It would be utter lunacy if the Party were to re-elect Boris. His situation and the risks he represents are no better than they were the day before he left office. The question is, has the current maelstrom clouded MPs' collective minds?
It would be utter lunacy if the Party were to re-elect Boris. His situation and the risks he represents are no better than they were the day before he left office. The question is, has the current maelstrom clouded MPs' collective minds?
True, but the fact remains, as it was then, that Boris has the highest ceiling. His risks at least come with some rewards. So it does make a certain amount of sense that he's being talked about - but surely the MPs won't let it happen.
It would be utter lunacy if the Party were to re-elect Boris. His situation and the risks he represents are no better than they were the day before he left office. The question is, has the current maelstrom clouded MPs' collective minds?
Yes.
It is also self interest. If Boris returns they can plausibly argue they have a mandate (and their jobs) til 2024.
They deserve to be annihilated at the next GE if they are so mendacious to do this. But I think they will be.
Confirmed: Johnson flying back for coronation. Told you.
The Mail, Express, Telegraph and Sun will go full Boris-euphoria if it happens, so that will be something for Sir Keir to contend with. And Boris is cunning enough to make his comeback sound like a glorious resurrection: I have learnt lessons... I return humble but energized and focussed... Onwards friends!
Which would be a total lie. I know the MPs are desperate and going to Boris worked last time, but remember how he brought himself down ffs.
It would be utter lunacy if the Party were to re-elect Boris. His situation and the risks he represents are no better than they were the day before he left office. The question is, has the current maelstrom clouded MPs' collective minds?
Yes.
It is also self interest. If Boris returns they can plausibly argue they have a mandate (and their jobs) til 2024.
They deserve to be annihilated at the next GE if they are so mendacious to do this. But I think they will be.
That’s the only justification they’ve got. And it is the ultimate evidence that they couldn’t give a f*ck about the welfare of the country.
Boris likes the idea of being PM. Of being proven right. Of his party begging him to come back. Yes he is earning dollah overseas. But think how much more dollah he could earn in future if he returns?
So yes, he wants it. As do some MPs and likely many members. But MPs won't stand for it and the party would fall apart.
Or they can select Sunak or Mordaunt. MPs won't stand for it an the party would fall apart.
Perhaps the Brandon Lewis option isn't totally mental. Elect a non-entity who doesn't upset any of the factions.
Re. the potential cable-cutting. It can be argued that one of the first acts Britain committed during World War One won the war (eventually). Within the first few weeks of the war, we cut all but one of Germany's marine cables (and we had access to that one).
This severely hampered German international communications throughout the war, and aided our signals intelligence. Then in 1917 it allowed the infamous Zimmerman Telegram to be intercepted, which helped bring the US into the war.
Cutting cables nowadays would not have the same effect; but it may prove absolutely awful for trade.
Good for Elon Musk though...
What state is OneWeb in at the moment?
Early operational testing - service has gaps until the last satellites are launched.
Interestingly, the missing satellites (stuck in Russia) will be launched by SpaceX. Yes, they are being launched by their direct competitor. Given the way the launch business usually works, finding a ride would have taken multiple years. Only SpaceX has the capability to do large launches at a couple of months notice.
Reasons for the SpaceX being helpful include
- having a competitor is actually good for them. Accusations of monopoly. - Launching a direct rivals service protects them against charges of being anti-competitive.. using the SpaceX price advantage only for Starlink could be viewed that way. This contract makes SpaceX legally fireproof on such charges. - The space industry have a history of helping rivals out. You never know when it is your turn - As a result of launch contract various mutual lawsuits have gone away.
On the other hand, they've been very uncompetitive with their rideshare program, and killed off the market leaders (who created the market in the first place).
Also, do we really want comms in the hands of Musk? For years I compared him with Brunel, positively. I was wrong. Musk is not the modern-day Brunel.
He is the modern-day Henry Ford. Except worse...
Merely offering a cheaper product isn’t anti-competitive. The marginal cost of F9 launches is said to be in the order of $15 million now. Maybe less.
As to a monopoly on LEO comms - he’s helped out OneWeb, allowing them to get in service something like on time.
It's not about offering the service cheaper - it's about the fact they stopped working with the concept originator Spaceflight. (Yes, that is a terrible name for a space company, as it makes searches nearly impossible...)
There were serious problems with them. Not doing due diligence and safety checks on some of the cube sats to the point of endangering the launcher.
