Rightly or wrongly, we want our politicians to be miserable.
My take this morning ๐
No one cares if ministers and advisors were in rooms together in Number 10. We care if they were having fun.
No one cares about officials discussing vaccine logistics or how to avoid mass unemployment. We care if there was warm wine or M&S cake there at the same time.
No one cares if the PM thanks his staff for their work - least of all outdoors - unless there are also nibbles present.
And maybe that's entirely right. After all these are the people who make it their business to restrict our lives.
After a lot of muddled communication it turns out the Met now say they do have to go through the Gray report to make sure publication would does not interfere with their work.
Which means the Met is going through the report with a fine tooth comb, potentially taking bits out *before the report is then sent on to Downing Street*.
No10 maintain they will try to publish what they are given in full, but what they are given may not be the full thing.
And when No10 receives the report, they will go though it to perhaps anonymise names of jnr civil servants etc, and then liaise with the Speaker of the Commons as to when it can be published.
Likely to fit a Parliamentary sitting day to allow for adequate Commons scrutiny.
Going back to stage 2 restrictions would be utterly unacceptable.
This would ban all indoor hospitality and limit outdoor hospitality to rule of 6 and forced table service. It would close nightclubs and reduce weddings and wakes to a maximum of 15 people.
It cannot be allowed.
If the Prime Minister were to implement this Tory MPs would be right to send in their letters and bring him down.
I get the feeling that he won't do it. Whoever is briefing this might be trying to roll the pitch to make lesser restrictions sound less bad by comparison.
That is not to say Omicron poses no risk, it does.
Government communications must be focussed on avoiding a national super spreading, vulnerable infecting, NHS breaking weekend.
Watch Lord Frost set out the UK's EU demands live on GB News in two mins time. ๐
Lord Frost: As we look at Europe from the UK, the geopolitics of the UK's position as an offshore island come to the forefront.
Frost:
1. Brexit will change our patterns of interest/relationships 2. Brexit means competition 3. Brexit is about democracy 4. The EU and UK have got to a 'low equilibrium' relationship. *Can* be improved 5. Fixing NI Protocol is prerequisite to getting to better relationship
Good to see fresh air is *FINALLY* front and centre of public advice.
That safer behaviour advice in order:
๐ช1. Let fresh air in if you meet indoors.
๐ท2. Wear a face covering.
๐งช3. Get tested, isolate if positive.
๐ 4. Stay home if you're unwell.
๐คฒ5. Wash hands.
๐ฑ6. Download the contact tracing app.