This person with Corbyn is Wales's First Minister, Mark Drakeford.
It is he, who is responsible for some of the most bizarre UK lockdown regulations.
Previously he was known only for being an extreme left wing chum of Jezza's, who wanted to trash all the English language road signs in Wales. Obviously a man of dubious priorities.
Today his name has become synonymous with crackpot Welsh shopping regulations. You can buy however much alcohol as you wish, but you can't buy a Pumpkin, or toys, or even replace that broken electric kettle.
So, well done Drakeford; you win the 'Dingbat of the Week' award.... and very well deserved too!
I believe he will be 'reviewing' his list of banned goods very soon. I think that might be wise!
I think it’s a bit dammed if he does and damned if he doesn’t. If the restriction is supermarkets only, for example, garden centres complain they can’t sell plants but Aldi/Lidl/Waitrose can. Same thing with toys etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't really know what the point is. If he's trying to halt the spread of the virus, it makes no difference if one buys Scotch or nappies. All he seems to be doing is encouraging people to use Amazon, and make Jeff Bezos richer than he already is.
DeleteIn March when there was a lock down and closure of all but essential shops, small businesses selling for example plants went ballistic because, for example Lidl could sell plants. He is trying to address this.
DeleteEither way, it is the classic “it is just not good enough”
I have to say that it's a total minefield as Traveller said. At the start of the first lockdown it was interpreted (for at least 25 hours in some places) that a bottle of wine was not a necessity. Now THAT was really stupid. I am NOT a Corbynite of any description and for once I don't think this is a matter of politics. I would make the argument that if you consider a supermarket a safe place for someone to be then that's an end of it and they can but whatever is there. Then just live with the fall-out from the smaller store who can't sell the same stuff. Or make everything a necessity.
ReplyDeleteThat was the essence of my reply to Traveller above.
DeleteHe is apparently trying to avoid giving supermarkets the advantage - so if the local shoe shop has had to close, you shouldn't then be able to buy shoes in the supermarket, thereby seeking to protect local retailers who have had to close. Same with electrical/bedding/clothes etc., but there are so many aspects of his restrictions that he has not thought through. He says people can shop on line - how does that help local retailers, and doesn't that endanger people? Some people urgently need kids clothing, and can only afford supermarket prices in any case - not taking the business away from any other shops, just getting people's backs up.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen that he is going to 'review' this - merely to clarify! Great!!
I'm one of the 56,000+ who have signed the online petition against this measure.
(Do you have something against the Welsh today??)
As I said above, all he'll do is make Bezos richer. Maybe he's a shareholder in Amazon.
DeleteAnd that wouldn't surprise me at all.
DeleteThere is a clarity about the circuit-breaking Welsh lockdown that we do not have in England. Mr Drakeford's motivation is to reduce deaths and the impact upon the health service. Instead of carping, people should pull together for the greater good.
ReplyDeleteHow does what you can or can't buy in the shops, help to save lives? At least they'll die happy after all that Scotch.
DeleteNot letting people buy a cheap toaster in Tesco is not going to impact the health service in any way YP. Clarity is exactly what is lacking.
DeleteYP is looking very like the pot calling the kettle black here.
DeleteThey should test all the toasters, probably not as no doubt 50% would turn out positive. Then they would have to test blankets, pillow cases, everything. The NHS would be overwhelmed treating vacuum cleaners and fridges. Toasters wouldn't stand a chance they would mark them down as DNRs.
ReplyDeleteRare bit. What is the Magic Grandpa wearing? Look like overalls but that would be cultural appropriation as he has never done a days work in his life.
DeleteThey do have the look of the terminally stupid.
'Man of the People' sir. Serving the elderly in a Kaff.
DeleteSome people just make no sense. The more they say, they lose all credibility.
ReplyDeleteT'was always thus with folk who crave power.
DeleteA Welsh Tesco refused to sell a packet of Tampax to a woman today because it was deemed non-essential.
ReplyDelete