Given that launcher reliability is a key selling point, it’s not hard to see why SpaceX gave them the boot.
Well, if the Tories do completely disintegrate as a party the whole 'Scotland gets Tory governments imposed on it against its will' argument for indy will collapse... There might well never be a Tory government again.
I think Boris is probably already unbeatable. He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 21m I’ve got no idea who the next Tory leader will be. But there’s only one person who people are talking about in parliament at the moment - positively and negatively. And that’s Boris. The other candidates need to get their skates on.
I think Boris is probably already unbeatable. He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
It Hunt was prepared to stay on, and let that be known, Boris would be unbeatable.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
I know this won't be a popular view here. But Boris is the Tories only chance. He has a mandate.
It retrospect it would have worked out quite nicely for him. The whole thing is seen to have fallen apart without him (other interpretations are available) and during the gap he had a nice holiday and made a few hundred k to fill out his bank balance.
I think Boris is probably already unbeatable. He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
I struggle to see Hunt and Johnson as a PM and Chancellor duo. Johnson isn't temperamentally suited to austerity.
He'd want a Chancellor who could find him the money for his pet projects, in the manner of a medieval monarch relying on a fixer as Chief Minister who could exploit every old feudal due to bring money in.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
I think Boris is probably already unbeatable. He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
The Lords appointments commission could get a move on and get her out!
I think Boris is probably already unbeatable. He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
I struggle to see Hunt and Johnson as a PM and Chancellor duo. Johnson isn't temperamentally suited to austerity.
He'd want a Chancellor who could find him the money for his pet projects, in the manner of a medieval monarch relying on a fixer as Chief Minister who could exploit every old feudal due to bring money in.
Yes, but he doesn’t want his own run on the pound, either.
He’ll put up with Hunt until he thinks it’s safe not to do so, probably as part of a big giveaway budget promise in the run up to the next election.
I think Boris is probably already unbeatable. He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
I struggle to see Hunt and Johnson as a PM and Chancellor duo. Johnson isn't temperamentally suited to austerity.
He'd want a Chancellor who could find him the money for his pet projects, in the manner of a medieval monarch relying on a fixer as Chief Minister who could exploit every old feudal due to bring money in.
Quite the opposite. He’d be able to apply boosterism and highlight special projects, and deny the existence of any cuts. Possibly the most useful front man.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
You reckon?
I know people who get their news from TikTok. Which does not play in the Tories favour.
Boris with a chastened and disciplined party could be the Goldilocks scenario for the Tories.
LOL. Boris Johnson chastened and disciplined. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I said the party, not him. They'd be much less likely to undermine him having been through the experience of the last two months.
Johnson undermined himself with his laziness and his lies and corruption. He didn't need any help from the party. He won't change. He has never learnt from all his previous sackings and embarrassments He has lived his entire life doing just as he pleases and lying his way out of tight spots.
Exactly. He drove them too far in the end, even though he was an electoral success.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
No. Because the right wing press construct the narrative, and the BBC largely stick to events.
Indeed, because of the way it works, the BBC end up presenting the narrative itself as part of a he says/she says attempt at unbiased reportage.
Look on the bright side; it's a chance to humiliate Johnson for a second time
If it goes to the members it won't be Sunak, so Mordaunt is the smart bet? And because she was the only one to have her phone switched on back on Tuesday!
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
You reckon?
I know people who get their news from TikTok. Which does not play in the Tories favour.
Boris likes the idea of being PM. Of being proven right. Of his party begging him to come back. Yes he is earning dollah overseas. But think how much more dollah he could earn in future if he returns?
So yes, he wants it. As do some MPs and likely many members. But MPs won't stand for it and the party would fall apart.
Or they can select Sunak or Mordaunt. MPs won't stand for it an the party would fall apart.
Perhaps the Brandon Lewis option isn't totally mental. Elect a non-entity who doesn't upset any of the factions.
What's the latest with the Privileges Committee report - any chance that that could save us all from Johnson redux?
No - we already know how he'd react, that the process was corrupt and unfair, and the party would back him, since if they vote him back in they are declaring beyond any doubt he can do whatever he wants and they won't do a damn thing.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 21m I’ve got no idea who the next Tory leader will be. But there’s only one person who people are talking about in parliament at the moment - positively and negatively. And that’s Boris. The other candidates need to get their skates on.
Have to agree with this, Rishi and Mourdant need to be out there NOW pressing the flesh. If Boris comes top 2 with MPs it really is game over.
