Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Grey Fox]

The US is also not facing a vaccine shortage or questions about supply.

[ulmont]

The US is also not facing a vaccine shortage or questions about supply.

Yes, the criteria that must be met to get the vaccine currently are a figment of my imagination and not representative of a shortage.   

[Jacob]

Yes, the criteria that must be met to get the vaccine currently are a figment of my imagination and not representative of a shortage.   

I think he meant compared to Canada. You are way ahead of us in both absolute and relative terms.

[Threviel]

Oh come on mate. Go to bed before 2AM then.

This is kind of like telling depressed people to just be happy. Morning people undoubtedly are to blame for brexit.

Go live in a cabin in the woods without electricity for a few years. I bet 3 pretend guineas that you will adapt to the cycle of the sun like everyone else do.

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2021/feb/25/job-losses-in-pandemic-due-to-performance-issues-say-nearly-half-of-britons

Job losses in pandemic due to performance issues, say nearly half of Britons

Nearly half of people believe those who lost their job during the pandemic were likely to have been underperforming, a survey has found.

In findings that will raise fears over inequalities in Britain, a study of attitudes by researchers at Kings College London showed a significant minority thought a widening post-Covid income gap between white people and BAME groups would not be a problem.

"This analysis throws up the complexity of people's view about inequalities," said Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which will use the research for its five-year review of inequalities. "The British public is clearly concerned about some inequalities, but also sets great store by individual responsibility."

People care more about differences between geographical areas than races, genders and generations, found researchers in the study entitled Unequal Britain.

The findings may suggest widespread support for the "levelling up" agenda espoused by the government as the country attempts to rebound after Covid, the authors said. But it will also raise questions about the popularity of anti-inequality policies focusing on ethnic minorities and women.

Unemployment rose to 1.74 million people this week, its highest level in five years and business shutdowns are disproportionately affecting women and ethnic minorities.

In one of the starkest findings, one in eight Britons (13%) said they think black people are more likely to be unemployed and have lower incomes because they "lack motivation or willpower".

This attitude was held by more than one in five of the Conservative voters polled, compared with less than one in 20 Labour supporters.Overall, 47% said those inequalities are because of discrimination but strikingly racist views remain, with 4% of respondents saying inequality was because most black people have "less in-born ability to learn".  The researchers discovered this by asking questions rarely posed in the UK, but often included in US social surveys.

The authors said the overall findings showed "meritocratic and individualistic tendencies" are likely to temper calls for action on inequality.

"There is a strong belief in meritocracy in Britain – that hard work and ambition remain key drivers of success, and this colours views, even during a pandemic," the report said. "Despite the exceptional circumstances [of Covid], Britons are more likely to think that job losses caused by the crisis are the result of personal failure than chance."

The view that individual performance was important in determining whether workers were made unemployed during the Covid crisis was held by 47% of people. Only 31% put it down to luck. Study author Bobby Duffy, professor of social policy at KCL, said this was surprising. By 57% to 39%, Conservative voters are much more likely than Labour voters to attribute these job losses to poor performance at work.

...

[Richard Hakluyt]

Have to say that 13% is fewer than I would have expected. To put a different spin on it, 80% of Tories didn't think that black people were more likely to be unemployed due to  "lack motivation or willpower".

[Tamas]

Have to say that 13% is fewer than I would have expected. To put a different spin on it, 80% of Tories didn't think that black people were more likely to be unemployed due to  "lack motivation or willpower".

Yeah, was gonna' say. When I started reading I expected more.

[Sheilbh]

A sketch of Loyalism - but in a Cork house share:
https://twitter.com/TadhgHickey/status/1364864367121022977?s=20

[Josquius]

Have to say that 13% is fewer than I would have expected. To put a different spin on it, 80% of Tories didn't think that black people were more likely to be unemployed due to  "lack motivation or willpower".

Yeah, was gonna' say. When I started reading I expected more.

I have noticed a big tendency lately for people to rant about how the left treat black people like children, there are absolutely zero sociological or psychological issues behind poverty, crime, etc... and people need to take responsibility for their actions and thats that, etc...
Could just be that this 13% are particularly online!

[crazy canuck]

The US is also not facing a vaccine shortage or questions about supply.

Yes, the criteria that must be met to get the vaccine currently are a figment of my imagination and not representative of a shortage.   

Insert the words "relative to Canada" and you will get the gist of what he meant.  The US has its own independent production - and it isn't sharing.  Canada's dependence on production outside our country has resulted in cancelled shipments from time to time which has significantly disrupted vaccination plans in this country.

[Sheilbh]

The cursed percentage returns:


Other point though is I feel it's going to constantly bob around 50/50 and this will probably just be a bit of a neverendum. Possibly not enough support to get another referendum and/or independence, but enough to cripple Scottish politics on constitutional issues.

Maybe the Catalnisation of Scotland?

[Valmy]

It is almost like autonomy within the UK is the best option

[celedhring]

I had hoped we'd be an example on other issues, like football or sausage making

[Zanza]

The cursed percentage returns:


Other point though is I feel it's going to constantly bob around 50/50 and this will probably just be a bit of a neverendum. Possibly not enough support to get another referendum and/or independence, but enough to cripple Scottish politics on constitutional issues.

Maybe the Catalnisation of Scotland?

52-48 Is enough to leave a union. So why would this go on forever?

[Grey Fox]

The US is also not facing a vaccine shortage or questions about supply.

Yes, the criteria that must be met to get the vaccine currently are a figment of my imagination and not representative of a shortage.   

Only because it's a product that everyone wants, production is not instantaneous. The UK, while having local production faced pressure & questions from the EU about supply. Canada, Australia and even Japan face supply concerned because they have no local production.

The US faces none of these challenges. Pfizer Kalamazoo plant is churning ~millions of doses a week. Vaccinating politicians isn't as big a deal when you know your own dose is coming sooner than later. Unlike ROTW (except Israel).