Originally Posted by
jdcg
Although apparently it's now been postponed because they feared the public would be too alarmed by "soldiers on the streets". Yet we are told it's like a war. Just Johnson shifting responsibility as usual. All this is sourced from a senior civil servant, close to Gov't by the way. As for them, they've decamped to the countryside
As of 03.15 GMT Saturday 21 March 2020 whilst watching the news on the BBC the situation hasn't changed and they are still reporting what was stated by the Prime Minister at 17.15 GMT on Friday 20 March 2020.
Considering that the UK Government have outlined these plans it would be rather irresponsible and foolish of them to backtrack on it considering the severity of the situation and especially taking into consideration what other European countries are doing such as France, Italy and Spain etc.
Let's see over the next day or so how reliable your "senior civil servant" acquaintance actually is!
As for the government "decamping to the countryside", it's not as unusual as your trying to make out.
As your fully aware the Prime Minister's official weekend residence of Chequers is of course situated in the countryside. Chequers is near Ellesborough at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, 40 miles north west of central London. If needed a quick trip back down the M40 to Downing Street. The Prime Minister is still probably working whilst he is at Chequers and he and his close colleagues are still in touch to the outside world via, phone, email, Skype, through other minister's, the media, etc. The sitting Prime Minister of the day usually takes one or two cabinet ministers with him to Chequers to continue governmental business.
Whilst the Prime Minister is "decamped in the countryside" at Chequers he is not totally cut off from the outside world as your trying to make out, or are you suggesting he's being selfish by doing so!
What more could the Prime Minister achieve by staying in central London rather than being "decamped to the countryside". He's been an extremely busy person this last week and everyone needs some downtime and his won't probably last for long as I should imagine that his time whilst at Chequers is going to be fully taken up with governmental duties.
Am I sticking up for our Prime Minister, yes I am 🤗