I know this won't be a popular view here. But Boris is the Tories only chance. He has a mandate.
He told the British people they had to stay at home to save the NHS and then broke his own rules. And then lied about it when he was caught. The moral force of his electoral mandate is effectively invalidated by that level of hypocrisy.
We can't really speculate properly until the rules of the election are declared at 17:30. Brady said "consult" which specifically doesn't guarantee they get a vote...
We can't really speculate properly until the rules of the election are declared at 17:30. Brady said "consult" which specifically doesn't guarantee they get a vote...
I don’t think they will. But, by even putting them in the mix, Brady has provided Boris with impetus toward a big mo.
We can't really speculate properly until the rules of the election are declared at 17:30. Brady said "consult" which specifically doesn't guarantee they get a vote...
What else could it mean? Run a twitter poll?
The cry of stitch up would be enormous. But whilst I defended how they could go to the members last time, you cannot do it twice, not when there's a crisis.
This is fantastic. The country is on its arse, the tories can't even govern themselves, let alone the country. And apparently, Boris Johnson is the answer.
We can't really speculate properly until the rules of the election are declared at 17:30. Brady said "consult" which specifically doesn't guarantee they get a vote...
I don’t think they will. But, by even putting them in the mix, Brady has provided Boris with impetus toward a big mo.
I know this won't be a popular view here. But Boris is the Tories only chance. He has a mandate.
He told the British people they had to stay at home to save the NHS and then broke his own rules. And then lied about it when he was caught. The moral force of his electoral mandate is effectively invalidated by that level of hypocrisy.
And the British really hate hypocrisy.
Boris's problem is that the flaws that made him unsuitable to be PM are the same flaws that saw him thrown out as PM. I'd argue he ran the country competently; it was his personal flaws that did him in.
Does anyone seriously think he'll have changed? That those flaws - evident when he was MoL if not before - will suddenly disappear?
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
The thing is the BBC use the Press as their external calibration. The BBC are desperate for an external calibration so that they can avoid any accusation of bias. So the right-wing press end up setting the agenda that the BBC follow.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
You reckon?
I know people who get their news from TikTok. Which does not play in the Tories favour.
That demographic barely vote.
True. But the odds of TikTok getting that demographic to be energised and get out to vote feels far more likely to me than claims that Twitter might in the past.
I was wondering about those. How much more space is there in the House of Lords for the bizarre? Or perhaps she could do a deal with Boris and be included in his!
I’m afraid there is only one direction this is going, and it’s not a good one.
I have very little doubt that if Boris were chosen Hunt would quit and all hell would break loose once again. Hunt is an extraordinary position here and the only sensible thing to do is to build the team around him, including the PM. In short who he wants, he gets.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
The thing is the BBC use the Press as their external calibration. The BBC are desperate for an external calibration so that they can avoid any accusation of bias. So the right-wing press end up setting the agenda that the BBC follow.
The Daily Mail killed Penny Mourdaunts campaign last time. They might do it again.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
The thing is the BBC use the Press as their external calibration. The BBC are desperate for an external calibration so that they can avoid any accusation of bias. So the right-wing press end up setting the agenda that the BBC follow.
The BBC uses the Grauniad as its calibration. Not exactly right wing.
I think Boris is probably already unbeatable. He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
He had already lost the red wall vote after partygate. The party would fundamentally split. I really don’t think some Tory MPs can even read the mood of the country anymore if that’s their solution
Look, I was one of those pointing out in the months leading up to May's demise how much MP support Boris needed to get to the final two and that he probably had that.
I think, in a genuine contest now, that enough won't want to go there that he falls short.
The danger is in the rules and in the limits to a genuine contest.
I know this won't be a popular view here. But Boris is the Tories only chance. He has a mandate.
He told the British people they had to stay at home to save the NHS and then broke his own rules. And then lied about it when he was caught. The moral force of his electoral mandate is effectively invalidated by that level of hypocrisy.
And the British really hate hypocrisy.
Boris's problem is that the flaws that made him unsuitable to be PM are the same flaws that saw him thrown out as PM. I'd argue he ran the country competently; it was his personal flaws that did him in.
Does anyone seriously think he'll have changed? That those flaws - evident when he was MoL if not before - will suddenly disappear?
Yes, Boris has the ability to be PM. But he blew it, and we know (from him and his supporters) that he is not in the least bit contrite, but regards his ousting as a traitorous plot, as if he was owed fealty.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
The thing is the BBC use the Press as their external calibration. The BBC are desperate for an external calibration so that they can avoid any accusation of bias. So the right-wing press end up setting the agenda that the BBC follow.
