useless
    3) If you have a gas fired combo boiler, you’ll need a big plumbing change and need to find space for hot water storage
    4) Air source heat exchanger installation is very expensive
    5) Ground source heat pump systems require a massive garden and a lot of money
    6) If we all changed to electricity to heat our homes there is nowhere near enough electricity generating capacity

    Again, no joined up thinking from government. It would be nice if they got someone intelligent and knowledgeable to put together a 30 year costed plan, told us what it was and stuck to it. The headless chicken approach currently used really doesn’t work.

    1. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      +1

  28. Dave Andrews
    September 27, 2020

    Talking about politicians saying one thing and doing another, Ed Davey currently on Marr saying they need to listen more to the people.
    Everything about the LibDems tells me they are only interested in the people listening to them. They don’t want to learn from the people, they want to educate the people that they are right.
    This isn’t just a problem with the LibDems, to be fair.

    1. Everhopeful
      September 27, 2020

      Weasel words on their part!
      They may listen but they rarely act.

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      But he admitted we don’t want to rejoin the EU!
      Time for the Lib Dems to get on a ferry.

  29. Stred
    September 27, 2020

    That 70% of people go along with the Green agenda and even respect Charlie’s opinion is a sign that this political movement, although with only 5-10% of the vote, has captured the media and civil service. They are ruling beyond authority.

    The only place where the public can find the true expense and feasibility of the zero carbon agenda is on a few internet sites and little known books. The GWPF have published properly researched papers by highly qualified engineers and academics which show the actual work on the housing stock and infrastructure and with realistic estimates of the materials required, world resources and cost. These show that the plan purposed by the Climate Change Committee and accepted by the government will not be possible ovetall without forcing two thirds of us onto public transport and not owning a car, paying three times as much for heating and for ÂŁ80,000 or more for works to our houses. And even then we will face power cuts and cold houses, with many deaths from hypothermia.

    But the politicians have swallowed the Green propaganda wholesale. Even Boris, who was thought to be independent minded. has been brainwashed.

  30. Javelin
    September 27, 2020

    Students locked in dorms by Government Dictates

    Concentration Campuses.

    1. Mark B
      September 27, 2020

      Oh very good. 🙂

  31. John Barleycorn
    September 27, 2020

    Mr Redwood, in your final paragraph you say:
    “they do not think their own chances of getting the serious form of the disease are high enough to require them to comply with the isolation guidance.”
    Isn’t this a fundamental misunderstanding of the reason for isolation? If you are asked to isolate, there is a significant risk you have the virus, so your fate is already determined. The reason to isolate is to reduce the risk of giving it to others. If you do not care about others, or cannot afford to isolate, then you will ignore the request. A your figures suggest 18% of the population are in those categories.

  32. Original Richard
    September 27, 2020

    The gap between polling results and how people vote and act is a direct consequence and a measure of the bullying tactics of the Left to end free speech.

    This is led by the BBC and its embarrassingly over-paid presenters who use the BBC’s guaranteed funding privilege and their unsackable celebrity privilege to promote their ideas.

    1. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      +1

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      +1

  33. A.Sedgwick
    September 27, 2020

    My first car I used to park overnight on a nearby hill giving the option of a rolling start if battery not up to it. No such option with 100% electric.

    Hybrids are akin to a motorised horse.

    1. Fred H
      September 27, 2020

      mine had a starting handle. In the boot was a strong tow rope, and a pair of jumper cables.

      1. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        not much use to an electric car starting failure.

      2. BeebTax
        September 27, 2020

        I remember those days. The cars might have been unreliable but at least you had a good chance of fixing the problem yourself. Not any more…

  34. The PrangWizard
    September 27, 2020

    It concerns that so many people are willing to be so compliant with guidelines and opinions, abandoning reality and common sense in the process.

    A few weeks ago we had some government ‘initiative’ about increasing the use of bicycles and here in my little village miles from anywhere this was taken up by the Parish Council. I dare say they felt it necessary to be seen to be ‘doing something’, and virtue signallers and others in their group were given a chance to shine.

    They decided that a cycle lane should be created for the use of young children on a section of about 300 yards of road running along the main road to school. It would be created initially with cones. This, as I pointed out, was ill conceived as, amongst other impracticalities the road is potholed, the children would need to pass house driveways, some hidden, just around the time they were most likely to be in use and they would also be hemmed in, a slight mistake clipping the kerb or cone would lead to an accident. It was also to exist only on one side of the approach to school and on the way back from school they would need to ride towards traffic flows.

    The whole thing was a dangerous nonsense but was driven by ideological council members and they were following ideologically driven higher leaderships. It is not known if there was any opposition.

    So far it has not happened, I’d like to think my letter to them caused a change of heart but as you might imagine I’ve had no reply.

    More of us need to oppose more the many dangerous ideas in all manner of subjects that are coming at us these days, speaking and writing clearly, challengingly and unambiguously. The problems being forced on us are too serious and by people who are far more political than in the past. We must move away from the practice of giving the benefit of the doubt.

    1. Know-Dice
      September 27, 2020

      Wokingham Council spent ÂŁ1 Million on a cycle path along Lower Earley Way now just used by joggers and walkers, the Lycra clad bregade of course don’t use it, probably because it’s just on one side of the road and they would have to give way at every junction. Of course part of the justification was that WBC were spending Government money…

      1. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        I have even seen a cyclist ignoring it and riding on the road! We have a game called ‘spot the cyclist’ on the path. Sometimes 3 pedestrians, 2 joggers, rarely a cyclist any time of day or night.

      2. a-tracy
        September 28, 2020

        Our new cycle lane in the Town Centre is a joke the worker with the white paint must have been giddy going around a lamp post and ate up the whole walking area, potentially stopping people walking safely with a pram or wheelchair so that the cyclist gets priority on the pavement and can ding their bell to get you to squash up against the wall, there was enough room on the other side of the lampost roadside?

