Anyone see Emily Maitless interview Nadhim Zahawi lat night?

[Brian Kirby]

BBC Newsnight.

[Bulletguy]

 

Just watched on iplayer; https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000gp8x/newsnight-25032020

 

Interesting what Andrew Raynor, MD of MEC Medical, had to say about governments response to their contact! 8-)

 

Mr Zahawi on the subject of ventilators went from April 1st to "as soon as they (Dyson) can be made", and i lost count of the times he mentioned [government] "ramping up". Hardly instilled much confidence. :-|

[Brian Kirby]

I'm not in the habit of yelling at the TV, but I was during that interview! What a pompous upstart that man is. He clearly hadn't briefed himself for the interview, and seemed to think he'd be able to skate over the whole thing delivering platitudes. I have, on one or two occasions before I retired, invited a person behaving similarly to retire from a meeting for which there had been a clear agenda, and come back when they had the relevant answer. Unforgivably rude, I know, but that stream of uninformative flannel is arrogant, disrespectful, incompetence, and merely wastes everyone else's time.

 

It was an appalling performance that, ultimately, did provide its own answer. The test kits and the ventilators will not be available when they are needed. If that were not the case, why not simply say when they are expected to arrive?

 

Dyson has never before made clinical ventilators, and it is apparent that no prototype has yet been produced for evaluation and yet, as admitted, the government has placed an order for, if I remember, 10.000 of these completely un-tried, and untested, machines. The same applies to the antibody test kits, they are stated by the government to have been ordered unproved. We are in the hands of complete amateurs who think that talk will provide the solutions.

 

I fear they have not only dropped the ball, but have actually lost it - and forgotten which game they were supposed to be playing into the bargain! They now appear to be in complete panic mode and are throwing everything including the kitchen sink at the problem. They were initially complacent in the face of the clear evidence from other countries as to the course the virus would take once it became embedded and, by the time they began to wake up to what they were dealing with, had little chance of securing the test kits, clinical equipment, and PPE, that would be required to control its spread. We shall need a great deal of luck, and a lot more public co-operation than is yet evident (for example think supermarkets), if we are to avert the sort of mess that Italy and Spain have fallen into.

 

I have no answer as to whether others might have done better (though from where I'm sitting it seems that what we presently have is far from the best that the UK has to offer). I have no political axe to grind in saying this, but this lot have to date performed well short of what I expect from a British government of any stripe, and I fear it is now too late for them to pull the chestnuts out of the fire. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but I think, since wartime expression seem popular, we are on a wing and a prayer. Happy landings, everyone!

[Birdbrain]

Brian Kirby - 2020-03-26 6:44 PM

 

I'm not in the habit of yelling at the TV, but I was during that interview! What a pompous upstart that man is. He clearly hadn't briefed himself for the interview, and seemed to think he'd be able to skate over the whole thing delivering platitudes. I have, on one or two occasions before I retired, invited a person behaving similarly to retire from a meeting for which there had been a clear agenda, and come back when they had the relevant answer. Unforgivably rude, I know, but that stream of uninformative flannel is arrogant, disrespectful, incompetence, and merely wastes everyone else's time.

 

It was an appalling performance that, ultimately, did provide its own answer. The test kits and the ventilators will not be available when they are needed. If that were not the case, why not simply say when they are expected to arrive?

 

Dyson has never before made clinical ventilators, and it is apparent that no prototype has yet been produced for evaluation and yet, as admitted, the government has placed an order for, if I remember, 10.000 of these completely un-tried, and untested, machines. The same applies to the antibody test kits, they are stated by the government to have been ordered unproved. We are in the hands of complete amateurs who think that talk will provide the solutions.

 

I fear they have not only dropped the ball, but have actually lost it - and forgotten which game they were supposed to be playing into the bargain! They now appear to be in complete panic mode and are throwing everything including the kitchen sink at the problem. They were initially complacent in the face of the clear evidence from other countries as to the course the virus would take once it became embedded and, by the time they began to wake up to what they were dealing with, had little chance of securing the test kits, clinical equipment, and PPE, that would be required to control its spread. We shall need a great deal of luck, and a lot more public co-operation than is yet evident (for example think supermarkets), if we are to avert the sort of mess that Italy and Spain have fallen into.

