Just Saying...

UK elections take place every 5 years, well they're supposed to but lately, it has all been a bit mental. Anyway, in UK Government elections all 4 nations vote and are represented in Westminster. As we are a union of equals it would seem fair that each nation gets the same number of MPs. Unfortunately, that's not how it works.

The UK parliament is made up of 650 MPs. To have an equal union each member nation should have 162.5 MPs however this is not what happens. Here is the breakdown of the UK 2019 election.

533 England
059 Scotland
040 Wales
018 Northern Ireland

As you can see England get 533 MPs and the other 3 nations have a total of 117. An English majority of 416 MPs - not exactly as equal as we are told. I know England has a higher population but that should not mean they should get more MPs, especially as we are told we are a union of equals.

Let's have some fun.
Here's a bit of fun to prove my point. Imagine if football was played using Westminster rules.

The big game has arrived, Scotland vs England so let's look at some stats.
Scotland has a population of 5.4m people and England has a population of 54m, which, in Westminster, equates to 533 England MPs and 59 Scotland MPs, a ratio of 9:1

By playing Westminster rules football the Scotland football team would get 11 players (the current standard) but as this is Westminster rules football, England would get 99 players. A bit like a simplified Barnett formula. It's not exactly a level playing field is it?

Clearly, it would be silly to play football like that BUT this is how we allow our political system to work. Sadly though, in politics, the ball is peoples lives and it doesn't often end well..

If we think about this in more detail, we then find that under Westminster rules football, the head of the football association that sets the rules (the UK PM) is also the manager of Englands football team. Not only that but and he/she is also the referee. They also get to steal the other teams resources in order to weaken the opposition.

The head of the football association (UK PM) also gets to set how much money each team gets for training facilities, wages etc.

Q1. What do you think the chances of Scotland winning are now?
Q2. Who do you think is going to get priority funding?
Q3. Why would you even bother taking part in a game that's so clearly one-sided?

A1. None
A2. England
A3. It's not about winning, it's about taking part (that's what they want you to believe).

Not so much fun when you realise that that is how politics actually works in the UK. Politics isn't a game and people are dying as a result of Westminster rules but Scotland still seems to want to take part in this charade. We vote, we elect and then wonder why we get pumped every time we try to play by the rules.

It's time to stop playing by their rules. It's time to pick up the ball and go home. Time to rewrite the rules for a fairer game.

Are You Yes Yet?

Andy

Scotlands lockdown will be relaxed this week so let's get prepared for a new wave of people coming back into society who have been at home without realising the outside world has changed.

I've noticed that people are already more hostile now than they were in the beginning. At first, people were scared so they took their frustrations out on the staff for not getting a coffee or whatever it was. Nobody likes change.

As the lockdown eases and the next phase begins with more people leaving home for the first time in 2 months, we are faced with people who are more stressed and frustrated as they return to a different reality, while hoping for normality.

The targetted frustration that shop workers now face while trying to protect themselves and others is even worse. It's understandable but not acceptable. People need to accept the changes that confront them and not take it out on those just doing their job.

People need to remember that after 2 months of abuse and daily changes to working practices that this time around, shop workers are mentally and physically drained and might not be as polite as they once might have been to people sneering and abusing them.

However, if you work in retail then you also have to remember that we have changed gradually with our environment, adapting slowly as the changes developed to where they are now. Those who are returning to work are seeing dramatic changes to life that never existed when they went into lockdown, so be patient while they adjust to what's going on.

In better times, It might have been easy to dismiss the odd customer who is rude or aggressive BUT these are not the best of times. We are exhausted. Not only have we missed out on families and friends but we have had to endure the derision of strangers just for doing our job. We have to accept treatment from strangers that we wouldn't accept from loved ones.

So if you are one of those returning to the outside world for the first time, think twice before sneering, arguing or complaining that you have to wait longer to get served etc

None of us like the current situation but we all have to live with the new rules. Retail workers don't need your stress, they have enough of their own. So if you want to be treated properly then think before you speak/act.

Being polite costs nothing and makes a huge difference to those working hard to keep you and themselves safe.