    2. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      Good post. We’ve got the same ludicrous virtue signalling nonsense at both Parish and District Council level.

  35. Alan Jutson
    September 27, 2020

    Interesting seeing the vocal protests from the snowflake students in lockdown at a number of our universities due to the high rate of covid amongst them.

    After 2 days they are pleading for it all to end, worried about supplies of food and drink, and now want to go home to mummy.
    No thought about the old and vulnerable who have been in self isolation and on their own now with no company for nearly 6 months.
    What a pathetic spectacle, and they are supposed to be the brightest youngsters we have.
    God help us if ever these people get to positions of power and influence.

    1. Fred H
      September 27, 2020

      If Eton educated with a ‘soft, almost useless’ degree – then they will get to positions of power and influence.
      History tells us!

    2. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      Such people are sadly in positions of power and influence already. The media, civil service, NGOs, NHS, the universities, schools, Westminster…

    3. a-tracy
      September 28, 2020

      I’m surprised they’ve not put in a group Dominos delivery!
      They, as a young adult, can’t organise a supermarket delivery of food by themselves seriously?
      The Universities haven’t bothered getting a supermarket order and delivery system for them from the local Aldi or Lidl?

  36. ukretired123
    September 27, 2020

    Harry & Megan spring to mind on climate change jetting around costing a fortune too!

    CV19 is invisible too and doesn’t apply to VIP s.
    Hence folks think “If it’s good for the goose…..”

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      Time to remove all Titles and give them their freedom to be ‘ordinary’ – this includes ‘Prince’ and ‘Princess’.

  37. Iain Moore
    September 27, 2020

    I gather the coldest autumn temp on record has been recorded in the UK last night , on the basis of the hysteria we get when we get a hot day, which is cited as proof of global warming, I expect today we will be treated to weeping and wailing about the onset of global cooling.

    More immediate than the onset of global cooling is the damage Boris Johnson is going to do to our economy with his new found green zealotry ( not something on display when he was reviewing Aston Martin Vantages, Ferraris, and such like as a car journalist ), and in light of the money he is bunging at the WHO etc, you can’t be anything but concerned at what economic crippling grand gesture he will make to the UN on climate change . Already there are worrying hints with his desire to tear out our gas and oil boilers, as well as banning us buying petrol or diesel cars .

    Too often Prime Ministers like to make virtue signalling gestures on the international stage which come back to haunt us, I hope the parliamentary Conservative party have a clear idea what undertakings Boris is going give the UN on climate change , for these undertakings end up as legally binding obligations.

  38. glen cullen
    September 27, 2020

    101 marketing – know what your customers want
    101 actors – make your customers feel good
    101 public servants – provide what people need
    101 politicians – understand the people
    101 ministers – provide what your voters asked for

    The great disconnect between the people and the elite continues

  39. Martin
    September 27, 2020

    1) Aviation – The free market has made jet engines more efficient.

    2) Cars – a small turbocharged petrol engine is a good idea. As for oilers they should be dumped.

    I think too many see things as binary – that is the gas guzzler fans or the green fanatics. Working the percentages is a better idea. A government or multinational push can help. A classic bad industry is shipping. Profitable with dirty diesels. No governmental push to get them to reduce emissions.

  40. No Longer Anonymous
    September 27, 2020

    Furlough and continued state employment is what has created the support for the present CV19 measures.

    When the money dries up. When Rishi Sunak delivers his first, second and third emergency budgets… all hell is going to break loose. That’s why Mr Sunak delayed his budget this week – too terrifying.

    And as it is taboo to even mention the CCP (much less blame them) then the British Tory Party must shoulder all of the blame. ALL of it.

    People are prepared to fight wars – with worse odds of surviving than this disease – in order to avoid such tyranny. So why are they cowering now ? Because they’re being paid to, that’s why.

    1. Everhopeful
      September 27, 2020

      Actually.
      That is a brilliant point.
      People are prepared to fight wars to avoid the tyranny we are being subjected to because of a “virus”.
      That is just so utterly spot on.
      ( And yes! I have actually observed the “paid to” bit several times. You have crystallised my suspicions!)
      Greatest respect.

  41. Wil Pretty
    September 27, 2020

    I asked my U3A Science group when they considered the country should go carbon neutral.The universal view was that it should be soonest.
    I worked out the cost per capita for each of the timescales and asked them how much they would be prepared to pay per month for this to happen.
    None of them were prepared to pay anything.
    This whole project is just wishful thinking.

    In our country we heat our buildings for 6 months of the year to suit our modern wish to be warm indoors without wearing outdoor clothes.
    The principal effect of this Global Warming is to give us milder winters.
    How is that an emergency!

    1. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      If people really wanted the green approach then they would’ve voted into the HoC more than one green MP

      1. Mike Wilson
        September 27, 2020

        Sorry, but that is pure nonsense. Under first past the post there is virtually no chance of getting Green MPs. Brighton is a blip. If we had PR I reckon Greens would get at least 15% of the vote and they’d take chose votes from Labour. I assume you would like that.

        1. glen cullen
          September 28, 2020

          I’d like the government of the day to implement and adopt the views and wishes and policies of the vote winners

    2. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      Excellent bit of social science research. Sadly, I guess no actual social science researcher would undertake that sort of exercise because their career would be ruined if they published a paper with that sort of « problematic » result.

  42. Christine
    September 27, 2020

    This is why Government should not make policy based on polling. When it comes down to it individuals know that the sacrifices from going green will make little difference to the climate. There’s a lot of people making a lot of money out of the subject of climate change. Common sense tells you that it’s the rise in the human population that is the biggest danger to our planet but that’s a taboo subject that can’t be discussed.

