Random Stuff!!

[Em0866]

For what it's worth, if people don't follow basic rules of wearing a mask when required to do so, keep social distancing and washing hands regularly, whichever plans the come about its those people who do not follow basic rules will fail the system.

I was on a bus on my way home from work yesterday and a woman in her late 50s was sat behind me who was not wearing a mask. OK she may well have been exempt for wearing one. She then preceded to sneeze...but no hanky or tissues, not even into the sleeve of her coat...how thoughtless and disgusting.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

'Taking the p*ss': Drive-in event at Chester FC nearly flushed as customers would have had to CROSS BORDER TO WALES to use toilets

Organizers of a drive-in cinema event at Chester FC’s Deva Stadium, which straddles the border between England and Wales, have had to scramble after it became clear customers would have to violate Covid rules to use the toilets.

www.rt.com

If this was on 1 April most people would assume it was an April fool joke. It really is pathetic and the most pathetic part is the local police saying they will enforce the regulations at the ground. I'd have thought they would have more pressing tasks than stopping people crossing a stadium car park in order to use the toilet.

 

[superking]

Always a few stupid idiots spoil it for every one else. In a lot of cases man is his worse enemy.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

What's the situation with travelling into and out of Wales at the moment for leisure purposes?

If I live in Wales and had booked a holiday in, say, Kent would I be allowed to leave Wales to go on holiday there? What about if the holiday was booked in a tier 3 England area?

Leading on from that what about Welsh residents using CWL to travel for leisure to a country such as the Netherlands which is on the UK quarantine list (I believe for all the Home Nations)? What about Welsh residents travelling to an English airport, say Liverpool, to go on holiday from there or English residents, perhaps from an English tier 3 area, travelling to Wales to fly from CWL on holiday?

All the above assumes that the holiday was booked before the current restrictions were introduced, not that it might make any difference I suppose.

Does it make a difference if the trip is for business rather than leisure?

 

[Jerry]

What's the situation with travelling into and out of Wales at the moment for leisure purposes?

It's essential travel only as far as I'm aware. I know a Sussex couple were escorted out of Wales by the police because they breached that.
I'd imagine if travelling for business it would be a case of only if it was essential and as for going on holiday abroad I don't think they could stop you flying but you could get fined for travelling to the airport if it's deemed non essential travel.

 

[KARFA]

What's the situation with travelling into and out of Wales at the moment for leisure purposes?

you can't enter or remain in Wales without a reasonable excuse, and leisure travel is not going to fit in that that.

If I live in Wales and had booked a holiday in, say, Kent would I be allowed to leave Wales to go on holiday there? What about if the holiday was booked in a tier 3 England area?

you can't leave your home in Wales without a reasonable excuse, and your holiday outside Wales is not going to be in scope as a reasonable excuse.

Leading on from that what about Welsh residents using CWL to travel for leisure to a country such as the Netherlands which is on the UK quarantine list (I believe for all the Home Nations)? What about Welsh residents travelling to an English airport, say Liverpool, to go on holiday from there or English residents, perhaps from an English tier 3 area, travelling to Wales to fly from CWL on holiday?

again you can't leave home without a reasonable excuse.

to note, Netherlands is not on the list of countries exempt from self isolation having been removed since August, but it really doesn't matter since the offence is already committed when you left home regardless of where you are going.

All the above assumes that the holiday was booked before the current restrictions were introduced, not that it might make any difference I suppose.

no difference

Does it make a difference if the trip is for business rather than leisure?

maybe. you are allowed to leave home in Wales or enter Wales to go to work where it is not reasonably practicable to do so from home.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

you can't leave your home in Wales without a reasonable excuse, and your holiday outside Wales is not going to be in scope as a reasonable excuse.

On the face of it then anyone living in Wales could not travel to Cardiff Airport in order to fly outside Wales for leisure purposes, and possibly even business travel might only be appropriate in specific circumstances.

Ergo anyone living outside Wales could not use CWL, with the same prevention on Welsh residents using English airports.

Does anyone know how airlines are responding to such passengers when an application is made for a fare refund or perhaps a voucher to be used in the future when the flight itself was not cancelled and still operated carrying passengers not so affected?

Another interesting aspect is that of passengers returning to CWL having travelled out on holiday before the restrictions were brought in. Are they allowed to travel home, whether inside or outside Wales, without contravening the regulations? After all, their journey from the airport would be leisure-related.