Andy

When Boris Johnson talks to the nation tonight about relaxing the lockdown just remember the figures below. These numbers are down to the mismanagement of the pandemic by a Government who failed to act after stark warnings from other countries.

They knew it was coming and did nothing. There are hints that they might start the quarantining of new arrivals to the UK, 66 days AFTER the first recorded death. Far too late as far as most people are concerned.

Active Cases : 183,329 : 2nd in the World : Highest in Europe
Total Deaths : 31,587 : 2nd in the World : Highest in Europe
Deaths per 1m pop : 465 : 5th in the World : 6th in Europe
Tests per 1m pop : 25,461 : 43rd in the World : 26th in Europe

03/05/2020 : PM admitted he had shaken the hands of everyone at a hospital where infected patients were being treated.
05/03/2020 : 1st Recorded Covid-19 death in UK
23/03/2020: Lockdown Announced : 359 Deaths Recorded
27/03/2020 : PM Test positive for Covid-19
05/04/2020 : PM admitted to hospital
30/04/2020 : Government announced 100,000 tests per day target was met. A claim that was later proved false.
10/05/2020 : 48 Days after lockdown 31,228 people have died during lockdown which averages out 650 deaths per DAY during lock down.

Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "Stay alert will mean stay alert by staying home as much as possible*, but stay alert when you do go out by maintaining social distancing, washing your hands, respecting others in the workplace and the other settings that you'll go to.

Instead of managing the problem, it appears that they are only interested in slogans that don't actually mean anything.

Please remember that when the P.M talks about easing the lockdown restrictions that he is talking about England only. Devolved nations Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will set out their own plans.

Andy

Covid-19 is destroying lives but politicians seem to think they can avoid answering questions about statistics with their empathy quotes such as

"We mustn’t forget that behind every single statistic there is a heart-breaking story..."

"We must never forget that behind every statistic is a family member or a friend."

"Behind every single death is a family’s heartbreak..."

"We must not forget that each of these statistics represents a personal tragedy."

"...every one of them a tragedy, and our hearts go out to all of the loved ones who are grieving their loss at such a difficult time"

Any other variation which precedes their dodging of the questions makes it really difficult to challenge them in the way that they should be getting challenged.

It's a psychological trick that prevents proper scrutiny. Everyone would have used empathy as an excuse to get out of trouble at some point in their lives but this is a government trick used daily to avoid serious answers.

It's basically fake empathy to deflect from further scrutiny which is more noticeable during real-time questioning rather than the at scripted briefings. It's very much in the same way that a salesperson pretends to understand your pain to gain trust. After all, how can a customer be angry at a salesperson who has just shown empathy to them?

A salesman dealing with an angry customer might say "I understand your frustration, I would feel exactly the same, so let's see if I can help" before taking back control. He just wants the situation dealt with and if that means fake empathy to get control then guess what he's going to do?

A politician being questioned about death statistics might start with a slight downward tilt of the head and eyes while he prepares his soft voice tone, before stating "before I answer, let's remember that behind the numbers there are grieving families..." they then proceed to not answer the question. How could you possibly be angry with someone who has just shown empathy?

If you hadn't noticed it before then look out for it. I'm not saying they do not have empathy for the families etc but they are using empathy purely as a psychological tool to avoid answering their failings.

Andy

The Conservative Governments response to COVID-19 was too slow, too little, too late and cost lives.

What if COVID-19 was a physical and visible invading army that killed and injured tens of thousands of people?

What if the government told you they were fully prepared and had stockpiles of supplies, only to find out that neither was true?

What if the government was still allowing enemy fighters to enter the country unchecked every day?

What if the government was denying vital supplies to the parts of the UK to help to fight the enemy?

What if the government blamed everyone apart from themselves while people are being slaughtered in their homes?

What if the government called it a war but treated it as a playground scrap?

What if the government told you that it will be your fault if the invaders kill your family?

What if the government had NO PLAN to defeat the enemy?

What if the government lied to you and then denied it?

What if the government knew in advance what would happen and done nothing?

Would you still think the Conservative Government is doing a good job?

COVID-19 is an invisible army and the Conservative Government allowed it to kill and injure its own people before taking it seriously.

Andy