  43. Ian @Barkham
    September 27, 2020

    The biggest problem electric cars have as yet they are not the answer to anything.

    For every plus point there is an equal and opposite negative point. Recharging? replacement battery cost. Real-world pollution due to weight impacting on tyres and brakes. Then Governments are not Honest, the pollution to produce electric vehicles and then distribute them to market is grater than all the CO2 they produce – but they dismiss that.

    1. Alan Jutson
      September 27, 2020

      Ian

      Agreed

      Given the consensus of opinion in the trade is that EV batteries will have a realtime usable lifespan of about 10 years, and the cost of a new battery (at todays prices) is similar to replacing the engine and gearbox in a standard petrol or diesel engined car, the second had value of an EV vehicle of anything more than 6 years old will be very, very low.
      It simply does seems not seem like a very green or climate friendly option to me when you look at the typical life span of a traditional vehicle, typically 15 years or more.

  44. Kevin
    September 27, 2020

    When did you get your social science degree?

  45. Christine
    September 27, 2020

    I was very annoyed that Boris has given more of our tax money to the WHO at a time when our country is in extreme debt. This organisation caused the spread of the virus by not declaring it a pandemic back in March even though following its own guidelines it should have. Trump was right to defund it. What is wrong with Boris? Every decision he makes seems to be the wrong one.

    1. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      +1

    2. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      +1 he had to be stopped. He’s gone completely mad!

    3. Stred
      September 28, 2020

      When he came out of hospital he said that the thing that saved him was the love of the nurses or some such piffle. He may have undergone some sort neurological changes to his personality resulting in even less consideration when dealing with money and technical matters. He also seems to have taken to speaking in a Churchillian manner when urging us fight this greatest virus to threaten our island since the Nazis.

  46. JohnE
    September 27, 2020

    Perhaps you could yourself lead by displaying a readiness to embrace new ideas?

    I imagine you could afford an electric car for example.

    1. SM
      September 27, 2020

      Just because an idea is new does not automatically mean it is good.

      1. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        Kalashnikov rifle…..even the inventor admitted it turned out to be a such horrible weapon he had not envisioned.

    2. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      Electric cars have been around for 100 years – the customer just doesn’t want to buy them …..its all social engineering from governments

  47. Anonymous
    September 27, 2020

    The polls on CV 19 show that 71% of the UK public are concerned or very concerned about CV 19 for themselves, and 87% are similarly concerned about CV 19’s impact on the country as a whole. There has been majority support for lock downs, quarantines and early closing of hospitality venues.

    ……
    The polls are rigged, heavily.

    1. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      Quite. I’ve yet to find someone I know who likes the idea of Covid Marshalls, or supports lockdowns.

  48. Everhopeful
    September 27, 2020

    Why have successive govts. either actually encouraged the divisive politics of identity and divide and rule or consistently allowed Marxists to roll them out?
    We were once, for a while, a homogenous country, the only divisive politics being fairly mild and class based.
    We also had a proper Christian Church which ( whatever one’s views) did act as a social glue as did the traditional family which govt.s have also ripped asunder.
    All of this government stupidity, liberal pandering and probably pandering for gain has had the obvious effect. Terrifyingly destructive polarisation.
    There is now fear and shame in stating an opinion. Once again jobs can be lost for holding a political viewpoint. What has been done is disgusting beyond words.
    More Isherwood’s “The Berlin Stories” than the oft referred to dystopian novels.

    1. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      +1. It’s that « long march through the institutions » which the Marxists have been doing since the 1960s. It’s paying off big time for them now. Church, State, Civil service, educational institutions, media…they are crammed with brainwashed ex-students who are followers of the Woke cult.

  49. James Freeman
    September 27, 2020

    You need to be more honest and explain the trade offs involved with these issues. It is not a simple case of extremists versus skeptics. Be more open with publishing supporting analysis. Where it does not exist, commission it even if you think it will produce awkward results.

    “Yes, as things stand decarbonising the economy will cost £1 trillion over the next 30 years. But by being clear with our intentions, investing in new technology and supporting the market costs will halve. Our approach will help the UK get ahead of our competitors creating our future wealth.”

    “With Covid there is a trade off from protecting you from the disease. Against this we want to avoid long term damage to your health and the economy. This means reducing risk where we can and spending less time with your friends and family. We have to make these decisions on the fly, but are getting the balance right.”

    Your opinion pollsters can then ask the public more honest questions. Differentiate yourself against your political rivals who have more extremist views.

    Finally, Boris can communicate this better than you and me. He must find time from his other duties to write one of his ebullient articles explaining it, as it is to the nation. Bring the sensible majority of the public with you.

  50. Roy Grainger
    September 27, 2020

    I think switching to electric cars is a good idea in general – it shifts pollution of various types to a smaller number of locations (power station, lithium mines etc.) where it is easier to mitigate.. I’d estimate there are 500 cars owned in my street the large majority of which are parked permanently on the street (no garages or font parking areas). There are 5 on-street charging stations. If someone installs about 195 more and ensures there is enough electric power generation to supply them then I might buy one, if the price is low enough. Boris apparently thinks this will be by 2030 so presumably the extra power stations are already under construction ? .

    1. Alan Jutson
      September 27, 2020

      Roy

      Yes the 2030 year has been mentioned a few times by politicians now.

      Present government policy is for a ban on new combustion engined cars from 2035.

      Are you aware of any significant support/movement/ideology for a change to 2030 John ?

      1. Fred H
        September 27, 2020

        someone went forward in time to 2035 and found no acceptance of banning petrol/diesel cars – on returning they advised the Government to bring forward the date in order to stand a chance of meeting the target.