 

I have no answer as to whether others might have done better (though from where I'm sitting it seems that what we presently have is far from the best that the UK has to offer). I have no political axe to grind in saying this, but this lot have to date performed well short of what I expect from a British government of any stripe, and I fear it is now too late for them to pull the chestnuts out of the fire. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but I think, since wartime expression seem popular, we are on a wing and a prayer. Happy landings, everyone!

 

Brian dear ... Calm down ... Government has ordered 10.000 of them but that order is dependant on them passing medical tests ... So to make it simple for you if they dont do what it says on the tin we wont be buying them will we ... Jeez

[Bulletguy]

Brian,

 

They're just bluffing their way through and even Hunt, who asked a simple question requiring a straight answer at yesterdays PMQ's, could not get one. C4's political editor later repeated the same question but once again, it was met with same same stuttering bluster and bull as what Hunt got!

 

On a more light hearted matter their responses would be comical but they're playing with people lives here and nobody has yet stepped up to the plate, taken responsibility, admitted the country was ill prepared to cope with an inadequately supplied and staffed health service which has been cut to the bare bone, and given straight honest answers to what are often very simple questions.

 

Having heard what Andrew Raynor had to say i was incredulous that Zahawi was virtually dismissive of him almost as though he never existed! Rather than listen to what Mr Raynor had to say, and the fact his company already has manufacturing experience, Zahawi seemed more keen to employ the services of Dyson whose only experience is making vacuum cleaners. Perhaps they're hoping Dyson can knock up some Heath Robinson thing on the cheap though going by his overpriced vacuum cleaners i wouldn't pin too much hope on that.

 

It reminds me of the time as a young lad wanting to know more about ww2 which nobody would talk about, my mother telling me "we were not prepared....we've always been the same". 81 years on and we've still not learned.

 

Apparently the EU have a scheme in place to procure a number of ventilators but Johnson refuses to participate and a Downing street spokesman said, "well, we are no longer members of the EU, this is an area where we’re making our own efforts".

 

https://tinyurl.com/v2obj8v

[Bulletguy]

 

This lame excuse sounds like another Johnson porker to me...."emails sent to UK inviting it to take part were 'somehow' missed". What they really mean is we need the EU but don't want to admit it.

 

No 10 in U-turn over EU-wide ventilator procurement scheme

 

Just as the press conference was about to start, Downing Street announced what amounts to a U-turn over participating in the EU-wide effort to procure ventilators and other medical equipment. A Downing Street spokesman said:

 

Owing to an initial communication problem, the UK did not receive an invitation in time to join in four joint procurements in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

As the commission has confirmed, we are eligible to participate in joint procurements during the transition period, following our departure from the EU earlier this year.

 

As those four initial procurement schemes had already gone out to tender we were unable to take part in these, but we will consider participating in future procurement schemes on the basis of public health requirements at the time.

 

We are working round the clock with industry, the NHS, social care providers and the army to ensure the supply of PPE over the coming weeks and months and will give our NHS and the social care sector everything they need to tackle this outbreak.

 

According to one government source, the UK did not participate in the first procurement schemes launched by the EU because the emails sent to the UK inviting it to take part were somehow missed. The source claims this was nothing to do with the government making some point about Brexit.

[Brian Kirby]

Birdbrain - 2020-03-26 6:54 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2020-03-26 6:44 PM

 

I'm not in the habit of yelling at the TV, but I was during that interview! What a pompous upstart that man is. He clearly hadn't briefed himself for the interview, and seemed to think he'd be able to skate over the whole thing delivering platitudes. I have, on one or two occasions before I retired, invited a person behaving similarly to retire from a meeting for which there had been a clear agenda, and come back when they had the relevant answer. Unforgivably rude, I know, but that stream of uninformative flannel is arrogant, disrespectful, incompetence, and merely wastes everyone else's time.

 

It was an appalling performance that, ultimately, did provide its own answer. The test kits and the ventilators will not be available when they are needed. If that were not the case, why not simply say when they are expected to arrive?

