https://www.theguardian.com/world/n...place-as-uk-covid-death-toll-rose-interactive - this article lines up the times and dates of the parties with where the country was at at the time. It's shocking.
Never ever forget the context of each and every one of these "we work hard, we're important people don't you know" parties and gatherings:
1. Due to Conservative cuts there was no serviceable Pandemic response ready to go in January 2020.
2. While COVID-19 ripped through the world and rolled towards us having nearly tipped Italy over the edge, the Govt didn't do anything because Boris didn't attend the right meetings to make decisions (he was finishing writing his book and finalising his divorce to his cancer ridden wife)
3. They didn't close the borders, they allowed travel into the country, even from territories with known cases
4. They didn't know what to do with the people who did arrive - including bussing people to Merseyside to be quarantined.
5. They didn't lockdown early - just suggested working from home and not attending pubs/venues/restaurants
6. They advised against facemasks on dodgy libertarian 'freedom' grounds when they would have been most effective
7. There was no plan until the situation was out of control (Dominic Cummings - "we're f******d") and it was clear that the NHS was not prepared with the right equipment.
8. When the hospitals were full, they fatally allowed a whole range of ill elderley patients to be sent back to care homes, causing untold damage and death.
9. There was no plan for school children despite the lead time we had
10. They didn't contact companies that specialise in the required skills and services - such as ventilation manufacturing - just farmed out contracts to businesses and cronies who fancied having a go
11. While you can forgive some miscommunication as an emergency situation unfolds, the communication of what people needed to do was laughable, incoherent, and often open to interpretation which led to bewilderment and frustration
12. The tiering system of restrictions based on where you lived was a shambles
13. Track and trace was an expensive shambles
14. I reckon you could draw a direct line between restrictions being eased and being put up again based on when the Government was on holiday.
15. Eat Out to Help Out kickstarted a second wave of cases - despite the good intentions of the scheme.
And that's just off the top of my head! Not even taking into account all the ridiculous treatment of individuals at the hands of authorities, or the way that the very poorest suffered most long term damage.
2020 was such a chaotic mess that all they could do was put their hopes in finding a vaccine - they literally needed the experts to pull them out of the ****.
I will concede that Furlough worked and has ensured vast majority of employed received some assurances, but there was nothing for self employed workers and tradespeople.
They systematically, consistently, ideologically failed us all - and they continue to do so with the denials. I watched Downfall the other day and the scenes of German officers and their women partying in the bunkers while Berliners faced death outside took on new meaning for me.