  51. Bill B.
    September 27, 2020

    Agreed, Sir John: ‘They do not think their own chances of getting the serious form of the disease are high enough to require them to comply with the isolation guidance.’ But also, the survey suggests they don’t think that they themselves pose a real infection risk to others.

    We think the risk is only to other people, and only from other people! (Catch Covid? Not from me, guv.) That’s what the survey suggests we really believe, based on our behaviour.

    Those opinion polls are no more reliable than other opinion polls in the past. Remember, Remain was going to win? Ipsos Mori polled 52% Remain just before the vote.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      We actually believe that very very few people ‘catch COVID’. And the fact bear isn’t out.

  52. chris hook
    September 27, 2020

    Sir John you have never been afraid to advocate views that differ from the party line. or even the general consensus, is it now time for you to speak up against the loss of our freedoms, the rule by decree, and the lack of parliamentary appraisal?

  53. Enigma
    September 27, 2020

    I have noticed that all the lockdown zealots I come into contact with are very keen to tell me how vulnerable they are and to criticise and accuse others, especially young people, of reckless behaviour. But then they ALL admit to not sticking to the rules themselves! Funny that. They also love to bore you with the details of their health problems but never want to take responsibility for their own health. That’s someone else’s fault too!

  54. Everhopeful
    September 27, 2020

    The green movement is just a globalist money spinner.
    The Great Reset will make ÂŁsquillions for the 1%.
    What do they care for the environment? They never have before!

    And we are being chucked head-first into it ( until they cull us that is).
    The left are the “useful idiots” who will hand yet more power to those in control and diminish the lives of the many ( back to pre-industrial times but with no upside).

    And every single thing they want to do is being helped by the ramped-up fear of Covid!

    The Lefties support all Covid restrictions because they know the measures will destroy capitalism. Does govt. not know how the Left manipulates opinion polls?

    Is Johnson a Marxist? He is doing their work for them!
    “Gottle of gear”!!!

  55. William Long
    September 27, 2020

    This goes to show that human nature has not changed at all in the 350 years since John Selden told us: ‘Preachers say, do as I say and not as I do’!

  56. Sharon
    September 27, 2020

    For anyone who is sceptical of The Great Reset and thinks anyone who mentions it is a conspiracy theorist, Heartland Institute have an article about it.

    “At a virtual World Economic Forum meeting, global leaders from the United Nations, United Kingdom, United States, International Monetary Fund and multi-national corporations discussed and announced a plan to develop a “Great Reset” of the entire world.”

    “We have a golden opportunity to seize something good from this [COVID-19] crisis. Its unprecedented shockwaves may well make people more receptive to big visions of change,” said Prince Charles, one of the leaders of the event.

    The purpose of the “Great Reset” is to use the coronavirus pandemic as a justification—attendees repeatedly referred to it as an “opportunity”—to completely overhaul the entire global economy, including the U.S. economy, to make a more “equitable” world and to fight climate change, which was on numerous occasions identified as the world’s next great “crisis.”

    https://www.heartland.org/news-opinion/news/global-elites-announce-great-reset-planand-its-even-more-radical-than-the-green-new-deal

  57. ian
    September 27, 2020

    You are right about the gap John, 375 billion this year, I said after the last crisis that the deficit will never go below 30 billion pounds a year and I was wrong, it went below 30 billion for a few months and then went on to double the following year to 63 billion after BJ move into Downing Street.
    Now I will make another perdition that the deficit will never go below 75 billion pounds a year and will take years to even get to 90 billion pounds a year. The biggest problem in this country will be facing is food.

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      Maybe everyone will have to have a proper job and we will not attract the freeloaders. Every cloud…

  58. Fishknife
    September 27, 2020

    You can try but you won’t beat human nature. We believe:
    Covid won’t really harm us – until we end up in Hospital.
    We know Test isn’t reliable and the trace is oft-times ignored.
    Issue/subsidise the best reusable PPE masks to the vulnerable,
    and for returners/[pre]contagious traced, with fines for not wearing them properly.

    Electric cars are the Motor Manufacturer’s wet dream, but not ours
    Now we can write our own laws –
    Don’t legislate a solution (electric)- promulgate acceptable emission parameters
    STOP subsidising the rich buying electric toys.

  59. bill brown
    September 27, 2020

    On a completely different note.

    According to the latest from the COnfederation of British Industry.

    77% of all companies want a deal with the EU, and only 4% do not want a no-deal with the EU.
    In manufacturing and distribution it is more than 80% who would like a deal with the EU.

    Reply They should know this is unhelpful to the U.K. negotiation.The only sensible thing to say is No deal is better than a bad deal

    1. Edward2
      September 27, 2020

      The CBI only represents a very small proportion of the total of UK businesses and have been pro EU for decades.

      1. bill brown
        September 27, 2020

        Edward 2

        This was a survey of more than just CBI members and considering the overall majority for a deal, I think it speaks volumes on the wishes of businessses across the country.

        1. Edward2
          September 27, 2020

          You said “according to the CBI”
          Make your mind up bill.

          1. bill brown
            September 28, 2020

            Edward 2

            Read what it actually says please

          2. Edward2
            September 28, 2020

            It was a survey of CBI members.

          3. hefner
            September 30, 2020

            Given that the CBI has only about 1500 direct members and via affiliated trade associations also represents more than 180,000 other businesses, could you confirm the survey was only made of answers from its (real) members , with reference, please.
            Thanks in advance.

        2. Lynn Atkinson
          September 27, 2020

          It does not. The CBI is European business. We all know that. British business want no deal.

          1. bill brown
            September 28, 2020

            Lynn Atkinson

            Kindly prove you rstatement about British business not wantting a deal

          2. Edward2
            September 28, 2020

            The CBI dont want a deal.
            They want us to remain in the EU .
            They were even in favour of the ERM and us taking the Euro.