 

Dyson has never before made clinical ventilators, and it is apparent that no prototype has yet been produced for evaluation and yet, as admitted, the government has placed an order for, if I remember, 10.000 of these completely un-tried, and untested, machines. The same applies to the antibody test kits, they are stated by the government to have been ordered unproved. We are in the hands of complete amateurs who think that talk will provide the solutions.

 

I fear they have not only dropped the ball, but have actually lost it - and forgotten which game they were supposed to be playing into the bargain! They now appear to be in complete panic mode and are throwing everything including the kitchen sink at the problem. They were initially complacent in the face of the clear evidence from other countries as to the course the virus would take once it became embedded and, by the time they began to wake up to what they were dealing with, had little chance of securing the test kits, clinical equipment, and PPE, that would be required to control its spread. We shall need a great deal of luck, and a lot more public co-operation than is yet evident (for example think supermarkets), if we are to avert the sort of mess that Italy and Spain have fallen into.

 

I have no answer as to whether others might have done better (though from where I'm sitting it seems that what we presently have is far from the best that the UK has to offer). I have no political axe to grind in saying this, but this lot have to date performed well short of what I expect from a British government of any stripe, and I fear it is now too late for them to pull the chestnuts out of the fire. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but I think, since wartime expression seem popular, we are on a wing and a prayer. Happy landings, everyone!

 

Brian dear ... Calm down ... Government has ordered 10.000 of them but that order is dependant on them passing medical tests ... So to make it simple for you if they dont do what it says on the tin we wont be buying them will we ... Jeez

Where have you seen that stated? Zahawi did not confirm that, and neither has Hancock - although it is perfectly reasonable that if the goods are found to be defective they would not be paid for. But that was not the point, was it? The point was Zahawi's appalling, incompetent, unbriefed, performance when asked perfectly reasonable and obvious questions, and his lack of grasp of the subject he had agreed to address.

 

But, seriously, bulk order an untried product from a producer who has never made anything similar? Why do that, why no progress update on testing, or on delivery dates? Because the order has only just been placed. Why is that critical? Because the peak in infections is expected in two to three weeks, and deliveries are unlikely to commence, let alone be fulfilled, until way past that date. The government is way behind the curve, and cannot regain the lost time.

 

So yes, there can be a post hoc argument over breach of contract for supply of defective goods, but that isn't going to be much help to those who urgently need ventilation to survive in the meantime, is it? It's time to wake up and smell the coffee, Antony? Die, and cast?

[Birdbrain]

Brian Kirby - 2020-03-27 7:53 AM

 

Birdbrain - 2020-03-26 6:54 PM

 

Brian Kirby - 2020-03-26 6:44 PM

 

I'm not in the habit of yelling at the TV, but I was during that interview! What a pompous upstart that man is. He clearly hadn't briefed himself for the interview, and seemed to think he'd be able to skate over the whole thing delivering platitudes. I have, on one or two occasions before I retired, invited a person behaving similarly to retire from a meeting for which there had been a clear agenda, and come back when they had the relevant answer. Unforgivably rude, I know, but that stream of uninformative flannel is arrogant, disrespectful, incompetence, and merely wastes everyone else's time.

 

It was an appalling performance that, ultimately, did provide its own answer. The test kits and the ventilators will not be available when they are needed. If that were not the case, why not simply say when they are expected to arrive?

 

Dyson has never before made clinical ventilators, and it is apparent that no prototype has yet been produced for evaluation and yet, as admitted, the government has placed an order for, if I remember, 10.000 of these completely un-tried, and untested, machines. The same applies to the antibody test kits, they are stated by the government to have been ordered unproved. We are in the hands of complete amateurs who think that talk will provide the solutions.

 

I fear they have not only dropped the ball, but have actually lost it - and forgotten which game they were supposed to be playing into the bargain! They now appear to be in complete panic mode and are throwing everything including the kitchen sink at the problem. They were initially complacent in the face of the clear evidence from other countries as to the course the virus would take once it became embedded and, by the time they began to wake up to what they were dealing with, had little chance of securing the test kits, clinical equipment, and PPE, that would be required to control its spread. We shall need a great deal of luck, and a lot more public co-operation than is yet evident (for example think supermarkets), if we are to avert the sort of mess that Italy and Spain have fallen into.