One would hope that common sense is applied but common sense and the law are not always comfortable bedfellows.

Who is actually using the flights that are operating at CWL at the moment anyway I wonder. Just professional sports teams who seem to be allowed to travel around from match to match?

 

[KARFA]

On the face of it then anyone living in Wales could not travel to Cardiff Airport in order to fly outside Wales for leisure purposes, and possibly even business travel might only be appropriate in specific circumstances.

Ergo anyone living outside Wales could not use CWL, with the same prevention on Welsh residents using English airports.

Correct. No to both as I noted in my post yesterday. There is no ambiguity in either scenario.

Another interesting aspect is that of passengers returning to CWL having travelled out on holiday before the restrictions were brought in. Are they allowed to travel home, whether inside or outside Wales, without contravening the regulations? After all, their journey from the airport would be leisure-related.

Yes you can return to your home in Wales if currently outside of Wales.

If your home is outside Wales but you happen to be flying in to Cardiff then I can't this would allowable under the law.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Correct. No to both as I noted in my post yesterday. There is no ambiguity in either scenario.

Yes you can return to your home in Wales if currently outside of Wales.

Thank you again. So, sports teams and returnees apart, I wonder who is using the CWL fights at the moment. Very few it would appear.

On a general note this is another reason why many people, me included, are reluctant to book any flights at all at the moment. I live across the border in the West of England and if, several weeks ago, I'd booked to fly on yesterday's 1050 hours Vueling flight to Alicante I would not be allowed to travel to CWL to catch it. It apparently operated (thanks to South Wales Aviation Group for the information) - goodness knows who flew on it given all the restrictions - so Vueling might have been less than willing to return my fare or even offer a switch to a later date.

 

[Jerry]

I was told that on Alicante there were about 12 people on the inbound flight.

 

[superking]

No rushing for seats then. Wonder how many more weeks they are willing to operate on the low pax figures. Any one any idea what the inbound flight pax numbers were.

 

[Jerry]

No rushing for seats then. Wonder how many more weeks they are willing to operate on the low pax figures. Any one any idea what the inbound flight pax numbers were.

They've been operating with low numbers for a while now yet haven't dropped the route.

 

[Jerry]

Gwent police have been busy over the weekend!

Police stop 500 vehicles on first weekend of firebreak lockdown

There have also been fixed penalty notices issued for house parties and large gatherings

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[Jerry]

Personally I'm a bit sceptical but it does sound like the First Minister of Wales said independence for all the nations is the way forward within some sort of Benelux/EU style confederation agreement.

“We need radical reform of the UK, making it authentically a voluntary association of nations where sovereignty is held by each nation and then pooled for common purposes.”

Coronavirus: Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford says Boris Johnson government is 'undermining devolution'

Mr Drakeford asks why freedom of movement in England seems "more important" to the PM than protecting the Welsh public.

news.sky.com

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Personally I'm a bit sceptical but it does sound like the First Minister of Wales said independence for all the nations is the way forward within some sort of Benelux/EU style confederation agreement.

“We need radical reform of the UK, making it authentically a voluntary association of nations where sovereignty is held by each nation and then pooled for common purposes.”

Coronavirus: Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford says Boris Johnson government is 'undermining devolution'

Mr Drakeford asks why freedom of movement in England seems "more important" to the PM than protecting the Welsh public.

news.sky.com

It could be interpreted that way. I think it's more out of frustration though, and Scotland's first minister has been vocal along these lines for a while, that there is insufficient dialogue between the Westminster government and the devolved governments over the way to combat the virus.

The trouble is that unless all the governments in the UK believe that there is only one way to tackle the virus, which appears not to be the case given the differing approaches, there will always be disagreement. Today's news about antibodies' protection declining rapidly after infection only serves to sharpen the focus on the need to find practical ways of dealing with the virus.

Perhaps PM Johnson is waiting to see if the Welsh 'firebreak' does have a noticeable effect in curbing the infection spread before considering something similar for England, although he and his government have said for a long time that targeted regional action in England is the way to go. There is already unrest in the north of England about the most severe restrictions in place there in certain areas, including disquiet expressed by a number of Conservative MPs in the North.

What this virus has done is brought to the attention of many people, who otherwise might have no interest or even knowledge of the current governance of the UK, the pitfalls and basic inequity of the half-baked 'federal' system. It might also have brought the day closer when the UK does break up.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Personally I'm a bit sceptical but it does sound like the First Minister of Wales said independence for all the nations is the way forward within some sort of Benelux/EU style confederation agreement.