        3. a-tracy
          September 29, 2020

          How do you know who the CBI asked Bill? Selective statistical manipulation fools no-one.

      2. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        +1

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      September 27, 2020

      Bad is relative though.

      And it would have to be very, very bad, to be worse than the self-imposed near blockade of a no deal.

      1. beresford
        September 27, 2020

        ‘Self-imposed’ how? We have offered the EU the same deal they have with everyone else, and we are paying them 39 billion Euros for the privilege. But the EU will not negotiate unless we concede our territorial waters and industrial policy to them. Assuming these are the last of their demands, would you agree to them, MiC? Isn’t the truth that you and your fellow Remainers WANT a bad deal so you can claim that you were ‘right’?

        1. margaret howard
          September 27, 2020

          beresford

          We Remainers don’t NEED a bad deal to claim to be right. We KNOW we are ‘right’!

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        Have you you CV19 too? – seems like cognitive problems like Boris’ on display.

    3. bill brown
      September 27, 2020

      Sir JR,

      We do not know at this stage whetther it will be a good deal or a bad deal so your comment is jsut as unhelpful, But thank you for your conetribution. And I am not sure I even agree with you and ahve not done so for years.

      1. Edward2
        September 27, 2020

        Well why waste your time on here trolling then bill?

        1. bill brown
          September 28, 2020

          Edward 2
          so you can come up with your intelligent comments

          1. Edward2
            September 28, 2020

            Thanks bill.
            Very kind of you.

      2. Know-Dice
        September 27, 2020

        The CBI’s comment undermines the UK’s negotiating
        position with the EU. It’s not helpful in any way whatsoever.

      3. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        Bull we know from the EU perspective it’s a good deal and from the U.K. perspective it’s a bad deal. As you are continental and resident there, for you it’s a good deal. Stop pretending to be British. You are not.

        1. margaret howard
          September 28, 2020

          Lynn

          Have you caught out another one of your ‘aliens’?

          “Off with his head?”

        2. bill brown
          September 28, 2020

          Lynn Atkinson

          You ahve no idea and yous till pretend you know.

          Have you ever heard of dual citizenship after 30 years in the UK, you really have to stop writing things you have no idea about

          1. a-tracy
            September 29, 2020

            Have you got British citizenship bill, did you pass the life in the UK test?

    4. Dave Andrews
      September 27, 2020

      Perhaps they should also ask whether EU companies want a deal with the UK. I expect they do. The UK government wants a deal. The only people who don’t are those in Brussels who want to make an example of the UK to discourage others from leaving their sphere of influence. Unfortunately, negotiations are in their hands.
      As I understand him, JR also wants a good deal, as do I, because that is good for everyone.

      1. Ian @Barkham
        September 27, 2020

        Brussels wants a deal were they decide UK Domestic Laws and not the People of the UK. That’s the bit they don’t get. If we were a proper democracy everything that happens internally in the UK is for the People of the UK via their representatives. If they then don’t follow the will of the People, they get removed and replaced with those that will. So if the People of the UK decide to subsidies something that’s up to them not Brussels.

        Brussels forgets that it uses taxpayer money to distort World Trade in food production as well as others goods – that in itself is them flouting so-called level playing field ideal. The EU is first and foremost a protectionist organisation, in itself that is not a problem, if it was just about its internal market but they primarily use their internal protection advantage external to undermine World Trade.

        1. bill brown
          September 28, 2020

          Ian@Barkham

          “to undermine world trade” could we kindly have some real examples please

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        I don’t want a deal! I want the EU to pay for access to the lucrative U.K. market. We will make £13billion pa from them.

        1. bill brown
          September 28, 2020

          LynnAtkinson

          Pleasae kindly give us the calculation of ÂŁ 13 billion income?

        2. dixie
          September 28, 2020

          Agreed, you can be damn sure the EU will use any and all means to prevent us accessing their market to our advantage so why give them any advantage in ours. The disgusting aspect in this is how many of our own people in the public sector have and will aid the EU in this.

          Better to work with countries that simply wish to trade fairly.

    5. Ian @Barkham
      September 27, 2020

      Very few British Companies have anything to do with the CBI. The CBI is primarily Foreign mainly EU Companies that operate in the UK and pay tax elsewhere. Its a lobby group for non-doms.

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        Correct

      2. a-tracy
        September 29, 2020

        Is that true Ian, I think the CBI should record their paying members and what % of the company is owned in the UK to give us a true idea.

    6. glen cullen
      September 27, 2020

      It might be harsh but the CBI and its membership didn’t get a vote at the referendum – they need to wind their necks in and accept the wishes of the people, these surveys are counter-productive

  60. L Jones
    September 27, 2020

    ”Polls show a high degree of agreement with the Green movement propositions that climate change is real and a serious threat to our lives and livelihoods…..”
    Empty vessels making the most noise, perhaps? Polls can be skewed – the sketch in ”Yes, Minister” illustrates that for us.

    Perhaps the reason that people aren’t ”rushing out” to buy electric cars is because they’ve done some research on the science regarding electricity production and the manufacture (and eventual destruction) of an enormous number of poisonous batteries.

  61. Original Chris
    September 27, 2020

    “I think we’re at the point where it is safe to say that the entire Wuhan virus scare was nothing more or less than a massive fraud perpetrated upon the American people by ‘experts’ who were determined to fundamentally change the way the country lives.”

    This comment, reported by The Washington Examiner, was made by William Crews. It is highly significant, in my view, as it is coming from the lion’s den so to speak. He worked at the NIAID National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where Fauci was his boss.

