Boris approach to this Cummings scandal is bonkers. Surely the easy solution would be to do what Blair did with Mandy, get him to stand down, and bring him back in a bit when things have died down. They could easily put out a statement saying, he thought he was doing the right thing, but now acknowledges he made a mistake.
Prof Pantsdown is still working for the government, despite his scandal. They just send an understudy to the meetings. I bet he will be back if / when a second wave comes.
I think it has to be certain Boris steps down early next year citing ill health.
Over half the Tory Party, from Cameroons to hard Brexiteers loathe the man, he is very bright with a good strategic brain but he is not really a Tory and is mainly there because of his links to Boris and Gove at Vote Leave.
What was the point of Johnson doing that press conference?
The only point in doing it would be to kill the story either with a sacking or with total transparency. He's failed to do that, he didn't answer the questions, and has made the story "Johnson holds you, the public, in contempt too... and leaves questions unanswered". He's fueled the thing!
I will be visiting my family and my friends this week. I have followed the rules but fuck it, I don't give a shit anymore.
Baaa
Other countries are fining people who go out without a mask 300 Euros, and forced people to stay indoors by putting the army on the streets. In Spain you had to have a letter confirming your destination to drive your car, else get a 1000 Euro fine
In the UK the fine for breaking lockdown was the same as one for parking on a yellow line.
Someone on here mentioned earlier that the castle in question had three buildings in it - which made it okay. Well, from one perspective, yes, but from another...
What was the point of Johnson doing that press conference?
The only point in doing it would be to kill the story either with a sacking or with total transparency. He's failed to do that, he didn't answer the questions, and has made the story "Johnson holds you, the public, in contempt too... and leaves questions unanswered". He's fueled the thing!
Presumably the rest of the cabinet told him he had to do it.
Someone on here mentioned earlier that the castle in question had three buildings in it - which made it okay. Well, from one perspective, yes, but from another...
Keir is opening a bottle of bubbly and wondering how he has ended up in this reality
The thing is if Starmer does become PM then its highly likely that the economy will be in a dreadful shape.
Some might dream of Starmer as a new Atlee but the reality of the Atlee government was real austerity, 'export or starve', bread rationing and energy shortages.
Well, this is Boris’s Black Monday. It’s not quite over yet: Starmer will take Boris’s stance apart at the next PMQs. Tory MPs will begin to make noises about grey suits and letter and Cummings will be gone in a week or two.
But it won’t be enough. The only difference between John Major’s post-Black Monday lame duck administration and Boris Johnson’s post-Coronavirus will be a quarter of a century.
Enjoy the next four years PB Tories. Another decade or two of Labour government begins in May 2024.
I doubt it, Starmer might be better than Ed Miliband and Corbyn but he is still polling far lower than Blair was pre 1997 and even John Smith was pre Black Wednesday.
If he gets in it will likely be with the LDs and SNP, not a 1997 style Labour landslide
Starmer's only been in for a few weeks.....
John Smith and Tony Blair had clear poll leads within weeks of becoming leaders of the Labour Party
Unfair, Boris gave one clear answer. If you are about to fall incapacitated, and if your wife is too, get into the front seats of your car and vroom vroom for a few hours.
Well, this is Boris’s Black Monday. It’s not quite over yet: Starmer will take Boris’s stance apart at the next PMQs. Tory MPs will begin to make noises about grey suits and letter and Cummings will be gone in a week or two.
But it won’t be enough. The only difference between John Major’s post-Black Monday lame duck administration and Boris Johnson’s post-Coronavirus will be a quarter of a century.
Enjoy the next four years PB Tories. Another decade or two of Labour government begins in May 2024.
I doubt it, Starmer might be better than Ed Miliband and Corbyn but he is still polling far lower than Blair was pre 1997 and even John Smith was pre Black Wednesday.
If he gets in it will likely be with the LDs and SNP, not a 1997 style Labour landslide
It could be LD majority under Super Layla!
I doubt it, especially given Ed Davey is likely to still be LD leader
He put himself at the heart of the story and doubled down while answering no substantive questions. The press have their buckets of **** ready and will dump them on his head. It was a disaster!
Over 40 Covid-19 cases traced to church service in Germany
Church officials say they followed social distancing rules and disinfected the building ahead of the service. Those attending services have to be kept 1.5m (5ft) apart, and provided with hand sanitiser.
Looks like I was right, and an awful lot of the overly excitable short-termists were wrong. Not for the first time.
You weren't right, I was.
He should go. He won't go. No inquiry.
And that outcome differs from what I've been saying for the last two days how, exactly?
You failed to offer the first of the holy trinity. That he should go.
