Events are overtaking us - as they often have a habit of doing

It looks like my idea for a follow-up post, about the threat of a new lock-down, has been overtaken by events, so I’ll keep this one short.  I spent much of yesterday first helping Mrs PBT’s getting things ready for Christmas, before heading outside to tidy the garden, thereby taking advantage of the dry and relatively mild weather.

Consequently, I missed much of the news, and whilst that’s no bad thing, I gradually became aware that the lock-down story wasn’t going to go away. Hints and snippets had been surfacing throughout the day, even so I wasn’t that aware of them until I came in from the garden.  

These news snippets were all about a two-week lock-down, a so-called “firebreak,” which would commence the week after Christmas, and help slow the seemingly exponential spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The reports were keen to emphasise that it wasn’t the government that were calling for these measures, but rather it was the scientists, advisors and so-called “experts” of SAGE who were insisting it was essential to curb social mixing in non-work-related indoor situations.

The government haven’t denied these stories, even though they would have to rely on the Labour opposition again to get such measures through Parliament, but they are content to let them run, as it plants a seed in the minds of the population at large. The fact that a large chunk of the population is susceptible to this sort of persuasion emboldens not just the politicians, but the control freaks of SAGE.

What we are seeing now, is very much “lock-down by stealth,” and the Johnson administration (or what’s left of it), are playing quite clever, for once, as this policy makes it appear that it is the people who are asking for another lock-down, rather than the government who are imposing it. Both SAGE and the UK government, seem to be ignoring the World Health Organisation, who state that lockdowns don’t work, but with a jittery British public chasing their heels, both parties may have felt compelled to act.

People are already taking heed of Chris Whitty’s ill-timed advice to restrict their socialising, with pubs reporting cancellations of parties, and other celebratory events, and Fuller’s announcing the closure of 20 of their busiest pubs in the capital. Locally, we have seen one prominent Tunbridge Wells pub, reporting that they will not be opening now until Boxing Day, but that might be a short-lived re-opening, because if the rumour mill is true, this so-called firebreak will come into effect on December 27^th.

I checked briefly this morning, and apart from the very welcome news of Brexit Minister, Lord Frost’s, resignation, there seemed little in the way of updates. That could all change once the Sunday morning discussion shows get going. I shall be giving them a wide berth, although I expect Mrs PBT’s will be glued to one or more of them, in between the usual cookery shows.

I’m off out with the boy, over to Tunbridge Wells, so he can pick up a few, last minute Christmas things. Perhaps we can find a hostelry whilst there, to enjoy a drop of festive cheer, while we still can – “suitably distanced,” of course!