The U.K. is finally emerging from a brutal coronavirus lockdown, with over 90 percent of the 70+ population vaccinated with at least one dose. After the country had one of the worst winter outbreaks in the world, deaths there have dropped from over 1,000 per day in February to about 25 per day now.
Outdoor seating for pubs finally reopened this month, but so much of society is still restricted that one pub owner decided to speak out when opposition Labor Party leader Keir Starmer showed up on Monday.
Rod Humphris, landlord of The Raven in Bath, first clashed with Starmer outside the pub. He reportedly accused him of supporting the lockdown that had him down for months, as well as having children wear masks.
The landlord waved a graph at Starmer: “Do you know what the average age of death with COVID is? According to the Office for National Statistics it’s 82 years and three months. The average age of death normally? Eighty one years.”
As Starmer gaped, Humphris concluded:
“You have failed me. I have been a Labor voter my entire life. . . . You have failed to ask whether lockdown was functioning. Do you understand? Thousands of people have died because you have failed to do your job and ask the real questions.”
Starmer replied that hospitals had been “completely overwhelmed” with cases, adding: “They have been on the front line keeping people alive, so I really don’t need lectures from you about this pandemic. Thank you. Shall we go in?” At that point, Starmer entered the pub with his security detail.
Humphris was furious. “He walked into my pub without asking and I threw him out. Or at least, I did my best to throw him out — his security got in the way.” Starmer finally left as his security guards manhandled the pub owner.
But Humphris isn’t finished trashing the politician, telling the Daily Mail: “He has completely failed to ask the questions that needed asking, like, why did we throw away our previous pandemic preparedness? Why have we just accepted lockdown? Why have we just accepted the loss of all our freedoms?”
Sounds like Rod Humphris is better informed on issues than most of the so-called “experts” backing the lockdown. He certainly has the courage of his convictions.