Pandemic Politics and Economics

[olive]

My Sure Start was full of bugaboo pushing yummy mummies who’d arrive in their massive 4x4s.

[Marth]

Is that like the Sure Start thing which ended up full of Yummy Mummys doing baby massage? *ducks*

No, Sure Start had demonstrable and considerable advantages to the poorest families (although clearly wasn't without controversy; I hadn't heard about the Hackney thing). The scandal is that it was cancelled. The maternity fund was a bit odd though, as someone who recieved it twice but didn't really need it.

Yes, it definitely did around the country, and it saved me.

Hackney is a funny place and I have massive problems with how the (mainly black) poorer people were further disadvantaged by the gentrification of the area. It's a bit cringe because one Sure Start club in particular was in the paper (all the right wing rags), because the Labour Council shut it down for being too white and middle class, and it was actually ran by a good friend of mine .I agreed though that it completely failed to reach the target demographic, and actually further alienated a population of people who felt pushed out already. The club was 99% white and very middle class, even though it was surrounded by social housing.

[Bat Macdui]

Can we not just cut to a UBI?

Apparently we're so far from cutting to a UBI we're just giving people who can afford to eat out a tenner off their pizza. That's going to be great if you're already reliant on the foodbank, innit?

[Ella77]

It’s utterly insane. And, with it having to be a sit-down meal, irresponsible too. Heaven forbid we target benefits at those who need them most.

[Pippedydeadeye]

It’s very deliberate. They want us out now. No more staying at home, chop chop. Unless you live in Leicester, of course.

[Bat Macdui]

I can't be arsed to research exactly how accurate vs left conspiracy theory this is but a lot of people are muttering darkly about restaurant owners/chains being Tory donors. I'm perfectly happy to accept that.

[Marth]

It's only going to be certain places also. I imagine Wetherspoons will be on that list.

[Mountain Goat]

Yes, my first thought was how well Wetherspoons would do out of that. Dangling carrots to get more people out in enclosed spaces when our infection rate is one of the few things about us that could genuinely claim to be world beating?

Are you confined to barracks Pip or are you outside the designated plague area?

[Ella77]

It's only going to be certain places also. I imagine Wetherspoons will be on that list.

Blimey. Do they think they're being subtle with this?

[sally maclennane]

They genuinely don't care though, they get an easy ride from the media and they are only concerned about their own agenda and keeping big donors sweet. We went through the looking glass with the Cummings/Durham stuff.

[Luce]

Yes, Pip, I'd like to know that too! I'm on high alert for a local Bradford shut down but can't seem to find out if it works just by postcode or by council!

[Ella77]

They genuinely don't care though, they get an easy ride from the media and they are only concerned about their own agenda and keeping big donors sweet. We went through the looking glass with the Cummings/Durham stuff.

True.

[Glint]

Yes, Pip, I'd like to know that too! I'm on high alert for a local Bradford shut down but can't seem to find out if it works just by postcode or by council!

We didn't have a re-lockdown, but postcode areas, where there was an increased number of cases, were kept on restrictions while the rest of Scotland could travel more than 5 miles etc.

[nineseven]

Sunak didn't get a very easy ride on the Today programme this morning, although she did keep interrupting him which made it frustrating/difficult to listen to.

[Ella77]

That's not how I heard it at all! He kept blithely chuntering on, avoiding her questions and talking over the presenter when she tried to get him back on track.

[nineseven]

I'm listening to it now and they keep talking over each other. I agree that he was chuntering, but there are long stretches where they're both talking at the same time.

[Ella77]

I like that she didn't back down. They always expect it.

[Pippedydeadeye]

Are you confined to barracks Pip or are you outside the designated plague area?

I’m outside the cordon, thankfully. But all the good places to go are inside it (not strictly true).

They decided based partly on postcode, partly by council ward and from what I can tell, where there are natural breaks in populated areas/major roads. They also included a not very affected suburb/village purely because of a testing station there. :tinfoilhat:

[Ruby]

Is that like the Sure Start thing which ended up full of Yummy Mummys doing baby massage? *ducks*

No, Sure Start had demonstrable and considerable advantages to the poorest families (although clearly wasn't without controversy; I hadn't heard about the Hackney thing). The scandal is that it was cancelled. The maternity fund was a bit odd though, as someone who recieved it twice but didn't really need it.

I do agree with you. My comment was a not very veiled dig at Ruby, who did baby massage in Moss Side. Which I found hilarious at the time.

No I agree with all of this. From both sides. Sure Start was brilliant but really poorly targeted in some respects. I did have raging PND and baby massage saved me a bit, but I could probably have afforded to go to baby yoga somewhere else, to be fair. I have very mixed feelings about the Child Trust Funds that both of my chaps have.

[Bat Macdui]

Given how mad you were at the time, you are allowed. Yes, I'm also remembering the bit where you had one fruit beer, told me I needed to have children because I'd be a brilliant mother then fell off your chair.