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Terrible front pages for Johnson as CON drops 28% – politicalbetting.com
Terrible front pages for Johnson as CON drops 28% – politicalbetting.com
New YouGov poll has CON down to just 28%. This is 17% down on GE2019 Lab 38 (+1)Con 28 (-5)LDem 13 (+3)Green 7 (+1)RefUK 4 (-1)
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Perhaps the Great British Public has room in its collective spleen for two top-tier scandals? And scoundrels?
Novak Djokovic is now accused of breaking SPAIN'S Covid rules when visiting Marbella last month - with the Serb already facing questions in Australia and Serbia
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10396519/Djokovic-trouble-THREE-countries-Concerns-star-broke-Spains-rules-visiting.html
A Rhodes Scholar who won a coveted scholarship at Oxford after claiming she overcame childhood abuse and grew up in foster care has been accused of lying to officials and is in fact the daughter of a radiologist who went to private school.
Mackenzie Fierceton, 24, describes herself as a 'queer, first generation, low income' student at The University of Pennsylvania. In 2020, she was given a scholarship to go to Oxford after dazzling the Rhodes Trust with her story of how she overcame welfare, an abusive mother and the foster care system.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10394333/Rhodes-Scholar-claimed-abused-accused-making-up.html
With every loud smash, there'd be a moan or a shout of "stop" from someone in the gathering crowd below. It felt brutal; an assault on beauty.
At a time when statues across the country are being reassessed, there'll be those who believe that if it's legal to tear down a monument to a prominent slaver, as happened in Bristol, it is also time to do the same to an artwork by a man who committed horrific sexual crimes. If that's the case though, where does it end?
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-59972806
I seemed to remember some people raised this issue when mobs starting attacking statues, but they were shouted down. But because this one is "beautiful" that definitely gets a pass.
It was a disease, a mental condition. Sounds like this young woman has something similar. Person of considerable intelligence and talent, who is unable to cope with their reality to some significant degree. And - most unlike most of us - actually does something about it, by creating a better one for themselves. As long as they can keep all the spinning plates in the air, that is.
Sound familiar?
PLUS she and #45 share the same alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania.
Ben Franklin must be proud?
https://twitter.com/nickfthilton/status/1481402486523310080?s=20
"RICKY: POPE IS STUPID"
Since the Prince's infamy is NOT enough to knock party-hearty Boris off the front pages, are Mr Gervais and His Holiness teaming up to divert the public gaze from the PM's less-than-secret shame & garden?
EDIT - and is it possible (or is it probable) this header will replaced in subsequent edition by:
"POPE: RICKY IS STUPID"
I read it as a sad story. That she’s been victimised, and that’s got to stop! I hope it works out for her.
At one point, they reported that Archer was taking copious notes of the proceedings. He was definitely using his pen, alright. But what we in the public gallery could see, but the press could not, was that he was actually going though his diary (day planner to Americans) and crossing out appointments.
My thought at the time was, does he think he's gonna be convicted? Which he was, which was NOT much of a surprise, given the testimony and evidence against him.
Significantly, the NHS Confederation, which represents hospital trusts in England, made clear it believed that the policy is being introduced at undue haste
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jan/12/sajid-javid-urged-to-delay-mandatory-jabs-for-nhs-staff-in-england
The thing is just kicking the can down the road won't change anything. Those working for the NHS, who have always been at the front of the queue for jabs, and yet still aren't jabbed over a year after they could, aren't just going to do so in a few weeks time.
NHS workers have had far longer than care home staff to get the bloody jab.
However, have my doubts. Too many zigs and zags in her story. So retaining original thesis BUT reserving judgment.
https://twitter.com/InbetweenerVidz/status/1481210950120321029?s=20
I don’t have any particular like for the guy, have met several sales people with similar personalities over the years and know not to trust them as far as I can throw them. He was in the right place at the right time in 2019 though, and added many Conservative seats in traditionally Labour areas.
He wouldn’t have been many people’s choice to handle a pandemic, but the vaccine rollout was brilliant and in recent times he’s avoided imposing restrictions that were put in place elsewhere.
When the LotO calls directly for the PM to resign, and he doesn’t, that makes Starmer look weak. All the attacks at PMQs will have done is strengthened his position, even if it’s only on a temporary basis.