“We need radical reform of the UK, making it authentically a voluntary association of nations where sovereignty is held by each nation and then pooled for common purposes.”

Coronavirus: Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford says Boris Johnson government is 'undermining devolution'

Mr Drakeford asks why freedom of movement in England seems "more important" to the PM than protecting the Welsh public.

news.sky.com

He’s got a point. The union needs fixing fast otherwise it’s over. However, despite what he says Wales has nowhere near the desire for independence compared to what Scotland does.

He claims the prime minister never wants to contact him, but i’m sure he could pick up the phone and speak to him instead if he really wanted too. Although Marks opinion doesn’t matter too much as he’s going to be gone next May.

These are very difficult times we live in, which has put pressure on the union. I will probably move to England in the event of independence for Wales.

 

[Jerry]

He’s got a point. The union needs fixing fast otherwise it’s over. However, despite what he says Wales has nowhere near the desire for independence compared to what Scotland does.

Support for independence is on the rise and it'll be interesting to see the next set of polls which are due soon I believe.
As for the union I don't think it can be fixed as it would need a vast cultural change at Westminster and England would have to accept equality with scotland and Wales.

Although Marks opinion doesn’t matter too much as he’s going to be gone next May.

I would be very surprised if he loses his seat and Labour aren't the largest party and I expect that him mentioning a new union in the way he did is Labour sensing the political winds and shifting more to at least indy curious. Welsh Labour are the most successful political party in Europe and will no doubt want to avoid ending up like Scottish Labour.

The trouble is that unless all the governments in the UK believe that there is only one way to tackle the virus, which appears not to be the case given the differing approaches, there will always be disagreement. Today's news about antibodies' protection declining rapidly after infection only serves to sharpen the focus on the need to find practical ways of dealing with the virus.

I think you can have different approaches to tackling the virus but the inter government communication is needed but i also sense that Boris Johnson just views the devolved administrations as little more than regional mayors.
What is interesting in general is that there does seem to be a rise in anti devolution for Wales sentiment online in England. The reaction to the lockdown was bordering on hysteria in some places and an almost 'Who do they think they are! ' attitude from some people.

 

[geoff]

I think the " Who do they think they are", is the attitude that Boris Johnson takes not only to the devolved governments, but to the northern regions of England, as I have previously mentioned, friends in Newcastle feel completely remote from Westminster. The UK does not exist outside London.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Support for independence is on the rise and it'll be interesting to see the next set of polls which are due soon I believe.
As for the union I don't think it can be fixed as it would need a vast cultural change at Westminster and England would have to accept equality with scotland and Wales.

In terms of government, matters are not equal at the moment in that England has no devolved government whilst the other home nations do. Therefore England accepting equality with the other home nations would mean England having its own government for starters. With the virus England is in thrall to the Westminster government whose cabinet has both Welsh and Scottish constituency members.

The so-called West Lothian question highlights the fact that MPs from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a say and a vote at Westminster on purely English matters with no reciprocal English voice in the devolved governments in those countries. The woolly double majority system where the agreement of both a majority of all MPs and a majority of all MPs representing constituencies in England is needed for bills that only concern England could be blocked by MPs from outside England, especially with a coalition government or one where the ruling party has a slender majority.

I think you can have different approaches to tackling the virus but the inter government communication is needed but i also sense that Boris Johnson just views the devolved administrations as little more than regional mayors.

The current argument about the Westminster government not restricting freedom of movement in England because, according to the FM, it regards it as more important than protecting the Welsh public is surely an example of a difference in approach.

What is interesting in general is that there does seem to be a rise in anti devolution for Wales sentiment online in England. The reaction to the lockdown was bordering on hysteria in some places and an almost 'Who do they think they are! ' attitude from some people.

As I said in an earlier post it's likely that, until the virus came along leading to different actions by governments across the UK, many people were not aware of the powers possessed by the devolved governments if some even knew there were devolved governments. This might well account for any increase in anti-devolution sentiment and near hysteria in some places.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Yeah, will be interesting to see the next round of polling. I think it will be on the rise but not enough support just yet. I am all for the union and UK government must and should accept the UK has four equal parts - much like the US accepts it has 50 equal parts now matter how big or small.

With regards to Mark, i don’t think he’ll lose his seat but his time as first minister will be up. There are a lot of unhappy people in wales currently.