Businesses and some Tory MPs have complained about the Government’s flip-flopping on its work from home guidelines, with Steve Baker warning that “an entire cohort of businesses which rely on office workers will be at risk if the Government doesn’t give a clear steer to employers”. The Telegraph has the story.
Back in March, the Prime Minister said Britain’s army of homeworkers have “had quite a few days off” and should soon make a “passing stab” at returning to offices.
The Government’s work from home advice remained in place for four more months before Johnson shifted the responsibility to businesses, saying that the rest was for staff and employers “to work out for themselves”.
The result of Johnson’s flip-flopping and mixed messaging has been that the prospect of a “big bang” as city centres returned to life has turned out to be more of a fizzle.
Tory MPs and many businesses that depend on the traffic of office workers are growing frustrated as central urban economies lag behind in the recovery.
“You struggle with getting any clear messages out of the Government really, and they all seem to be a bit distracted at the moment anyway,” says Brian Bickell, Chief Executive of West End landlord Shaftesbury.
“There’s no reason not to come back to your office, public transport is perfectly safe… there’s no clarity of if you should go back, it’s just go back if you want to. I don’t know who they’re pandering to really.”
Experts expect more workers to return to offices from September, but whether it’s a trickle or a wave will be crucial for the future of many city centre businesses.
Johnson’s messaging has been stuck between making a full-throated endorsement for a return to offices and embracing the home working revolution. He is sitting out the big debate that will shape the future of Britain’s cities.
“Ministers need to decide whether they are willing to bear the consequences of mixed messages over whether to return to the office,” says Steve Baker, Deputy Chair of the Covid Recovery Group – an influential group of lockdown sceptic Tory MPs.
Worth reading in full.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
A parliament full of independents, representing their constituents. What a revolutionary idea. May it catch on.
That was actually the original idea and intention of the founders of the USA, to be brought about by small constituencies, where locally known independents have it easier to gain publicity and support.
It would result in far more MPs than currently.
Hence why it is only the second best idea for the organisation of a democracy.
The best one is the original, sortition.
As a bonus, there is absolutely no downside anymore from this current lot and sh*tshow.
Sortition, never heard of that. Thanks!
I already wrote about this in the past: The so-called representative model could be improved by outlawing supraregional electioneering clubs, ie, ‘political parties’ altogether. MPs are supposed to represent the people in their constituency and not some shady party gremium which selected them as candidates and can deselect them if it doesn’t like their performance.
Nice point
Andrew Bridgen MP is one of a small handful of MPs who understand the pending updates to the W.H.O.’s International Health Regulations and has the interests of the people at heart.
Through the I.H.R. updates, the country’s sovereignty could be signed away to a bunch of unelected, unaccountable criminals sponsored by large pharmaceutical companies and organisations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
There was a debate in Parliament on Monday following Dr. Tess Lawries’ petition which attracted over 116,000 votes. Two front benchers from both sides of the house voiced their party’s intention to submit to this power grab from the W.H.O. and to legally bind this country to the whims of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the W.H.O.’s director. He would legally be able to force all signatory countries to lockdown if he thought a PHEIC (Public Health Emergency of International Concern) was imminent. Tess gives a full explanation of what’s at stake here to Dr John Campbell.
Any party, any government, any MP who agrees to sign up to this treaty ceding sovereignty to an alien power is, I believe, committing treason.
Best tell Charles.
Oh, ah, yes, er…
I have been making the point about treasonous MP’s for some months now and not just in respect of the IHR amendments.
I have also called Bullshit on the legally binding aspects. The law in this country has been so outrageously abused these last four years both at home and internationally that any suggestion of ‘legally binding’ is insulting to the people of this country. ‘Legally binding’ certainly from an international perspective is now completely meaningless. It might be brought up as cover for various malfeasances but that is all it will be – cover.
I wonder who is down ticking you today HP? More treasonous persons?
It is already criminal. It is treasonous. If any try this we need them out of office in jail, long before the Bill comes to the House.
Independence Alliance, perhaps?
https://theindependentalliance.org/
“after writing on social media that the Covid vaccine rollout is “the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust”.” If we are going to pursue Toby’s nuanced world view you really ought to give all the facts which are that he retweeted a comment from an Israeli consultation cardiologist.
Presumably the difference in direction is that Bridgen wants to go somewhere and the Reclaim Party is going nowhere.
This might help to explain what the difference of opinion is about:-
https://twitter.com/ABridgen/status/1737151853106745807?t=4J2Sk5cxQrA8MK4milh3Eg&s=19
In the real world, most voters vote for a Party, and leave the candidate selection to the members. Relatively rare for an independent to win outright. The only one I can remember was an ex Journalist, Martin Bell, who got elected in Tatton, years ago.
France,Italian and Dutch electorate show it can be done! So I beg to differ, there is hope
Their electoral systems allow it.
Farage joins Tice and Reform ,Bridgen follows, Braverman follows, so does Badenoch and then Lee Anderson! Mc Vey shortly afterwards? Mogg ? = A real challenge to the derrrr!(mundane) uniparty 🥳👍
Don’t vote tactical, vote for what you want 😉!
We desperately need Mr Bridgen re-elected ….. so if he judges this is the best means to achieve it, then I am happy to trust his judgement.