He is mortally wounded, and I can't see a way back for him. The Conservative Party would be best to get rid and move on.
https://twitter.com/hzeffman/status/1481398303241740294
Send an NHS recruitment team to Manila to pick up a few thousand nurses and midwives, then do what Ronald Reagan did to the air traffic controllers.
Oh, and there’s whole layers of NHS management vested interests, that could probably be removed with no noticable difference other than the cost saving.
Redeployment or termination will be the options and neither are attractive options to Trusts or the individuals themselves.
I think the mandatory vaccination status coupled with an exodus of staff leaving the NHS because of burnout once things start to settle down and difficulty to recruit new staff means tough times are ahead
I think the crunch point will be the local elections, where he needs to be close to level with Labour to avoid hundreds of council losses. The crunch point with the Tory MP could well be their own pay rise, which is being talked up by the opposition as being a bad thing, despite the fact that it’s below inflation and the authority on the subject has been removed from the MPs themselves.
The best thing for Labour is he limps on to the GE , the best thing for the country however is for Bozo to depart.
And i’m willing to bet the “green crap” is popular in the wealthy lib dem targeted blue wall.
Doesn’t sound like a winning electoral strategy.
'If only we can get rid of the stinking piece of deadweight that's dragging our numbers down..'
I can't think of anything short of a divorce from the party in London that's going to seem adequate under the circumstances, especially since Gove is reported to have dismissed Ross's intervention by belittling him at a gathering of Tory MPs in the Commons last night.
Although, as @Carnyx reminded me when this matter was discussed yesterday, it may also come down to the allocation of resources. If the Holyrood branch office doesn't own its own cash and property then it may be felt that it can't afford to go financially, even if it feels it needs to go politically. So, we shall see.
I see the usual suspects ..... Mail and Express .... are rallying round the PM. But there are two other stories, and both have potential to knock his squirming off the top.
The Royal Family is always box office and either the Duke of York has no idea where he puts his plonker or Ms Guiffre has some very greedy, and optimistic 'supporters' in the grey mist behind her.
And I think the 'sports star ignoring the rules' story will run.
And I agree with Mr TUD at 6.17 and Mr F at 6.24; all we've got so far is an opinion poll which says 'I won't vote for that lying slob'. Or words to that effect.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/12/rory-kinnear-no-10-lockdown-party-buried-sister
An absolutely heartbreaking and powerful read.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/12/midget-gems-renamed-disability-campaigner-claims-word-hate-speech/
It is also reckless given we will need fossil fuels for the foreseeable future,
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-01-10/greenflation-is-a-crucial-step-in-the-energy-transition-central-banks-take-note
I would just reiterate my message of yesterday. Be kind, Conservative MPs. Put the fool out of his misery.
I thought Midget Gems was a brand from a company called Maynards owned or at least marketed by Cadbury, but perhaps it has become a generic?
OTOH Boris being led by Carrie is a complete disaster.
There is absolutely no way back for him after this episode. At the time of the pandemic people were losing careers for very minor lockdown transgressions. Even the Cummings / Barnard Castle episode was nothing compared to this. Coupled with lies / Allegra Stratton in tears on the doorstep etc.
Boris's approach to the pandemic and dislike for restrictions is as much due to backbench tory MP's as it is to his own political judgement.
His unashamed populism and adoption of the hang and flog em narrative, along with terrible laws following mad public campaigns (not a feature of the cummings era, despite the rhetoric) shows that he is unfit to govern.
Even accepting all that, he did change a lot for the better. But he's now completely lost it.
The current government has none of those, and brings this country into disrepute on the world stage. I would take *any* of the previous Tory governments over this one because though I disagreed with most of their policies they were honest.
This is about who we are first and foremost. Party politics can take care of itself once we're agreed on the basics.
His charm and bluster have worked for him in the past - remarkably, when you think what he’s got away with - but it’s easier eye to eye with one boss (and even then, he got sacked twice). As PM he doesn’t have a boss to persuade - he has hundreds of them all around him, and by extension all of us. Which is a different proposition altogether, and one he hasn’t risen to or applied any thought to how it requires a different approach.
Read most senior political memoirs and it is notable how much attention they pay to scenario planning, trying to think ahead, predict the moves and lines of their opponents, work through the ‘what ifs’ and have their responses ready.
Johnson does none at all, simply relying on being able to wing everything, as he has got away with ever since the days of missing homework.
