Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
As a good and devout Muslim this is one of those conversations I'm not qualified to participate in.
Just as long as you don't boost Star Citizen.
A very good friend likes his whisky. He took a girl on a date to a very quiet, very high quality place, somewhat famous at the time for their selection of single malts. She had claimed to like whisky...
He bought her a double of a rather nice one.
He had to leave for a few moments. When he got back he discovered that she had got the bar tender to add Diet Coke to her drink...
Apparently my friend didn't say a word. Went on with the evening as if nothing had happened.
Never spoke to her again, of course.
Quite right, the lass was perfectly correct in blanking the pompous sod.
He wasn't like that at all - he actually thought that since she'd lied about the liking whisky, that she was obviously saying things that she thought would go down well. Rather than speaking her mind.
Putting coke in it is not a definitive contradiction of saying she liked whisky, unless she also started spouting the names of fancy distilleries at the same time. In fact with Bells it's the only thing to be done.
MY dad used to keep a bottle of Glenfiddich specially for a regular visitor, who liked to dilute his spirits with lemonade.
Nowt wrong with Fiddy even if its mass market. Bells for your mixers...
Quite. He liked more opinionated whiskies himself, but didn't like to inflict Bells on his mixing visitors.
As @Cyclefree described in the previous header the spring of 2020 was indeed glorious. My wife and I made good use of that weather to go on extensive walks near our home in the glorious countryside. We both got a bit fitter and a bit leaner as a result. It seemed a sensible precaution in case the virus came knocking.
Was it a breach of Nicola's ridiculous rules? At times, probably. But we were walking country roads and paths, there were few others there, when we came across others we, at that time, made a point of walking on the other side. There was no risk and an upside in terms of our health.
I really don't believe that the vast majority of us did any different. Despite Nicola's ridiculous rules most, virtually all, people I know took decisions based upon their own circumstances and their assessment of the risks. Some idiots who took ridiculous risks, such as large house parties, were prosecuted but the courts (which were mainly shut) were not exactly clogged up with wrongdoers.
The rules in both England and Scotland allowed "essential workers" to go out to work. That definition was very broad. Advocates were apparently essential workers. I didn't use this much because it didn't seem safe to do so in a world before vaccines but I occasionally went to Edinburgh to access text books etc.
Essential workers included Downing Street staff. They were working hard for the good of the country (whatever they actually achieved) in close proximity indoors for hours every day. The idea that they had a significantly greater risk because they had a drink together in the garden afterwards is as absurd as the idea my wife and I were being reckless when our walks took us more than 2 miles from our house.
I simply do not buy into this hypocrisy nonsense, the sanctimonious whining, the largely made up stories of individual hardship caused by compliance with very largely unenforced regulations. This hysteria is ridiculous. And Boris, unlike Nicola, was very clear from the start that he wanted a light touch and to rely as much as possible on advice, judgment and common sense.
What is not acceptable is that he allowed these events to go on, even attended them, and then lied about both his knowledge and participation. Of course one of our former PMs got away with making up evidence and using it to take our country to war. This is trivial by comparison but it is annoying, especially in the way it has been handled.
"Largely made up stories"?
I hope you are not referring to what I wrote in my header.
I have not made up anything about my daughter's despair at the damage done to her business. Nor about my in-laws grief at the loss of their son and the family having to worry about how to comfort them without the additional worry of complying with rules which others were gaily ignoring.
While you were busy enjoying lovely country walks, we also had the very real worry of trying to find somewhere to live while our house was being rebuilt (work which came to a halt at the start of lockdown) at a time when this was very difficult and there were some snitching on those who were thought to have fled from the cities. I wrote about this on here at the time.
I hope we are all grownup enough to forgive mistakes and to understand that no-one is perfect. But we are also entitled to expect those in charge to make some attempt to comply with the commands they were giving the rest of us on a daily basis and not to take the piss quite as blatantly as they have been.
Of course I wasn't. I have expressed considerable sympathy for the plight of your daughter's business and all similar businesses affected many times. A bit of a cheap shot for you @Cyclefree.
I'm glad to hear.
Nothing cheap about it. I wrote a header with some painful and personal stuff in it and your first reaction was to give the impression that you think stories are made up.
It was not the reaction I'd have expected of you. But anyway matter over.