    “A harsh critic of the federal government’s response to the coronavirus has been revealed to work as a public affairs specialist for the government health agency headed by
    DR ANTHONY FAUCI”.

    Crews went on to state that the lockdown policies were not based on sound science.

    1. bill brown
      September 27, 2020

      Original Chris

      Chris, if, yu believe in fake news and conspiracy theories then you are probably right.

    2. Martin in Cardiff
      September 27, 2020

      I wonder what the families of the 200,000 and more dead have to say about the “scare”?

      1. BeebTax
        September 27, 2020

        Anonymous (next post) says only 307 previously healthy people have died of Covid, a statistic from PHE. What’s your figure based on?

        I’m not saying you are wrong, just curious about how such very different figures can appear almost side by side in a discussion.

      2. Edward2
        September 27, 2020

        Who are nearly all over 80 with serious health problems.

      3. Original Chris
        September 27, 2020

        Yes, MIC, and what have they to say about government denying them treatments that are effective, tried and tested drugs (HCQ, Zinc and azithromycin)? Fauci eveen recognised and praised a paper in 2005 demonstrating the efficacy of chloroquine in treating Coronavirus. Didn’t suit the political narrative this time round though, apparently.

        Early treatment with that package would have saved thousands of lives, as also putting a stop to hospitals pushing COVID positive patients back to care homes, and apparently paying them as an incentive to do so (in the Press yesterday).

        In the USA, some of the governors who pursued that policy are being taken to court. Posters saying” Cuomo killed my Granny” are put up for a reason.

      4. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        That’s 305 actually, and they may have been morbidly obese – that’s not counted as a co-morbidity. It’s possible that no healthy person in the UK has died from CV19.

      5. margaret howard
        September 28, 2020

        Martin

        Why am I not surprised that the ardent Brexiteers here are also ardent Covid deniers?

        And they are also arrogant enough to persuade themselves that they are right and billions of people across the globe are wrong.

        1. Edward2
          September 28, 2020

          Has there been a vote or are you just guessing?

    3. Norman
      September 27, 2020

      The latest video presentation by Ivor Cummins, entitled “Viral Issue Crucial Update Sept 8th: the Science, Logic and Data Explained!” lends impressive support to the view that the whole thing has been over-egged. I think many of us sense this is true anyway, and as I look round the world to certain poor countries where Covid has been treated like the plague to the detriment of their people, I am very suspicious. Like all the other current foci of hysteria, there’s something very wrong, and our own government is certainly not exempt – especially after seeing the data presented in this video. Worth a watch, Chris – it’s actually quite reassuring.

  62. Old person
    September 27, 2020

    Isn’t it time for the government to respect the people, their thoughts, their opinions, their future ambitions and their understanding of science? For too long the political parties only show any interest in the people at election time.
    The government’s handling of covid-19 has quite frankly been the worst in Europe. The statistics to make decisions has been inconsistent – the average person in the street could do better.
    The NHS has been cancelled with 75,000 additional non covid-19 deaths recognised deep inside a SAGE report.
    At one time, you went to a doctor for treatment. Now the treatment is a lifetime course of drugs or monitoring an illness forever. No more free education at University, no more free care in your old age. Who now wants to go into a care home to be covided, or not see any family? So much has been taken away from the people. Respect for life and well-being has gone.
    The one thing with Brexit is that the true democratic vote trumped the wishes of a remainer parliament. It will not be long before each individual returns sovereignty to themselves than watch the chaos and trashing of the economy. We will soon see a ‘South Park’ episode, “And your pensions gone!”.
    Why can the individual not choose their own virtual government and pay taxes to Sweden or Switzerland? That would force governments into a rethink of their policies. No more excessive borrowing to cover failures of governance.

    1. Ian @Barkham
      September 27, 2020

      You must be thinking of Democracy, Government by the People for the People. We are still in EU mode Government is by the Political Elite(what-ever that is) for the Political Elite – the People will do what they are told

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        Agree – In fact I believe it would only be fair to hold a new general election 1st Jan 2021

      2. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        +1

    2. Anonymous
      September 27, 2020

      The NHS has been cancelled with 75,000 additional non covid-19 deaths recognised deep inside a SAGE report.

      ….
      yet only 307 healthy people have ever died from Cv19 according to PHE.

      1. glen cullen
        September 27, 2020

        and non of them university students

  63. Newmania
    September 27, 2020

    The gulf between public good and private vice a profound insight that in the hands of George Eliot of Dickens but it is also a banal truism. Orwell dealt with it by recognising that without hypocrisy all moral aspiration would cease.
    The genius of the functioning market is that it aligns private greed with public betterment , a functioning constitution does the same for political ambition . Sadly both can malfunction as ours has so obviously.
    As I said this insight can be profound but also banal, the fact that people are, in reality , largely selfish is true at all times , not just of the environment or Covid 19 . So what ?

    1. Edward2
      September 27, 2020

      Interesting you use the word “greed” when describing a market.
      It isn’t greed it is just demand.
      Or desire, if you prefer.
      It is what helps create supply

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        Staying alive is apparently ‘greedy’. You need to consume wealth to do that and therefore somebody has to create the wealth you consume.
        Why do we bother with these people? Why don’t they just show us how to live without wealth? If the eschewed all the products created by white men, including the wealth, I would honestly listen to their point of view.

        1. Edward2
          September 28, 2020

          They nearly all work for the public sector or in a company that earns its money from the public sector.

          They don’t understand how the wealth creating sector works.
          It is just something to be exploited to generate the taxes they need to support their lifestyles.

