I have spent a year being astonished at how people will, it seems, believe almost anything. From the extent to which the coronavirus is a risk to them, that the ‘killer virus’ was worth the restrictions to our lives, wrecking the economy and education, thousands of (non-COVID related) excess deaths and that wearing a face covering is a necessary or effective way to protect yourself and others from infection. Evidence to the contrary on all these issues, expounded daily on websites such as Unity News Network, Lockdown Sceptics and the HART group is ignored and trashed by the mainstream media. Now I am equally astonished that people are looking forward to 19 July.
I can only assume that these people are not reading the newspapers or listening closely to government pronouncements. For a start—and as explained in this column— the Prime Minister did not say that restrictions would be lifted on 19 July. And there has been a massive backlash against him by the public ‘health’ lobby amplified by their political and mainstream media megaphones. My prediction is that Boris will crumble under the pressure. He is not listening to anyone outside the Westminster bubble, and he seems unable to drown out the continual stream of doom-laden psychobabble pouring forth from his two gargoyles—Whitty and Vallance—one at each shoulder.
Even if Boris does not officially postpone Freedom Day, there are already so many ‘exemptions’ from Freedom Day being granted that it will make a mockery of any attempts to get British society back to normal. If the government declare a ‘Freedom Day’, it will not look like one. For instance, local governments are to be given autonomy to impose their own restrictions, likewise businesses. If my local government, whose Chief Executive has already caused me to be mobbed on Twitter for my lockdown scepticism, is anything to go by then the people of Hull can forget freedom. If we must wear masks in shops, bars and restaurants then nothing changes. I always wear a mask on Ryan Air—to ensure that nobody recognises me—but they and an assortment of other budget airlines are going to insist on masks when flying. Now British Airways has followed suit. Notwithstanding the total lack of evidence for the effectiveness of masks, there is also no risk of catching a virus on a plane. Again, nothing changes.
To me it seems clear why this is happening. Apart from on the BBC or other government controlled media, which does not leave many outlets, there has been widespread disgust at the flaunting of COVID-19 rules at the G7 summit, Wimbledon and Euro 2020. What better way to pour some oil on the troubled waters of the pandemic and taking people’s minds off the anomalies that these events represent than by dangling some hope in front of them? First Freedom Day was supposed to be 21 June—which must have raised a few hopes—but postponed to 19 July. Thereafter followed Wimbledon and Euro 2020 which served both to distract people and let them see what reward they could obtain for good behaviour. And another Freedom Day continues to be dangled in front of us. Mark my words, once the rich and the privileged have had their fun at these major sporting and champagne swilling events, another excuse will be found to maintain restrictions. Both Wimbledon and Euro 2020 end on 11 July, the day before the improvised update about Freedom Day of 12 July. Neat!
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