Boris Johnson’s Easter Monday press conference was a depressing affair, with the Prime Minister confirming that vaccine passports will be required to access large-scale events (like football games), warning that social distancing measures will have to remain in place after June 21st and a “traffic light” system will be unveiled on May 17th to determine which foreign countries we’re allowed to go to, if any. MailOnline has more.
Boris Johnson laid out a grim vision of coronavirus restrictions stretching into the future tonight amid fears his roadmap is being watered down.
The PM tried to strike a bullish tone saying the country’s hard work is “paying off” as he held an Easter Monday press briefing in Downing Street, confirming that shops can open on April 12th as planned.
Non-essential retail, gyms and hairdressers can get up and running, while bars, restaurants and cafes will be able to serve customers outdoors.
“On Monday 12th, I will be going to the pub myself and cautiously but irreversibly raising a pint of beer to my lips,” Mr Johnson said.
As he struggled to quell rising anxiety about when normal life might resume, he said: “We set out our roadmap and we are sticking with it… We see nothing [in] the present data that makes us think we will have to deviate from that roadmap.”
However, the Government’s SAGE experts and a series of reviews published this afternoon cast serious doubt on the prospects of returning to normal by the June 21st date previously proposed for a full lifting – and Mr Johnson himself seemed to scale back his rhetoric on “freedom day”.
New evidence released by the Government suggested that the relaxation could spark a fourth peak in outbreak.
A paper indicated that “baseline measures”, including some form of social distancing and masks, would need to remain in place until this time next year – while voicing “reasonable confidence” that Covid will be manageable by then.
It said the reopening of pubs, cinemas and indoor hospitality – due to happen on May 17th – could be called into question if vaccine uptake in the under-50s dips below 85%.
Meanwhile, separate updates on a series of reviews gave little more than holding positions – stopping short of confirming that non-essential foreign travel will be allowed from the earliest mooted date of May 17th, with a traffic light system of restrictions due to come into force when the blanket ban lifts.
Mr Johnson said he would not provide a “hostage to fortune” by giving any timeline.
Worth reading in full.
Stop Press: Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader, has branded Boris’s vision of Britain post-reopening a “hellish demi-lockdown”. He gave the following quotes to the Mail after the Prime Minister’s presser:
We were told the vaccine was the way out, no ifs, no buts. We can see from the data that the vaccine is working better than anyone had hoped, but now the scientists are saying the real issue is variants or a third wave.
They want to keep Project Fear going because they are enjoying the control they have, and ministers have caved in to them.
The result is we are headed for a hellish demi-lockdown, where we have to be tested all the time, carry a vaccine passport everywhere and are under the constant threat of being locked down again.
Discussion
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The whole lockdown from day one has been justified by the 1984 Health Act requiring a ‘substantial and imminent threat’ to allow the emergency legislation to continue. The only ‘substantial and imminent threat’ I can see is Ferguson and his band of Mad Modellers. They should be permanently quarantined for the sake of humanity.
It’s what I said last autumn, when we had the second lockdown: they’re never going to let us out.
In a year’s time, they won’t need to have regulations to force people to wear masks. They’ll already be embedded in the culture and become a permanent requirement for many places and people. “Can’t be too careful….”
As for the vaccine passports, that was probably already on the cards before this virus hit the news. The EU were already planning one. Why wouldn’t our anti-liberal government not join in? They’ve signed us up to everything else, e.g. carbon zero, mass immigration….
It’s quite clear masks are totally ineffective otherwise why has the virus being spreading in nearly every country across Europe so readily despite mandatory masking and why aren’t American states with mandatory masking doing much better than states without mandates?
Given that, it is equally clear that mandatory masks are simply being kept as a behavioural science tool, to ensure compliance more generally and to create an unjustified sense of peril .
So where is this coming from Toby? You don’t seem to answer the question.
IDS blames the “scientists” – maybe he means epidemiologists – but I am not so sure that’s right. We’ve had it confirmed WEF is advising WHO and we know China has unparalleled influence over WHO.
Please stop referring to Johnson the clown as Boris. It makes him sound as though he’s our pal, someone we like and respect, when the truth is the complete opposite.
