Freedom Day, June 21st, will go ahead.

[smn159]

JagLover said:

Gary29 said:

I think they'll delay it a couple of weeks just to flatten the curve.

and save the NHS no doubt

I think you need to ask what a coward would do and then that will be the answer. Boris doesn't have the spine to withstand the zero covid loons, no matter how nonsensical their claims.

I'm afraid I don't follow the conspiracy forums - what's this zero covid that all of the ftothers keep going on about? I've never heard it mentioned except by the usual conspiracy loons on here

[Jasandjules]

It seems unlikely to me. But then I don't think many people will comply if the corrupt ones suggest we continue to be restricted.

[amgmcqueen]

Fascist dictators don't tend to give up power easily.

[AJL308]

Why don't we just have a referendum? That way if we stick to the date of the 21st and lots of people die, hospitals get overwhelmed, etc, it's the electorate's fault not the government.

[tannhauser]

semisane said:

Colonel Cupcake said:

In my area, the last death was on 1st March 2021, there is 1 person in the main regional hospital with covid and the number of daily positive tests is in single figures too.

400 billion blown and absolutely nothing to show for it bar manky blue masks littering every hedgerow.

Far too dangerous to ever have society behave in a normal way.

We all deserve everything that's coming economy-wise. No, that's not true. The children don't and it will be them that will pay for all this, financial and otherwise, over thier lifetimes.

Another PH'er lost the plot

He’s right though.

[paulw123]

Remember when this was about saving the NHS from being overwhelmed?

[survivalist]

dmahon said:

A middle ground I suspect so both sides are happy.
They are too weak to go all the way and risk criticism from Twitter if the numbers go the wrong way.
Praying masks go personally.

Masks will be the last things to go, because ‘it’s just a piece of cloth’

Sadly I’ve expected masks to stay ever since they announced the ‘irreversible’ lockdown.

Know someone who is reconsidering travelling to Manchester next week. Even though they’ve had both jabs. The amount of irrational fear out there is ridiculous.

Will be very happy to be proved wrong though.

[ben5575]

I'm on record on other threads saying that the 21st will go ahead.

As per other posters/news it'll shift from law to guidance, still with a large push behind it. Best of both worlds for HMG as it lifts but still allows him to blame us if it goes wrong.

I read the guidance posted on the other page differently. 1m, masks and work from home is being reviewed prior to Stage 4, so expect announcement on Monday (either way!)

The current noise in the media is to encourage people get the vax. The problem for HMG is once freedom day has passed, the impetus will fall away. Kids are easy to vax as they are in schools though.

My only concern around it is the double dosing of all over 50's will take two more weeks. This is a convincing narrative that wasn't on the scene a week or so ago.

[Maximus Decimus Meridius]

amgmcqueen said:

Fascist dictators don't tend to give up power easily.

... Aaaaand if you tolerate this your children will be next ?

(The Manic Street Preachers, actually a lyric about The Spanish Civil War and a totalitarian/ authoritarian regime).

[Crafty_]

ben5575 said:

I read the guidance posted on the other page differently. 1m, masks and work from home is being reviewed prior to Stage 4, so expect announcement on Monday (either way!)

yes it says they will review before step 4, it does not say there was, is or will be any intent whatsoever to remove the mask mandate at step 4.

That left them the scope to say something like "ok step 4 goes ahead on Jun 21st, but our review has determined that masks should stay until 85% of the population have had (or been offered) both jabs"

This was always the intention I think,

Whenever step 4 comes I doubt masks will be dropped at the same time.

[105.4]

Sorry, I forgot to ask before I voted.

21st June of which year?

[snuffy]

Nigel_O said:

I'm struggling to see how there won't be a rebellion if lockdown isn't lifted for the majority.

Nope, there will be no rebellion at all.

Why ? Because people have accepted everything that has been done so far, and they will keep on accepting it.

[MG CHRIS]

snuffy said:

Nigel_O said:

I'm struggling to see how there won't be a rebellion if lockdown isn't lifted for the majority.

Nope, there will be no rebellion at all.

Why ? Because people have accepted everything that has been done so far, and they will keep on accepting it.

Yes accepted it then ignored it shortly after and had there mates around. Even in the first lockdown within a few weeks kids were over each others houses BBQ going etc etc. Yes some have been way over the top but in reality most are just getting on with it or not making a fuss anyway.

[williamp]

I've got a horrible feeling this is going to be like the Vietnam war: nobody wants it, but nobody knows how to stop it, and its easier to keep it going then to admit you need to stop it..

Totally wrong approach, but I can see Boris being railroaded by the "data". Has any other country opened up, or would we be the first (if we did on the 21st)

[snuffy]

MG CHRIS said:

snuffy said:

Nigel_O said:

I'm struggling to see how there won't be a rebellion if lockdown isn't lifted for the majority.

Nope, there will be no rebellion at all.

Why ? Because people have accepted everything that has been done so far, and they will keep on accepting it.

Yes accepted it then ignored it shortly after and had there mates around. Even in the first lockdown within a few weeks kids were over each others houses BBQ going etc etc. Yes some have been way over the top but in reality most are just getting on with it or not making a fuss anyway.

That's true, but only in your personal interactions (mates, family, BBQs as you say). But companies can't ignore it, the pub can't, the shops can't, the theatre can't, public transport can't, the hairdresser can't, and so on.

[Muncher]

If I had to guess I would say it will be ultimately be pushed back to around 27 September. Not all in one go, but that’s where it will end up.

[Maximus_Meridius101]

AJL308 said:

Why don't we just have a referendum? That way if we stick to the date of the 21st and lots of people die, hospitals get overwhelmed, etc, it's the electorate's fault not the government.

That’s pretty much exactly what Boris has allegedly argued this week. Let it rip, when the people see the NHS collapse, they’ll be scared into locking themselves down, ( except for the collapsed NHS and lots of dead people ) it’s a win / win, as everyone is locked down, and we didn’t do it. Even the collapsed NHS isn’t a massive issue, because the Conservatives really don’t like the NHS in its current incarnation anyway, they’ve tried to privatise it many times before.

Edited by Maximus_Meridius101 on Wednesday 9th June 23:26

[Maximus_Meridius101]

Muncher said:

If I had to guess I would say it will be ultimately be pushed back to around 27 September. Not all in one go, but that’s where it will end up.

If SAGE get their way, it will not only be pushed back, but the level of lockdown will go back to the last step, where non essentials were open, but hospitality was outside only.

[PBCD]

Maximus_Meridius101 said:

The official line from Whitty and Valance is, we’d rather the phase 4 was delayed by at least a month.

Just in time for the "potentially 60% more transmissible" Epsilon variant??

[brickwall]

I expect they’ll try and spin it still as ‘freedom day’, but in reality there’ll still be restrictions in place, particularly on
- Face masks (in shops and on public transport)
- Large events
- Limits on indoor private gatherings
- “COVID safe” social distancing guidelines for workplaces and entertainment venues

The above will then get gradually watered down/lifted as the cases fall. The news will very quickly shift to international travel (whilst people are in favour of quarantine/restrictions now, that will be much less true come August)