Whoever in Number 10 said "give an insincere apology, call it a work event and say 'lets wait for the enquiry'" needs firing. Won't last out the next half hour.
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
As a good and devout Muslim this is one of those conversations I'm not qualified to participate in.
Just as long as you don't boost Star Citizen.
A very good friend likes his whisky. He took a girl on a date to a very quiet, very high quality place, somewhat famous at the time for their selection of single malts. She had claimed to like whisky...
He bought her a double of a rather nice one.
He had to leave for a few moments. When he got back he discovered that she had got the bar tender to add Diet Coke to her drink...
Apparently my friend didn't say a word. Went on with the evening as if nothing had happened.
Never spoke to her again, of course.
Quite right, the lass was perfectly correct in blanking the pompous sod.
He wasn't like that at all - he actually thought that since she'd lied about the liking whisky, that she was obviously saying things that she thought would go down well. Rather than speaking her mind.
This guy must be some desirable dude if women are prepared to lie about what they eat and drink to get into his affections.
A long while back, we were at a event at the Victoria Room in the House of Commons. My friend was accompanied by his current girlfriend, an actual model.
It was quite interesting to note the MPs who spent their time talking to her, ignoring him.
Portillo totally ignored her, to talk to my friend.
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
As a good and devout Muslim this is one of those conversations I'm not qualified to participate in.
Just as long as you don't boost Star Citizen.
A very good friend likes his whisky. He took a girl on a date to a very quiet, very high quality place, somewhat famous at the time for their selection of single malts. She had claimed to like whisky...
He bought her a double of a rather nice one.
He had to leave for a few moments. When he got back he discovered that she had got the bar tender to add Diet Coke to her drink...
Apparently my friend didn't say a word. Went on with the evening as if nothing had happened.
Never spoke to her again, of course.
Quite right, the lass was perfectly correct in blanking the pompous sod.
He wasn't like that at all - he actually thought that since she'd lied about the liking whisky, that she was obviously saying things that she thought would go down well. Rather than speaking her mind.
This guy must be some desirable dude if women are prepared to lie about what they eat and drink to get into his affections.
A long while back, we were at a event at the Victoria Room in the House of Commons. My friend was accompanied by his current girlfriend, an actual model.
It was quite interesting to note the MPs who spent their time talking to her, ignoring him.
Portillo totally ignored her, to talk to my friend.
Whoever in Number 10 said "give an insincere apology, call it a work event and say 'lets wait for the enquiry'" needs firing. Won't last out the next half hour.
“In #Tianjin, epidemiological investigations on 80 people infected with #Omicron found that 76 of them had been **fully vaccinated with Chinese-made vaccines**, including 20 who had received a booster shot.”
Harry Cole @MrHarryCole Suspect a lawyer has had a look at that statement. Quote Tweet Ben Riley-Smith @benrileysmith · 4m The core of Boris Johnson’s defence was in that apology - he thought May 20 was a work event, technically it was, Downing St garden an extension of the government office.
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
The only thing worse than wine snobs are PBers who are congenitally obsessed with Apple. It's an odd, and worrying, affliction.
Yeah, like the PBers who buy a dozen Apple devices a year. It's like a tech version of Elton John...
Why TF do you care what they buy? If you don't like the products yourself, don't buy them, It really is that effing simple.
(P.S. I have had my 6s Plus for years – the best phone ever made – just keep replacing the battery. It has a great feature called a 3.5mm audio jack which has been the difference between music and no music at several impromptu parties over the years)
I'm no Apple fan, but I have an old-fashioned ipod, which goes everywhere with me which serves the same purpose. It doesn't have any song I could ever want to listen to on it, but it does have every song I have ever bought, which gives at least 90% coverage of the first group. We had a party for bonfire night, and my friends' sons were utterly baffled by it. Friends' sons: Can you play x? Me: No, it's not on there. Friends' sons: Eh? What's the wifi code? Me: [Gives wifi code] Friends' son: Why can't I get onto the internet through this? Me: Because that's not what it does. Friends' sons: Eh?
The concept of an electronic device which didn't connect to every other electronic device utterly baffled them.
I’ve got several GB of music on my old iPad that it’s not possible to stream, because it’s rare house that isn’t available on any of the platforms. As you say, the entire concept baffles some people who seem to believe a) all music is on all platforms b) you need to be online to play music.