Reason being that you have (as all know) zero intellectual integrity and lack a moral compass.
I'm afraid a socialist's view of my moral compass is not terribly relevant to me. The fact remains that my thinking was exactly the same as that of Boris, and so I knew early on what had to happen and why, in the face of much angry opposition to the contrary (admittedly not from you).
Someone on here mentioned earlier that the castle in question had three buildings in it - which made it okay. Well, from one perspective, yes, but from another...
No. It's her family who live in a castle, not his.
Nobody said it had three buildings. Somebody said "Well, maybe it had three buildings."
You can very easily find out online where the property is. It's described as a four-bedroom detached house.
Over 40 Covid-19 cases traced to church service in Germany
Church officials say they followed social distancing rules and disinfected the building ahead of the service. Those attending services have to be kept 1.5m (5ft) apart, and provided with hand sanitiser.
Yeah, sadly this seems to be standard in enclosed spaces. 1.5m is not enough and maybe 2m is not enough. Surfaces seem less important than proximity of air.
A swift resignation, apology of thought doing the right thing for his family, but now acknowledges made incorrect decision, followed by a soft soap interview with a friendly journalist about terrors of coronavirus, his young family etc....
Boris could then do a press conference reiterating how important the rules are, even those with best intentions got to resist these urges and stick to them, yadda yadda yadda yadda.
That is what Malcolm Tucker, I mean Bad Al would have had Blair do.
And then Boris could have him back in government by the end of the year.
Well, thanks to Cummings and now Boris, lockdown is over. The distractions Boris threw in will just emphasise the misperceived point that it’s all over.
Shutdown is still going on, of course - Boris isn’t irresponsible enough to pull a Bolsanaro. But with glorious weather due tomorrow, expect social distancing to die a death.
What’s the odds that we’re back in a full lockdown again by late June following a new death spike thanks to this? Christ, I don’t want to have to go through all this again and now it looks all too plausible.
There's a danger for Labour that this is going so badly that Boris does get the sack over this. If I were Starmer I'd want to face him at the next election.
I think that is why Labour didn't go hard in on Cummings, they actually prefer him in place, he's an abrasive, arrogant individual and a divisive one within the Tory Party.
Boris. Boris just waffled his way through the entire conference as usual not really answering the questions put to him. He just kept repeating the same line over and over. He hasn't buried the issue at all he has ensured it remains a live issue.
Looks like I was right, and an awful lot of the overly excitable short-termists were wrong. Not for the first time.
You weren't right, I was.
He should go. He won't go. No inquiry.
And that outcome differs from what I've been saying for the last two days how, exactly?
You failed to offer the first of the holy trinity. That he should go.
Reason being that you have (as all know) zero intellectual integrity and lack a moral compass.
I'm afraid a socialist's view of my moral compass is not terribly relevant to me. The fact remains that my thinking was exactly the same as that of Boris, and so I knew early on what had to happen and why, in the face of much angry opposition to the contrary (admittedly not from you).
Think of me not as a socialist but as a person of uncommon perception whose affection and respect you would like to enjoy.
Well, thanks to Cummings and now Boris, lockdown is over. The distractions Boris threw in will just emphasise the misperceived point that it’s all over.
Shutdown is still going on, of course - Boris isn’t irresponsible enough to pull a Bolsanaro. But with glorious weather due tomorrow, expect social distancing to die a death.
What’s the odds that we’re back in a full lockdown again by late June following a new death spike thanks to this? Christ, I don’t want to have to go through all this again and now it looks all too plausible.
Yep.
What a disaster this government is proving to be. I still have some sympathy over the late lockdown, as I do think it is right that people will find it very hard to stick to for long periods.
But everything else has been shit. Testing, PPE, care homes, lying aides etc etc.
Well, this is Boris’s Black Monday. It’s not quite over yet: Starmer will take Boris’s stance apart at the next PMQs. Tory MPs will begin to make noises about grey suits and letter and Cummings will be gone in a week or two.
But it won’t be enough. The only difference between John Major’s post-Black Monday lame duck administration and Boris Johnson’s post-Coronavirus will be a quarter of a century.
Enjoy the next four years PB Tories. Another decade or two of Labour government begins in May 2024.
I doubt it, Starmer might be better than Ed Miliband and Corbyn but he is still polling far lower than Blair was pre 1997 and even John Smith was pre Black Wednesday.
If he gets in it will likely be with the LDs and SNP, not a 1997 style Labour landslide
Starmer's only been in for a few weeks.....
John Smith and Tony Blair had clear poll leads within weeks of becoming leaders of the Labour Party
Yeah, sadly this seems to be standard in enclosed spaces. 1.5m is not enough and maybe 2m is not enough. Surfaces seem less important than proximity of air.
