I probably shouldn't, but as a teacher I automatically discount anything that comes out of Gove's mouth. He DECIMATED British education. The effects are ongoing.
Where would we be without humour?
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Following on from Boris Johnson's performance yesterday evening the comments from so many can be summed up by saying "What an idiot". Totally lacking in clarity, yet more spin designed to try make the government look better. I've been watching Good Morning Britain just now. The more we see the more it becomes apparent that they really haven't got much of a clue. Moderate Tories, Labour and others in Parliament need to force a change in government with a coalition of common sense pending a general election when the truth has come out.
The problems can be traced back to the Thatcher era when profits, privatisation and a lack of caring for society was the mantra. Brexit was just the latest example of not caring about the good of the country. Recent austerity for the sake of saving a few pence on income tax left the country unprepared for any sort of emergency let alone a pandemic.
The performance of the UK must be compared with that of Germany, South Korea and other countries who have handled the situation so much better. They have for years maintained Health and Care systems at a level with capacity to react, kept a manufacturing sector vibrant and seen an over reliance on the service sector as bad for their countries.
We should have tested from the start and where resources were limited tested where it really mattered. Assume that those in hospital with symptoms were positive and only testing those who were likely to pass the infection on. The true of deaths can only be estimated based on compariing this year's figures with those of recent years.
It will take years for Britain to regain the status it squandered away. We have the talent, may have the right type of leadership in some as yet less well known politicians. No quick fix just a slow gradual return to values that really matter.
So write to / email your MP's asking them to take a lesson from 1940 and form a government of National Unity, cancel Brexit and call a general election when and only when the situation is properly under control. Only parliament, if they have the courage, can call the executive to account.
I probably shouldn't, but as a teacher I automatically discount anything that comes out of Gove's mouth. He DECIMATED British education. The effects are ongoing.
Phew! I'm so relieved I don't meet any of the criteria to be a "leftie", according to Janpt
. Anybody got a label I could have?
trisher My definition of 'leftie' does not apply to you or many others on here and I congratulate you on such a rewarding career. However I disagree on your definition of a sick society. It is a fact that everyone cannot be equal. What you seem to be promoting is a society like the Marxist one Corbyn, McDonnell and their cronies hope for and which will never happen. You only need to look at Russia where in spite of murdering the royal family there are still haves and have nots.
GagaJo The Labour party decimated British education when they tried to get rid of all Grammar schools and tried to replace them with Comprehensives in an effort to try to make everyone equal. The fact is in spite of Labour's efforts everyone is not equal and never will be, you just have to accept that and stop being so bitter about it.
janpt
Labour wants equality of OPPORTUNITY not equality.
Actually Janpt I think we should call the left out of step losers, they are always out of step with the General population and always lose referendums and general elections 
Chewbacca, most of us have the capability to enjoy a little humour without losing sight of the subject matter .
I do apologise if your sensibilities have been offend.
Personally I believe a little lightheartedness is beneficial to the soul, not just our own but others also. ( Especially at this moment in time when so many folks are isolated )
Best wishes & do try to lighten up, spread a little sunshine .
Phew! I'm even more relieved I don't fit the definition of a "leftie", as the insults pile in!
trisher It appears you're not a "leftie" either! Now I know the world has turned upside down! Baffling!
Janpt So what about the 80% or so who went to secondary moderns?
PS. It was in the Tory shires that the support for comprehensives was the greatest.
Gaga if you are a teacher then you will know that a 2.1 from an Oxford College is worth far more than a First from just about any other Uni.Not many Firsts are handed out at Oxford or Cambridge, so a 2.1 is excellent.
I realise that not all the general public know this.
I'd be very interested to know what it is that makes Janpt and lemon authorities on the comparative value of degrees from different universities. Do share, ladies.
growstuff I'm starting to feel more and more like Alice! Not sure if GN has fallen down a rabbit hole or through the looking glass but something has gone wrong!
Janpt if I'm not a "leftie" my communist grandfather will be turning in his grave! I used to know all the words to the Red Flag, doesn't that count?
growstuff Don't know. I'm not one of them !
lemongrove That's true. Well said.
trisher As I have already said
trisher My definition of 'leftie' does not apply to you or many others on here and I congratulate you on such a rewarding career. However I disagree on your definition of a sick society. It is a fact that everyone cannot be equal. What you seem to be promoting is a society like the Marxist one Corbyn, McDonnell and their cronies hope for and which will never happen. You only need to look at Russia where in spite of murdering the royal family there are still haves and have not
Firecracker123 I agree.
Comprehensive re-organisation was by far the most successful achievement of Margaret Thatcher. It was just a pity she didn't finish the job but allowed the absurd eleven plus to continue in some parts of England.
Advocates of segregating children at the age of eleven are always campaigning to "bring back grammar schools" never "bring back secondary moderns"
It was always nonsense to suggest that grammar schools could co-exist with comprehensive schools. A school with most of the brightest pupils creamed off from its intake could only ever be comprehensive in name only.
Whitewavemark2 If they don't take the opportunities they won't get the equality.
Don't think I shall bother joining this discussion it seems all about gloating from those that voted our useless leader.
varian I suspect you didn't pass the 11 plus.
According to lemon "not many firsts are handed out at Oxford or Cambridge".
The fact is they award firsts to about a third of their undergraduates and either firsts or 2.1s to well over 90%
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/universities-biggest-shares-21s-and-firsts-revealed
Janpt posts "varian I suspect you didn't pass the 11 plus"
Why on earth would you suppose that?
I was educated in Scotland so never sat the eleven plus but my OH went to an English primary school where he was one of only two pupils out of a class of 40 who passed the eleven plus.
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