When you’re next wanting to host a 90s rave in a remote mountain valley, I’m your man.
It was at his workplace. Should he have held the event in the first place? No I don't think so but the garden at Downing Street is an extension of his workplace.
I have no idea what other people were or were not doing in their workplace but workplace it was.
The issue is that Boris didn't realise the politics of it all and went ahead.
But of course no one is in the mood for the boring details.
“In #Tianjin, epidemiological investigations on 80 people infected with #Omicron found that 76 of them had been **fully vaccinated with Chinese-made vaccines**, including 20 who had received a booster shot.”
The problem with the Chinese made vaccines is that they don't seem to work that well - it's not quite injecting a saline solution but it's not far off.
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
As a good and devout Muslim this is one of those conversations I'm not qualified to participate in.
Just as long as you don't boost Star Citizen.
A very good friend likes his whisky. He took a girl on a date to a very quiet, very high quality place, somewhat famous at the time for their selection of single malts. She had claimed to like whisky...
He bought her a double of a rather nice one.
He had to leave for a few moments. When he got back he discovered that she had got the bar tender to add Diet Coke to her drink...
Apparently my friend didn't say a word. Went on with the evening as if nothing had happened.
Never spoke to her again, of course.
Quite right, the lass was perfectly correct in blanking the pompous sod.
He wasn't like that at all - he actually thought that since she'd lied about the liking whisky, that she was obviously saying things that she thought would go down well. Rather than speaking her mind.
This guy must be some desirable dude if women are prepared to lie about what they eat and drink to get into his affections.
A long while back, we were at a event at the Victoria Room in the House of Commons. My friend was accompanied by his current girlfriend, an actual model.
It was quite interesting to note the MPs who spent their time talking to her, ignoring him.
Portillo totally ignored her, to talk to my friend.
Class act. The best PM we never had...
Errrr.. It was more a matter of.... interests. As was quite obvious.
The reaction from his girlfriend (the model) was hilarious. I think for her, being the object of attention was assumed. She wasn't angry, just really non-plussed and a bit puzzled. Afterwards I mentioned the rumours and she said "yeah, obviously".
I'm a few minutes behind, but I'm inclined to agree. The call for Boris's resignation might have hardened the resolve of the backbenchers to support the Government.
About as belieavble as when the police raid a knocking shop and the bloke with trousers round his ankles claims his car broke down and was only at this establishment to ask for directions and the nice lady was helping out of his wet clothes...
Whoever in Number 10 said "give an insincere apology, call it a work event and say 'lets wait for the enquiry'" needs firing. Won't last out the next half hour.
The thing is, that the inquiry won’t be looking at the PM’s subsequent account and therefore the lies. So if he isn’t nailed for the lies now, he’ll be off that hook.
I think Boris is doing OK under the circumstances.
I agree. Not great but much better than I anticipated. Admittedly what I anticipated was a bloodbath. I think @hyufd might be right. He might survive a bit longer.
“In #Tianjin, epidemiological investigations on 80 people infected with #Omicron found that 76 of them had been **fully vaccinated with Chinese-made vaccines**, including 20 who had received a booster shot.”
The problem with the Chinese made vaccines is that they don't seem to work that well - it's not quite injecting a saline solution but it's not far off.
This is why the party are clearly taking such extreme measures they know their population isn't protected and big O spreads like crazy. Their narrative of total success against fighting COVID could self-destruct.
Harry Cole @MrHarryCole Suspect a lawyer has had a look at that statement. Quote Tweet Ben Riley-Smith @benrileysmith · 4m The core of Boris Johnson’s defence was in that apology - he thought May 20 was a work event, technically it was, Downing St garden an extension of the government office.
Work event is not sufficient regardless. It would have needed to be essential for work.
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
The only thing worse than wine snobs are PBers who are congenitally obsessed with Apple. It's an odd, and worrying, affliction.
All PBers have obsessions. That's why we're here.
Sure, you must have some of your own if you think about it. I think I know most of mine.
Sure, I was just being facetious, and making a point.
Josias is – frankly – boring about Apple – he is worse than the ludicrous Apple fanboys themselves.
If you think I'm boring about Apple (I probably only ever mention them every couple or months or so), then perhaps you ought to consider why you're so triggered about it, and why you feel the need to defend them?
Apple are a massive worldwide company. It's fair to give them reasonable criticism, as well as acclaim.
