Forum Topic

Kicking Off Between Toby and Rupa

Proving perhaps that self-isolation doesn't do much for your temper there is a bit of a row brewing between Rupa Huq and Toby Young on Twitter I wouldn't wish ill of anyone with the dreaded #coronavirus but my constituent Toby here seems to have sunk to a new low by advocating generational wipeout here as a price here worth paying for pursuing his preferred neocon economic orthodoxy#AllLivesMatter #StayHomeSaveLives https://t.co/K7MZVi5Y5e— Rupa Huq MP (@RupaHuq) April 1, 2020
Toby Young likes to appear clever by taking a contrarian view and backing it up with apparently sound evidence and sometimes he does make an interesting point. While I think Rupa Huq is misrepresenting his views to a degree the obvious flaw in his argument is the inability of the NHS to cope with the peak levels of infection in the scenario he envisages. It was this flawed line of thinking which misinformed the government's policy at the early stages of the crisis and which they have now abandoned so it is surprising to see him still advocating it.

Kevin Howard ● 2187d7 Comments

Think his chances of a knighthood have gone following the Prime Minister's diagnosis! I agree with the last comment. It is not a good luck for Rupa Huq to be spending even a second helping put the spotlight on Toby Young. There must be hundreds of constituents and local businesses desperate for her help and I can't believe she has fully dealt with every request for assistance her office has received since this crisis started.

Kevin Howard ● 2181d

He is an attention seeker. His arguments are clever but ultimately insubstantial. Rupa Huq shouldn't be wasting her time engaging with him because that is exactly what he wants. She must have a massive case load of constituents with dire problems at the moment and she should be focused on that right now.

Mark Evans ● 2185d

Toby Young certainly has some 'unfashionable' views about the role of eugenics in modern society which might inform his views - or maybe he's just being perverse!

Peter Evans ● 2185d

To avoid doubt. I consider Toby's views odious.

Robert Murray ● 2186d

Somewhere between permanent total lockdown and unbridled herd immunity, lies a balance that would result in the smallet number of deaths. Regretably this point cannot be known. The answer is to be flexible, try the best we can as fhe evidence becomes available.

Robert Murray ● 2186d

I don't like Toby Young but am bothered by the torrent of abuse he has faced. We shan't know what the 'right' response to the virus was, perhaps for many years, and in the meantime there should be space for vigorous but courteous debate on the subject.I think our government has abandoned herd immunity as a policy, Chris, but we should be hoping that it will be the eventual outcome. Sweden is persevering with herd immunity but is coming under pressure to change.

Susan Kelly ● 2186d

But have they abandoned the herd immunity strategy? I think not.

Chris Hurley ● 2187d