This government is not fit for purpose and a big part of the problem are the MP’s we voted into Parliament to speak for the people. So far the majority have not done so and are therefore the problem. They will soon have to decide which side they are on; the people or this dictatorial government of occupation.
The thing with science is that a theory can be proved wrong with one single experiment. Texas has opened up fully and Sweden never imposed restrictions and in neither case has there been a disaster but quite the opposite. Perhaps to open up completely would expose the lockdowns and vaccinations as hugely expensive and all for no benefit.
Health update: Both the OH and I are experiencing raised blood pressure. The constant strain of living in a dystopia is getting to us. Personally, I now feel only the catharsis of seeing the chief players in this farrago ground into the dust will be enough to restore my equilibrium. I want Johnson, Gove, Whitty, Hancock, etc, to never know a moment’s peace for the rest of their lives. I want them to live with the full knowledge that they have destroyed the hopes and aspirations of millions. They must never be allowed respite. Eternal torment is the very least they deserve.
As of 10am Tuesday the Gove article in The Telegraph on vaccine passports has 8350 comments , the vast majority of them castigating him. Probably water off a ducks back but one can hope.
At least the Mail has revealed the dark secret of the NWO agenda: restaurants and cafes will be able to serve customers customers
Yup, it’s Soylent Green
It is now time to challenge the indoctrination of the Mask Mania. Much of the fault lies with scientists (I use the term figuratively) who have published over 300 articles frequently with either reference to influenza or observational studies. The politicians who have no scientific background, and epidemiologists, many of whom e.g. Neil Ferguson are mathematicians with no biological let alone medical training, have run with the simplistic narrative of +well they can’t do any harm and might do some good.” The pieces of infected rags they call masks, that people dangle across their oro-nasal area ,stuff into their pockets then reuse ‘ad libidum’ are a biohazard. Sadly the greatest casualty in the pandemic has been the scientific method -association confused with causation- and publication of research of poor quality whose conclusion as taken as doctrine. The scientific advisors (SAGE) have produced politicians who are so afraid of people dying that they have forgotten that the public need to live.
This will never end until the population come to realise that they’re being abused. While they’re enjoying the restrictions and Boris keeeps listening to the scientists nothing will change. It’ll take years till they come to their senses.
Oh and get ready for more lockdowns next winter.
Be fair to scientists. I know several who are incensed at what has been going on. Trouble is, they’re either retired or don’t work anywhere connected to the ‘public sector’ / NHS.
According to the governments own statistics 120k people will die this year from smoking related diseases in the UK. Why isn’t tobacco banned to “Save Lives”.
Because they depend on the tax revenue, same goes for booze.
How many years tobacco and drink tax revenues have they spent?
“New evidence released by the Government suggested that the relaxation could spark a fourth peak in outbreak.”
That is not evidence it is speculation based on modelling. And let’s face it, their models haven’t proven even remotely accurate.
Also, if the vaccines work then why will there be a fourth outbreak? If everyone has the vaccine yet there are still outbreaks then what is the point of the vaccine?
Shush, don’t ask sensible questions!
It’s a real risk. Just look at the massive outbreaks in those US states that have reopened….
I sincerely hope that any pub Johnson visits on Monday for a photo-op pint in the garden will refuse to serve him and bar him for life.
In fact, all pubs should bar for life every MP who votes for Covid Passports
Boris is not in charge. Bill Gates and Tony Blair are but two people pulling his strings. Big Pharma must be licking their lips at the thought of repeat vaccinations on top of the initial ones. Listen to Mike Yeadon with James Delinghope on https://delingpole.podbean.com/e/dr-mike-yeadon-1617215402/ or in print here: https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/exclusive-former-pfizer-vp-to-aflds-entirely-possible-this-will-be-used-for-massive-scale-depopulation/
There is more afoot than meets the eye.
Boris is utterly clueless. Masks for ANOTHER YEAR ??? get bent. I’m done. Just done with this bullshit
I demanded to know last year what were the statistical measures that would allow us to end the mask mandate. No one answered, despite the fact that the government admitted it would do little for infections only give people confidence.