'I know he is paid to try and remove me from office but please wait for the inquiry'
Utterly pathetic line. Starmer has skewered him on the partying and the lies about the partying. Johnson has no answer... except that Starmer has a salary.
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
As a good and devout Muslim this is one of those conversations I'm not qualified to participate in.
Just as long as you don't boost Star Citizen.
A very good friend likes his whisky. He took a girl on a date to a very quiet, very high quality place, somewhat famous at the time for their selection of single malts. She had claimed to like whisky...
He bought her a double of a rather nice one.
He had to leave for a few moments. When he got back he discovered that she had got the bar tender to add Diet Coke to her drink...
Apparently my friend didn't say a word. Went on with the evening as if nothing had happened.
Never spoke to her again, of course.
Quite right, the lass was perfectly correct in blanking the pompous sod.
He wasn't like that at all - he actually thought that since she'd lied about the liking whisky, that she was obviously saying things that she thought would go down well. Rather than speaking her mind.
This guy must be some desirable dude if women are prepared to lie about what they eat and drink to get into his affections.
A long while back, we were at a event at the Victoria Room in the House of Commons. My friend was accompanied by his current girlfriend, an actual model.
It was quite interesting to note the MPs who spent their time talking to her, ignoring him.
Portillo totally ignored her, to talk to my friend.
How do you know that their motives weren’t the same?
I think Boris is doing OK under the circumstances.
I agree. Not great but much better than I anticipated. Admittedly what I anticipated was a bloodbath. I think @hyufd might be right. He might survive a bit longer.
Boris is coming across showing humility, Starmer like a snappy lawyer.
The thing is, that the inquiry won’t be looking at the PM’s subsequent account and therefore the lies. So if he isn’t nailed for the lies now, he’ll be off that hook.
Or, to look at it another way, will be permanently transfixed by that pin, in the public perception.
Just uncorked* a bottle at work, matron not looking impressed. I have explained that this is normal at busy workplaces, but she still seems to object. What is wrong with her?
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
As a good and devout Muslim this is one of those conversations I'm not qualified to participate in.
Just as long as you don't boost Star Citizen.
A very good friend likes his whisky. He took a girl on a date to a very quiet, very high quality place, somewhat famous at the time for their selection of single malts. She had claimed to like whisky...
He bought her a double of a rather nice one.
He had to leave for a few moments. When he got back he discovered that she had got the bar tender to add Diet Coke to her drink...
Apparently my friend didn't say a word. Went on with the evening as if nothing had happened.
Never spoke to her again, of course.
Quite right, the lass was perfectly correct in blanking the pompous sod.
He wasn't like that at all - he actually thought that since she'd lied about the liking whisky, that she was obviously saying things that she thought would go down well. Rather than speaking her mind.
This guy must be some desirable dude if women are prepared to lie about what they eat and drink to get into his affections.
A long while back, we were at a event at the Victoria Room in the House of Commons. My friend was accompanied by his current girlfriend, an actual model.
It was quite interesting to note the MPs who spent their time talking to her, ignoring him.
Portillo totally ignored her, to talk to my friend.
How do you know that their motives weren’t the same?
I thought they were, my friend thought they were, and his girlfriend agreed.....
I think Boris is doing OK under the circumstances.
I agree. Not great but much better than I anticipated. Admittedly what I anticipated was a bloodbath. I think @hyufd might be right. He might survive a bit longer.
Presumably that apology was approved (perhaps even written) by the cabinet, so yes I think he survives for the short term as well.
I think Boris is doing OK under the circumstances.
Agreed.
It helps that he gets rather a lot of practice at this kind of thing.
Btw I spend quite a bit of time in Aston these days. It's rather nice. Do they have a decent football team locally perchance? It might be rather nice to go watch them.
aura Kuenssberg @bbclaurak · 11m PM repeats 'I thought it was a work event' - hard for that to tally when there were around 30 people there, the event was organised as a drinks do
Based on conversations with my other half and colleagues, Boris Johnson and everyone in Downing Street should resign and be imprisoned for serving and drinking (Tesco) rosé.
Apparently for connoisseurs of alcohol/people with good taste it is the equivalent of drinking lighter fluid.
The only thing worse than Apple fans are Tesla fans. And the only thing worse than Tesla fans are wine snobs
As a good and devout Muslim this is one of those conversations I'm not qualified to participate in.