 

I have no answer as to whether others might have done better (though from where I'm sitting it seems that what we presently have is far from the best that the UK has to offer). I have no political axe to grind in saying this, but this lot have to date performed well short of what I expect from a British government of any stripe, and I fear it is now too late for them to pull the chestnuts out of the fire. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but I think, since wartime expression seem popular, we are on a wing and a prayer. Happy landings, everyone!

 

Brian dear ... Calm down ... Government has ordered 10.000 of them but that order is dependant on them passing medical tests ... So to make it simple for you if they dont do what it says on the tin we wont be buying them will we ... Jeez

Where have you seen that stated? Zahawi did not confirm that, and neither has Hancock - although it is perfectly reasonable that if the goods are found to be defective they would not be paid for. But that was not the point, was it? The point was Zahawi's appalling, incompetent, unbriefed, performance when asked perfectly reasonable and obvious questions, and his lack of grasp of the subject he had agreed to address.

 

But, seriously, bulk order an untried product from a producer who has never made anything similar? Why do that, why no progress update on testing, or on delivery dates? Because the order has only just been placed. Why is that critical? Because the peak in infections is expected in two to three weeks, and deliveries are unlikely to commence, let alone be fulfilled, until way past that date. The government is way behind the curve, and cannot regain the lost time.

 

So yes, there can be a post hoc argument over breach of contract for supply of defective goods, but that isn't going to be much help to those who urgently need ventilation to survive in the meantime, is it? It's time to wake up and smell the coffee, Antony? Die, and cast?

 

BBC ... Dyson will donate 5000 with 4000 going abroad ... We aren't the only country caught short are we ??? ... I would image Dyson and his company are suited perfectly to quickly make the ventilators and lets not forget we have others making and supplying them also ... Some will obviously take any opportunity to knock a Brexit supporting Government and Brexit supporting Dyson wont they

[Brian Kirby]

Antony, I don't know the source of your quote, but this is on the BBC website. https://tinyurl.com/tstmwzx 10,000 is quoted, as also quoted by Zahawi and Hancock. But, if you prefer a different, uncorroborated, number, who am I to argue?

 

This not, so far as I'm concerned, Brexit Mk 2, it is my reaction to the actions and inactions of the present UK government. But hey, as above, if you feel the need to defend what I see as borderline incompetence, who am I to argue?

[Bulletguy]

Brian Kirby - 2020-03-27 3:03 PM

 

Antony, I don't know the source of your quote, but this is on the BBC website. https://tinyurl.com/tstmwzx 10,000 is quoted, as also quoted by Zahawi and Hancock. But, if you prefer a different, uncorroborated, number, who am I to argue?

 

This not, so far as I'm concerned, Brexit Mk 2, it is my reaction to the actions and inactions of the present UK government. But hey, as above, if you feel the need to defend what I see as borderline incompetence, who am I to argue?

Inactions for sure amid much dithering, dallying and lame excuses as the example of procuring via the EU scheme showed. And here is another example which bears remarkable similarities to the 'reception' Andrew Raynor experienced;

 

Nantwich firm blasts Government over delay after offering 5,000 ventilators

 

https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2020/03/24/nantwich-firm-blasts-government-over-delay-after-offering-5000-ventilators/

 

The question which must be answered by government is WHY? I doubt we will ever get a truthful answer to that question. This is a company which had already sourced 5,000 ventilators PLUS 50 million test kits.....yet ignored by our government so all got snapped up by other customers five days later.

 

As Mr Mifsud said, "“Time is a luxury that we as a nation do not have.

 

“This virus does not wait for anyone and every second costs lives. Look at Italy, Iran and China."

 

“The idea of getting existing British companies to learn how to manufacture ventilators is not the route forward, we do not have time.

 

“I am incredibly frustrated with the British Government and the current ‘manana’ attitude."