  64. Norman
    September 27, 2020

    “….continue with a meat and dairy based diet….”, you say, giving voice to the pejorative tones of the foolish. If they want to be a vegan on principle, fine. But let them not denigrate others who appreciate the wonderful providence we so enjoy.
    Much of the worlds farmland can only use ruminant grazing to produce food – delicious food that has sustained us for generations, thanks to the hard work and dedication of herdsmen and shepherds. Our family farms are a precious resource, and need to be appreciated and encouraged, because what they do takes tremendous commitment. As far as I am concerned, these islands would not be home any more without hay meadows and pastures, and sheep and cattle to graze them.
    “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:4)

    1. Nutrient Dense
      September 27, 2020

      Well said Norman you speak with great sense and wisdom

    2. Ian @Barkham
      September 27, 2020

      Reduce CO2 and plant life suffers, then vegans get to starve. The advocates of this scenario aren’t thinking it through – there’s a surprise.

      1. Lynn Atkinson
        September 27, 2020

        They need meat to fuel their brains. My dogs BTW, eat nothing but raw meat. They are carnivores you see.

  65. John Hatfield
    September 27, 2020

    “All this suggests that people do not think the threat of climate change is so great that they need to make much if any change in their own behaviours.”

    Or they consider that their personal greenhouse gas output is so minimal as to not make any difference.

  66. Everhopeful
    September 27, 2020

    As I predicted at the beginning of all this.
    An article in The New York Times entitled…”As the Virus Closes Schools, the World’s Children Go to Work”.
    And this will spread.

  67. Adams
    September 27, 2020

    .How comfortable are you sitting on every fence in sight Mr Redwood ?Tricky ? Not a problem for most so called Tories one assumes .

    Reply I’m not sitting on any fence. I have set out my CV19 views and environmental views clearly.

  68. Narrow Shoulders
    September 27, 2020

    The worthies and others in the population are very much do as I say not as I do. The Kings Study where everyone wants others to be locked down but want to go out an about themselves is a sickening as the electric car chap.

    Physician heal thyself.

  69. Margaret Brandreth-
    September 27, 2020

    Looking at this piece I wonder if you yourself practice what you have seen and heard or have become more wary of others . You have managed to survive .Is that because of your moderate writing , even though you do state what you firmly believe or is it because you need to court popularity . As we get older and have bought our own houses we can risk more openness in opinion. We look at the hypocrisy , we see hate and greed , we sometimes cannot do anything about those who cheat us and wonder why there is so much anger . People hate us, they love us , they try to manipulate us , they attempt to ridicule us , they try to act superior to us , but we realise that all this is in their heads , their perceptions ,and it must make them feel in some way powerful or sad .

    Appearance and reality is a subject in itself with oh so many gaps ,even within the persons psychology themselves. Politics, bluff .lies : No wonder so many people live alone

  70. Patricia McAvoy
    September 27, 2020

    Education – Unbiased Information – Voters – Climate Change –

    The wave of IDENTITY POLITICS which has filtered throughout western society can only be stopped by those who quarry below superficial media reports, and thereby rescue our SOVEREIGNTY from the perfidy in Parliament, it is also quite apparent EDUCATION is also responsible for a larger than comfortable majority for this modern dilemma!
    Amongst our MP’s most fortunately we do find examples working above ground such as Sir John who is an exemplary representation to ensure DEMOCRACY will ultimately prevail.
    It is NOW fundamentally essential that the U.K. turns the ‘woking’ tides for survival, a leading example is seriously needed in the West as a whole. This must be the U.K..
    So many counties are watching us. (At present we live in Italy, thereby have some experience of this.)
    The present Brexit opportunity must be grasped in its entirety by the British Isles, it has unforgettable history (EDUCATION) now is the time to continue building on that enviable reputation for our future history, to be one of total success and continued achievements.
    Henceforth, everyone should try to inform us of the facts regarding this precarious moment in our present history throughout these next few weeks, to pressurise MP’s whose apparent only resolve is fanatical destruction of a splendid country!

    The U.K. is not alone of course in trying to circumvent the channel (or heavy seas) of sinister threats to mould society an idea of equality, thousands World-wide are listening to Douglas Murray, Dr Jordan Peterson, Melanie Phillips, the list goes thankfully on.
    Importantly, concerning Sir John’s publishing today, which includes Climate Change. We listened to this discussion between John Anderson, a very fine contributor to factual intelligent discourse – (X Australian Vice Prime Minister), and Dr. Terry McCosker – subject: REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, ENVIRONMENT MATTERS.
    Extremely enlightening, and one that upon our leaving the E.U. in entirety, we can work with Commonwealth Friends and more to advance everyone’s agricultural benefits.
    etc ed

  71. beresford
    September 27, 2020

    I see that in the week that the new ‘Reclaim’ party which focuses on pride in British identity was announced Boris has discovered an interest in preventing publicly funded bodies from pulling down statues at the behest of minority pressure groups. This is how the Establishment crushes any challenge to its control, they temporarily tack to close the gap to the popular policy before reverting to form once the threat is seen off.

  72. No Longer Anonymous
    September 27, 2020

    So the latest is that healthy over 45s are going to be quarantined.

    When did the mission become Zero Covid ?

    The only thing you’re achieving is Zero Credibility.

    1. Caterpillar
      September 27, 2020

      zero interest rate, zero rationality, zero learning, zero IQ, zero EQ, zero liberty, zero future, zero quality of life, zero health care … zero democracy, zero representation.

  73. Norman
    September 27, 2020

    A glimpse of the new normal? Lockdown as a tool in the hands of Environmentalist governments? See Project Sydicate report ‘Avoiding A Climate Lockdown’ by Mariana Mazzucato, Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value at University College London and Founding Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose.

  74. Ian @Barkham
    September 27, 2020

    Its late now and reading the comments has been interesting.

    Reading between the lines and in a nutshell ‘We are all being asked to virtual signal’ to make those in power feel good about themselves.