It was interesting yesteday listening to the boss of Centrica on R4 demanding a series of measures that would save lots of money for Centrica, and the talking head not skewering him on it.
Equally this AM we have had a representative of the baking industry demanding that the sky is about to fall in, and the BBC R4 presenter not even putting in context by demanding what the extra cost would be on the finished product, whether a loaf of sliced break or a Vegan Sausage Roll.
Electricity to make a loaf in a bread machine is about 5-7p at todays post-doubling electricity prices.
Useless media.
Regardless its going to be a lot more expensive in future to fight climate change.
Backed Starmer at 7 to be next PM a day or two ago, now he's over 9.
*sighs*
Personally, I would exempt those with proven antibodies, as their immunity is not very different to the vaccinated.
Back on topic, it’s why the party matter has finished the PM.
Everyone can understand it. Everyone can relate to it. Everyone (ex the decapitated, obvs) can watch the PM giving his answers and we all know he is still telling a pack of lies. No intermediary of expertise or explanation or political campaigning is needed for anyone to get the message.
Now there's a surprise.
An industry that’s been badly shown up in the past couple of years.
Although to be fair, my particular country is doing more than anywhere else in the region to develop an economy not based around oil, and has invested heavily in solar and nuclear.
We notice prices rising too, it now costs me £40 to fill up the car.
So very nearly.
£100 a month is about 25% of what it costs to keep one small dog, and most people seem to be able to afford that everywhere.
https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/the-cost-of-owning-a-dog
And the "green taxes" are only £12 a month.
Don't forget that the costs of "green" electricity are now below those of 'fossil' electricity, and that there is a significant amount of extra capacity coming on stream this year *, plus the repair of the interconnector damaged by fire last year. Which will help to puncture this bubble.
Which will make it quite a lot less expensive to deal with the energy market bubble at a relatively low cost, and claiming the political benefit. But Boris is such a short-sighted dilettante that he will miss this one too.
* I make this about 5% extra of UK electricity demand being supplied from renewables in the current year - 1.5GW from a normal demand of approx 30GW.
While I’ve never made a particular secret of my identity this individual chose to highlight the fact that he knew some of my family in the real world.
That really doesn’t sit well with me and, frankly, doesn’t fit with the culture of this place which - to my mind - has always operated on “Chatham house rules”.
So it’s time for me to say goodbye.
Have fun and play nice. I shall miss the wit and insight.
On-topic: is the PM's wife likely to egg him on to stay or persuade him to leave? That may be the key determining factor in how intransigent the buffoon decides* to be.
*Or 'is decided'.
But if you feel you need to go, have a good one. I'll try and visit the Place again if there's another exhibition.
Edit: and thanks for the banter over the years, and your insight from a different perspective.
BF do not say, however, how they define starting the tournament. First match played, first match Djokovic plays, or first round draw??
But if funding schemes set themselves up to be exploited, then they will be exploited.
Fake abuse narratives of various sorts is a growth industry imo.
The person you had a spat with seems to enjoy getting into arguments with people. I generally try to ignore him and never respond to him. Life is too short.
On one hand that should give them an element of protection from the electorate. But BJ continues to suck and now Lord Mogg says that Scotland and Scottish MPs and the leader of the party in Scotland are "lightweight".
In the short term how does DRoss try and form a compact with the electorate to save May's elections? What can he say / do? And what does it mean for the medium and long term - a divorce between the parties either side of the wall?
Ultimately we have got to keep using fossil fuels until we can fully transition to renewables and they can deliver 100% of our growing energy needs all year round. That will not be for a very long time either. So impoverishing further the poor is not going to help.
Driving away healthcare professionals is dumb generally and especially unwise during a pandemic. What's the benefit?
What is Mr Ross going to do without the money and assets? Bearing in mind a lot of members and voters will hop ship to the SLDs and Ms Ballantyne's mob rather than vote for Unionist Party 2.0 - which really, really has an unhappy name/connotations in Scotland.
What is Mr Ross going to tell voters? "That bunch in London are a big golden turd like an Edinburgh hotel and I want Scotland to stick to them and do whatever they say."
Who said that?
Nicola Sturgeon?
Anas Sarwar?
Patrick Harvie?
Michelle Ballantyne?
Nope. It was fellow Conservative, cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg. In a BBC interview no less.
Who needs enemies when you’ve got friends like that?
In a “lightweight” competition, Rees-Mogg wins hands down.