Just as long as you don't boost Star Citizen.
A very good friend likes his whisky. He took a girl on a date to a very quiet, very high quality place, somewhat famous at the time for their selection of single malts. She had claimed to like whisky...
He bought her a double of a rather nice one.
He had to leave for a few moments. When he got back he discovered that she had got the bar tender to add Diet Coke to her drink...
Apparently my friend didn't say a word. Went on with the evening as if nothing had happened.
Never spoke to her again, of course.
Quite right, the lass was perfectly correct in blanking the pompous sod.
He wasn't like that at all - he actually thought that since she'd lied about the liking whisky, that she was obviously saying things that she thought would go down well. Rather than speaking her mind.
This guy must be some desirable dude if women are prepared to lie about what they eat and drink to get into his affections.
A long while back, we were at a event at the Victoria Room in the House of Commons. My friend was accompanied by his current girlfriend, an actual model.
It was quite interesting to note the MPs who spent their time talking to her, ignoring him.
Portillo totally ignored her, to talk to my friend.
Comments
He says while doing nothing of the sort.
BS....
Nothing cheap about it. I wrote a header with some painful and personal stuff in it and your first reaction was to give the impression that you think stories are made up.
It was not the reaction I'd have expected of you. But anyway matter over.
Joanne Harris
@Joannechocolat
·
48s
Siri, show me an apology that doesn't contain a grain of remorse. #PMQs
There's an invite to a party saying bring a bottle.
@DPJHodges
·
1m
Full apology from Boris. Too late.
It was quite interesting to note the MPs who spent their time talking to her, ignoring him.
Portillo totally ignored her, to talk to my friend.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/simon-hart-boris-johnson-party-22723681
"I thought it was a work event".
My arse.
@MoonRabbit comments please on FHT's tresses. Is that done with curling tongs?
@DPJHodges
·
2m
Boris looks broken here.
Resign.
https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1481236285964668930?s=20
https://t.co/57er5pteKY
👊🏽 @Nectar_Gan
https://twitter.com/klustout/status/1481180825756618756?t=5PnqE5lK0mKNfNh8QmK86Q&s=19
Another Chinese city of 13m in lockdown.
Zing.
That's going on every broadcast and YouTube clip.
Harry Cole
@MrHarryCole
Suspect a lawyer has had a look at that statement.
Quote Tweet
Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
· 4m
The core of Boris Johnson’s defence was in that apology - he thought May 20 was a work event, technically it was, Downing St garden an extension of the government office.
Every time there was one the PM thought it was all work events.
I am more annoyed with Cummings at the moment
When you’re next wanting to host a 90s rave in a remote mountain valley, I’m your man.
I have no idea what other people were or were not doing in their workplace but workplace it was.
The issue is that Boris didn't realise the politics of it all and went ahead.
But of course no one is in the mood for the boring details.
The reaction from his girlfriend (the model) was hilarious. I think for her, being the object of attention was assumed. She wasn't angry, just really non-plussed and a bit puzzled. Afterwards I mentioned the rumours and she said "yeah, obviously".
@DPJHodges
·
2m
Starmer absolutely destroying Boris here.
'I know he is paid to try and remove me from office but please wait for the inquiry'
Apple are a massive worldwide company. It's fair to give them reasonable criticism, as well as acclaim.
The clock is ticking.
This is excruciating and if you really had the conservative party interests in mind then you would seek Boris's resignation
I'm not sure I see how we get from here to a resignation. Any other Minister in this position would be long gone by now, but the PM...
Starmer recounts a personal story about a woman whose father died from Covid and Johnson replies with "We have the fastest growing economy in the G7."
Fucking hell.
* Not really. Obviously!
And he wasn’t even saying that to Starmer was he? it’s his message to everyone sitting behind him today.
Can you Conservatives just end this ASAP please?
It helps that he gets rather a lot of practice at this kind of thing.
Btw I spend quite a bit of time in Aston these days. It's rather nice. Do they have a decent football team locally perchance? It might be rather nice to go watch them.
@bbclaurak
·
11m
PM repeats 'I thought it was a work event' - hard for that to tally when there were around 30 people there, the event was organised as a drinks do
===
"hard for that to tally"??
LOL.
It's a frigging massive lie.