Here are some facts that were missing from today’s Daily Briefing and from the propaganda of billionaires (a.k.a. our newspapers):
The USA is now the country with the highest number of cases, new cases, total deaths and new deaths. NOT including the USA, the United Kingdom is now:
1st in the world for ‘New Cases’ (astounding considering we’re only testing people admitted to hospital!)
1st in the world for ‘New Deaths’ in the last 24 hours.
4th in the world for ‘Total Deaths’ so far (behind Italy, Spain and France….. and our current trajectory shows we may well overtake all of them!)
Whilst our rate of testing has increased significantly in the last week, of the Top 20 countries in terms of ‘total cases’, our rate is 16th – only Brazil, Iran and Turkey have lower rates (there’s no figure for China). Just to clarify….. only Brazil, Iran and Turkey have lower testing rates! The bottom of the league table reads: Brazil, Iran, Turkey, UK…. then 16 other countries above us!
So, here are my Top 10 Questions for the Daily Briefings:
1. Is it true that, as reported on the front page of The Sun, despite these shocking and appalling figures, the Prime Minister sat up in bed yesterday?
2. What has our government got so wrong and when will there be an Independent Public Inquiry?
3. The New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been widely recognised for her exemplary response – especially as they currently have just four deaths. Her approach was “We go hard. We go early!” and she described the crucial early ‘window of opportunity’. What was our government doing during our ‘window of opportunity?’ Was it when *our* Prime Minister was busy encouraging people to ‘Bung a Bob for a Big Ben Bong?’
4. When you say that you are ‘following the science’, which scientists do you mean and does that include the pseudo-scientists in the government’s influential Behavioural Insights Team (otherwise known as the ‘Nudge Unit’)?
5. The government was globally criticised by scientists, world leaders and the WHO for its initial and now clearly very fateful ‘herd immunity’ strategy. Pressure mounted for the government to release its scientific modelling for peer review. Then, the government released new and shocking modelling from Imperial College London and announced their approach had changed as ‘the science has changed’. Scientists refuted this claim. Has the government ever made their earlier modelling available and, if so, where is it?
6. Given that a leaked Home Office conference call reported by the BBC and Byline Times shows that Home Office Deputy Science Advisor Rupert Shute said that based on “current modelling we are working on, 80% will get it” – and the deadly consequences of that – is it not time for the government to be honest with the public about its approach?
7a. Given that so many frontline NHS Workers and care workers have died having been sent – and, in some cases, forced – into dangerous workplace situations without adequate protective PPE, how many Trillions have the government set aside for compensating their families (or to meet the payments set via future court cases)?
7b. (Follow up question) Will Jacob Rees Mogg (whose investment company, Somerset Capital Management told investors to take advantage of this “once in a generation” chance of “super normal returns”) and the hedge-fund-managing friends and donors of the Tories like Crispin Odey who are busy profiting from the crisis be forced to surrender their profits to the ‘compensation fund for dead NHS Workers?’
8. There are widespread reports across the country of elderly and vulnerable people (and especially those in care homes) being denied hospital admission and treatment and also being ‘encouraged’ to have ‘Do Not Attempt Resuscitation’ forms?
a) Does this relate to the fact that daily death figures do not count those who die outside of hospital?
b) Given the widespread criticism of the government over their inability to adequately procure ventilators, does this relate to the government’s desire to continue to state that demand does not outstrip the available ventilators?
9. In what way does Matt Hancock think NHS Workers are misusing PPE? Does he think they’re putting it on backwards or using the masks to make hammocks for their pet hamsters?
10. Isn’t allowing flights to come into the UK every day from all around the world, including from Coronavirus epicentres, with no temperature checks, testing or quarantining while the rest of us are making huge sacrifices to stay at home a bit like having a urinal in a swimming pool?
Maybe this is why I’m not a journalist.
Tom Lane