    A recurring comment, Boris is to give The WHO money. Seeing as I know my MP or any other MP that acts as our representatives have not authorised it are we to assume Boris is digging into his own pockets.

  75. glen cullen
    September 27, 2020

    UK foreign aid to Nigeria is ÂŁ50million per year

    They have sentenced a 13-year-old boy to 10-years jail for blasphemy (BBC World Africa)

    Will this government please stop all aid to Nigeria

    1. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      +1

    2. dixie
      September 28, 2020

      If they did that where would you get your oil, petrol, diesel from?

      1. glen cullen
        September 28, 2020

        fracking in the UK

        1. dixie
          September 29, 2020

          fracking recovers gas – where will you get your oil, petrol and diesel from?

  76. glen cullen
    September 27, 2020

    Happy to report (BBC) that ”the Swiss voters have rejected a proposal to end an accord with the EU allowing the free movement of people”

    The Swiss has rejected freedom of movement

    1. BeebTax
      September 27, 2020

      I wish we were as well run as Switzerland. Great, some of their referendums. And there’s a citizen army.

    2. Know-Dice
      September 27, 2020

      Er no… The Swiss people have voted to keep freedom of movement.

      They rejected the bill that would stop freedom of movement

    3. hefner
      September 27, 2020

      Doh …

    4. beresford
      September 27, 2020

      I think you got that the wrong way round. the Swiss have voted to keep FPM.

    5. rose
      September 27, 2020

      Too late. A quarter at least of the population isn’t Swiss.

    6. Fred H
      September 27, 2020

      no they rejected the end of it – – still keen on EU citizens entering the country to deposit their money!

    7. Lynn Atkinson
      September 27, 2020

      Surely they have therefore retained free movement?

    8. BW
      September 28, 2020

      When is the second referendum

    9. glen cullen
      September 28, 2020

      Sorry I got it 180 wrong – the early report said one way while in fact it was another

  77. a-tracy
    September 27, 2020

    A high % agree “climate change is real and a serious threat to our lives and livelihoods.”
    And 71% are very concerned about CV19 for themselves.

    Hmmm

    We have moved the UK’s previous heavy industrial output to India, China and elsewhere who are still spewing out all the serious nasties on the other side of the World but still into the same atmosphere. Nothing much has been moving in the UK in the last six months we are strangling our economy and companies and will be causing much more long term damage to our current generation than anything else. In a way I’m glad the teens aren’t as terrified as I thought you’d made them over CV19 its how to keep them away from the vulnerable generation that is the problem.

    What is Boris playing it paying the most money into the WHO, why? Please explain to us why? I mean if you listen to MiC, Andy, Margaret we are Little Britain a tiny rump, insignificant in the World, yesterday I read acorn saying the UN were going to dump us off their committee yet up steps Boris blowing our money at an organisation that I suggest is in serious doubt by a good % of the UK population (but I guess you need to poll that with governments selected YouGov chosen ones).

  78. beresford
    September 27, 2020

    People are reporting that they are being refused entry to some establishments unless they have the Government app, which means ownership of an Android smartphone. I had to argue myself on Friday to get into one establishment, pointing out to the bouncer that he could take my details manually. Is this the thin end of the wedge towards the days when we must all be trackable by the authorities wherever we go?

    1. Stred
      September 28, 2020

      I was refused access to the ordering website of a major supermarket, with which I have a large share investment, recently because of the lack of use since the last time i tried to use it and they took an hour to bring the shopping out to the car. Sometimes I wonder whether they want any customers and only have geeks with brains addled by covid running the business.

  79. Lynn Atkinson
    September 27, 2020

    Sir John the disparity between what people say and what they actually want (demonstrated by how they act) is evidence of our loss of free speech. We are the first generation afraid to speak our minds.
    I’m taking into account that the British are kind and not aggressive – evasive. So as a Tory canvassing in the Welsh Valleys, the labour voters would say things like, ‘don’t you worry’ or ‘it’ll be fine on the day’ etc. Positive comments which canvassers willing people to be Tory’s put down as supporters. Actually they are saying – NO Way, on a very nice way.

    1. ukretired123
      September 28, 2020

      Lynn you have hit the nail on the head as total confusion now reigns on so many levels as if the government have delegated their power to non-entities.

      I agree with you that SJR should be PM as he seems to be the only one having a very sound ideas unlike many politicians – which is why he attracts the vitriol of the awkward squad so often but they cannot see it.

  80. Mark
    September 27, 2020

    Having lived in countries with totalitarian regimes of one hue or another, I notice that very few people will do anything other than give support for the regime, at least while in public. The consequences of opposition can be severe, all the way through torture and death including for family and friends. If you manage to get to know some of the people a little bit better you find that what they really think and what they say publicly become two very different things for at least some of them. Others become extreme apostles for the regime, and are duly rewarded with positions of power and prestige.

    Countries with robust democracies allow and encourage debate: holding a different view to government is not a crime. Debate evolves as circumstances change, and aspects of different points of view may come to influence policy. It is much easier to learn from experience, and admitting to being wrong when shown to be so. It is those who fail to adapt in that way who are shunted out of positions of responsibility.

    The UK appears to be descending more to the first kind of regime. We have seen a number of initiatives without debate in Parliament taking advantage of the coronavirus powers. Not commenting on the relative merits I have noticed a ban on all imports of fur, advancing the date for ending the sale of ICE vehicles, the anti-traffic measures, let alone all the arbitrary restrictions on people and businesses that are supposedly motivated by virus concerns. Others can doubtless add many more. We have also seen dissent against measures being suppressed instead of being debated, while intimidation from disruptive groups such as BLM and XR has been permitted to inconvenience and even terrorise the population. These are the tactics to expect from Venezuela’s Maduro, not a British government.

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