The BBC uses the Grauniad as its calibration. Not exactly right wing.
Someone noted - and perhaps it’s not an original thought, but it impressed me - that while Labour has the “unions”, the Tories have the right wing press.
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The influence of the "right wing press" is massively overstated.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
You reckon?
I know people who get their news from TikTok. Which does not play in the Tories favour.
I know people who still get their news from, of all places, the TV regular bulletins.
But I suspect that the BBC News app push notification gets the most eyeballs.
"You've got to get yourself together You've got stuck in a moment And now you can't get out of it Don't say that later will be better Now you're stuck in a moment And you can't get out of it"
Sums up the Conservative party of 2022 pretty well.
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Comments
I’m afraid there is only one direction this is going, and it’s not a good one.
He'd have to give back all those fees for his upcoming speaking engagements.
Boris? You can't be serious. That's John McEnroe.
Stuck on You
I rather doubt it.
It is also self interest. If Boris returns they can plausibly argue they have a mandate (and their jobs) til 2024.
They deserve to be annihilated at the next GE if they are so mendacious to do this. But I think they will be.
MPs have to go for Mordaunt to have a sniff with the membership against Boris.
https://twitter.com/sebastianepayne/status/1583110226672488448
https://news.sky.com/story/nadine-dorries-may-have-used-parliamentary-privilege-to-traduce-reputation-of-channel-4-say-mps-12725575
No evidence was found to support the former culture secretary's claims that Channel 4 used paid actors instead of ordinary people in documentary series Tower Blocks of Commons - yet she has not corrected the record, a committee says.
So yes, he wants it. As do some MPs and likely many members. But MPs won't stand for it and the party would fall apart.
Or they can select Sunak or Mordaunt. MPs won't stand for it an the party would fall apart.
Perhaps the Brandon Lewis option isn't totally mental. Elect a non-entity who doesn't upset any of the factions.
Given that launcher reliability is a key selling point, it’s not hard to see why SpaceX gave them the boot.
He has the ERG and the Red Wall vote in the PCP, and that’s that.
There will of course be a set of defections, some to Lab, some to LD, and perhaps more to “Independent”, but probably only a handful.
He’ll keep Hunt on as CoE, at least for now, and focus his attention on stoking up culture war grievances. Dorries will return to Cabinet to “own the libs”.
#Boris4Bantz
https://twitter.com/e_casalicchio/status/1583114135776043008
But Boris is the Tories only chance. He has a mandate.
@DPJHodges
·
21m
I’ve got no idea who the next Tory leader will be. But there’s only one person who people are talking about in parliament at the moment - positively and negatively. And that’s Boris. The other candidates need to get their skates on.
... Of Johnson
The Mail et al - controlled largely by non-doms and foreign money - are an absolute cancer on Britain.
The overall electorate are not that mad.
But he can still do immense damage to the country for two years.
He'd want a Chancellor who could find him the money for his pet projects, in the manner of a medieval monarch relying on a fixer as Chief Minister who could exploit every old feudal due to bring money in.
The single most important news medium is the BBC News app push notification.
It gets old.
He’ll put up with Hunt until he thinks it’s safe not to do so, probably as part of a big giveaway budget promise in the run up to the next election.
I know people who get their news from TikTok. Which does not play in the Tories favour.
That has not changed.
Indeed, because of the way it works, the BBC end up presenting the narrative itself as part of a he says/she says attempt at unbiased reportage.
If it goes to the members it won't be Sunak, so Mordaunt is the smart bet? And because she was the only one to have her phone switched on back on Tuesday!
God only knows who can be a unifying candidate for this rabble of Tory MPs. Anyone but Sunak for me.
And the British really hate hypocrisy.
But, by even putting them in the mix, Brady has provided Boris with impetus toward a big mo.
The cry of stitch up would be enormous. But whilst I defended how they could go to the members last time, you cannot do it twice, not when there's a crisis.
All the absolute s***e we thought was going away with Hunt returns with Johnson.
Does anyone seriously think he'll have changed? That those flaws - evident when he was MoL if not before - will suddenly disappear?
I think, in a genuine contest now, that enough won't want to go there that he falls short.
The danger is in the rules and in the limits to a genuine contest.
But I suspect that the BBC News app push notification gets the most eyeballs.
"You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And now you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it"
Sums up the Conservative party of 2022 pretty well.