And now it will never end.
Would love to see a landlord chase Johnson out of his pub, even throw a pint over him
You wear one if you want to, Boris. I won’t.
People who knew Johnson said before the election that he was a congenital liar.
We now know its true, almost every single word issued from his mouth is a lie.
He wants to be the ‘supreme ruler’ , he believes its his birthright.
Make no mistake, he is presiding ( the correct word) over the beginning of one of the darkest days in the UK’s history, the instigation of a biosecurity fascist totalitarian regime. And he has absolutely no intention of wavering from that path.
AN OPPORTUNIST LIAR!!!
Had enough yet?
Masks cause serious harm to health as documented here:
Facemasks in the COVID-19 era: A health hypothesis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7680614/
ConclusionThe existing scientific evidences challenge the safety and efficacy of wearing facemask as preventive intervention for COVID-19. The data suggest that both medical and non-medical facemasks are ineffective to block human-to-human transmission of viral and infectious disease such SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, supporting against the usage of facemasks. Wearing facemasks has been demonstrated to have substantial adverse physiological and psychological effects. These include hypoxia, hypercapnia, shortness of breath, increased acidity and toxicity, activation of fear and stress response, rise in stress hormones, immunosuppression, fatigue, headaches, decline in cognitive performance, predisposition for viral and infectious illnesses, chronic stress, anxiety and depression. Long-term consequences of wearing facemask can cause health deterioration, developing and progression of chronic diseases and premature death. Governments, policy makers and health organizations should utilize prosper and scientific evidence-based approach with respect to wearing facemasks, when the latter is considered as preventive intervention for public health.
Agree totally. However, I realise that as the government ceased to listen to anyone except their masters long ago, we could present them with realms of evidence that masks don’t work/are harmful or that lockdowns cause far more deaths than they save etc. and it would be like water off a duck’s back. I have always hated violence of any kind but I really do believe that this is a new kind of war that we are in at the moment and wonder if revolution is the only thing they will understand.
And again, what the conspiracy theorists said since March has become vindicated: the public can try as hard as It wants. The government has a/Klaus&Bill’s plan to execute and it will do so.
Could the government be sued under the Freedom of Information act for withholding?
Every publican should ban Mr Johnson from their premises for life, and if he goes for a photo opp to have his ‘pint’, he and his entourage should be barred from the pub just as the photo opp is set up and be given his marching orders.
Is anyone really that surprised? The Government and the majority of MP’s simply EVIL individuals who’ve been handed a once in a lifetime opportunity to subjugate the entire nation, mainly due to a compliant media and a passive and brainwashed population.
Dark days ahead.
85% vaccination rate for the under 50s sounds a lot like the teacher who keeps the whole class in detention when one kids behaving badly… what kind of politics is this?!
The difference here is – no one is behaving badly. No healthy person under 60 needs the vaccine, and none should be coerced into it.
Neither should the over 60’s.
When will the brainwashed sheeple wake up?! Will they ever understand that this wicked cabal have no intention of releasing their tyrannical grip – EVER? We have an allegiance and duty to the generations coming after us to refuse absolutely to lie down and let these greedy megalomaniacs hold sway. The experimental ‘vaccine’ (dangerous witches’ brew) coercive nonsense is fundamental to the success of their abhorrent plan, so please please Toby and LDS gang, help reveal this for what it is ATL and then, perhaps, fewer younger people will fall for the illogical propaganda and will decline the dodgy injections. The DT is now shameless in its censorship of comments that push back against the government’s narrative (the Gove article appears to have all the bots and shills out in force today); this website provides a safe space for alarmed dissenters of all stripes, (for which I’m more thankful than words can express), but we now urgently need a more organised call to arms before the trap is sprung irrevocably.
I would call myself a natural Conservative but now I HATE them.
You’re a natural conservative. They’re not. That’s the difference. Half of them should be in the Lib Dems or Labour.
Sorry but really Boris just fuck off.
And can I ask the question: Boris claims he is going to a pub on the 12 April. Who is the Landlord? Is he/she really going to let this monster charlatan and liar on to his premises.?
Any publican who serves him can and will have to close down again right therafter.