Are Governments Accoutable?

[securespark]

For handling COVID 19 badly and the resulting deaths and business failures...

 

[charliegolf]

Yes, in 2024. One day only.

(So no, not as such.)

 

[conny]

They are responsible, and accountable, for their handling of the situation at the beginning. However, as this is a unique problem that also beset the rest of the world, their accountability to control it immediately will be negligible due to unknown and unforeseen circumstances.

What they cannot he held responsible or accountable for is the stupidity, and in some cases the downright disobedience, of members of the public who wouldn't, and still won't, take notice of the guidance they issue. The vast majority of businesses are spending thousands of pounds trying to ensure their employees and customers are protected as much as possible but it fails into insignificance when thousands upon thousands of 'we know better' numpties rush to a packed beach on a sunny day, gather in their thousands in close proximity because their football team won a trophy, go into shops without taking the most basic of precautions because they think they will not get it so therefore will not pass it on.

I don't care what government may have been in power when this all broke out. They could not legislate for selfish stupidity or downright disobedience of Joe Public. It was a no-win situation from the start and they would be damned if the did and damned if they didn't. Of course, it's a waste of time and money having all these 'experts' telling us the best way to combat the virus because the man in the street always knows best.

 

[sodthisforfun]

In certain aspects I think they are accountable. For sure, not responsible for, as Conny said, the selfishness/stupidity of some people but with things like PPE and this tracing app they are wholly to blame. We had a little while to see what was coming, China and Italy warned the world about this but our government were very slow to act. As a scientist or two have said, had we gone into lockdown sooner, some lives would've been saved. I also think that without the safety net of a tracing system, we are leaving lockdown too soon. They said themselves that it's key to having our freedom back safely.

There are some things that the gov have handled well too, so I'm not just moaning about them for the sake of it!

 

[Notch7]

For handling COVID 19 badly and the resulting deaths and business failures...

Governments are rarely accountable for anything.

whether they should be is another thing

 

[durhamplumber]

For handling COVID 19 badly and the resulting deaths and business failures...

Consequential liability....V much doubt it ..how to prove???

 

[ajohn]

There biggest mistake was not following what would seem to be a standard approach with an unknown disease that kills and spreads easily. Limit the spread in the population immediately. The WHO is guilty as well but its effectively a part political entity. The correct route means lock downs of some sort or the other very early on. A decision that one way or the other is politically difficult to make. Worse still some action before it even got here would be the best option and if possible way cheaper than the route that has been taken.

 

[securespark]

Consequential liability....V much doubt it ..how to prove???

The Gold Standard has to be NZ.
Compare other Govts behaviour to theirs.

 

[JohnD]

They could not legislate for selfish stupidity or downright disobedience of

Dominic Cummings.

 

[big-all]

to me they are far more interested in buzz words like "world leading" world class " great protection" etc to describe often very poor to dangerous situations rather than honesty and giving the gravitas the situation requires where "you must " rather than wording that suggests or tries to make you go in a certain direction
to me they lost the respect with most when going into lockdown with the full Cheltenham races taking place a few days earlier where massive country wide intermingling took place with about 60.000 visitors rather than a more selective area off any football game
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/cheltenham-festival-2020-day-one-21669586

 

[noseall]

Dominic Cummings.

The UK eh.
What better to have a cheerleader trumpeting the merits of lockdown rules breaching, all packaged up in a.. "I wuz testing me eyes guv" bulls hit statement, and backed up by the Prime Minister himself.

Good ole UK leading the way as per.

 

[motorbiking]

If we are asking, could someone bring a damages claim, the answer is generally no. However, if to test for negligence we'd have no established best practices and the foreseeable risks were hard to quantity.

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

to me they are far more interested in buzz words like "world leading" world class " great protection" etc to describe often very poor to dangerous situations rather than honesty and giving the gravitas the situation requires where "you must " rather than wording that suggests or tries to make you go in a certain direction
to me they lost the respect with most when going into lockdown with the full Cheltenham races taking place a few days earlier where massive country wide intermingling took place with about 60.000 visitors rather than a more selective area off any football game
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/cheltenham-festival-2020-day-one-21669586

Blooming 'eck, big-all, couldn't you sleep, or are you on night duty?
Excellent comments, by the way.

 

[Bodd]

I stopped at a village coffee shop. I'm a coffee snob and rather not use independents as the coffee is normally not that good. I thought I would stop here to give them my support (despite their colour or religion,) (why would that be a factor)
Paid, Took one sip and chucked it in the bin it was rubbish. Customer service not much better. I won't ever stop for coffee again (despite their colour or religion,) (why would that be a factor)

 

[Notch7]

and the foreseeable risks were hard to quantity.

Its interesting that right wing governments performed the worst: UK, USA

its almost as though profit was put before people
If its found the UK govt wasted time by giving contracts to favoured companies....maybe there is a case.

but then this government are utterly unaccountable: Russian report, Robert Jenrick etc etc