Might be renting open-air marquees is a good business to be in over the next 6 months. Any sort of mass gathering indoors just doesn't seem to be workable.
To be honest, enforcing the law is the police's job, not the prime minister's.
Isn't it a bit surprising that the police didn't even speak to Dominic Cummings directly, considering he had travelled from one end of the country to the other, and by the time they were alerted was known to be displaying coronavirus symptoms?
Looks like I was right, and an awful lot of the overly excitable short-termists were wrong. Not for the first time.
You weren't right, I was.
He should go. He won't go. No inquiry.
And that outcome differs from what I've been saying for the last two days how, exactly?
You failed to offer the first of the holy trinity. That he should go.
Reason being that you have (as all know) zero intellectual integrity and lack a moral compass.
I'm afraid a socialist's view of my moral compass is not terribly relevant to me. The fact remains that my thinking was exactly the same as that of Boris, and so I knew early on what had to happen and why, in the face of much angry opposition to the contrary (admittedly not from you).
Think of me not as a socialist but as a person of uncommon perception whose affection and respect you would like to enjoy.
Indeed I would, since you're both clever and witty. But I don't change how I present my political views and analysis unless they actually change, no matter how easy it would have been for me to lie and soften my stance as so many others did. I didn't believe that I should, so I didn't.
Yeah, sadly this seems to be standard in enclosed spaces. 1.5m is not enough and maybe 2m is not enough. Surfaces seem less important than proximity of air.
Might be renting open-air marquees is a good business to be in over the next 6 months. Any sort of mass gathering indoors just doesn't seem to be workable.
It's interesting that there has been no conclusive evidence of, say, a Cheltenham cluster. However, other open-air events have been associated with clusters, like a religious service in France.
Time to lay Boris standing at 2024 GE. Think nailed on he isn't going to last. Totally bonkers decision to keep Cummings, followed by another disastrous performance (he wasn't much good at these Q&As before, but since cornavirus he is utterly useless). And there is one thing the Tories are very good at, getting rid of failing leaders.
Mr Yorkshire Tea must be sitting pretty for the job.
To be honest, enforcing the law is the police's job, not the prime minister's.
Isn't it a bit surprising that the police didn't even speak to Dominic Cummings directly, considering he had travelled from one end of the country to the other, and by the time they were alerted was known to be displaying coronavirus symptoms?
And now the damage is done to the country, I certainly don’t want Cummings gone. The Government has made their bed. Let them lie in it. Burn your political capital. Shackle this albatross around your neck with unbreakable chains. Let your belief in your special privilege (in the literal sense of private law) be on show always.
A truly lamentable performance. Expect Wednesday’s Liaison Committee meeting (where supplementaries are permitted) he will have to answer the questions that the hacks dismally failed to do.
Looks like I was right, and an awful lot of the overly excitable short-termists were wrong. Not for the first time.
You weren't right, I was.
He should go. He won't go. No inquiry.
And that outcome differs from what I've been saying for the last two days how, exactly?
You failed to offer the first of the holy trinity. That he should go.
Reason being that you have (as all know) zero intellectual integrity and lack a moral compass.
I'm afraid a socialist's view of my moral compass is not terribly relevant to me. The fact remains that my thinking was exactly the same as that of Boris, and so I knew early on what had to happen and why, in the face of much angry opposition to the contrary (admittedly not from you).
Think of me not as a socialist but as a person of uncommon perception whose affection and respect you would like to enjoy.
A swift resignation, apology of thought doing the right thing for his family, but now acknowledges made incorrect decision, followed by a soft soap interview with a friendly journalist about terrors of coronavirus, his young family etc....
Boris could then do a press conference reiterating how important the rules are, even those with best intentions got to resist these urges and stick to them, yadda yadda yadda yadda.
That is what Malcolm Tucker, I mean Bad Al would have had Blair do.
And then Boris could have him back in government by the end of the year.
Exactly.
This is the most politically incompetent defence I've ever seen. JFSH: Just F*cking Sack Him.
Instead we've had the PM waffling and lying for 30 minutes before running away.
A truly lamentable performance. Expect Wednesday’s Liaison Committee meeting (where supplementaries are permitted) he will have to answer the questions that the hacks dismally failed to do.
It's obvious that the Barnard Castle episode happened and that it probably has no justification until they think one up if and when it becomes essential. Less clear that the second trip to Durham occurred. Which is odd. Boris did not deal with it at all, which he should have done if he was sure it didn't, and it should not be so impossible to be sure whether or not DC was in London on 19 April. Plenty for SKS and co to work on.
Overtaking Italy on the test count for the first time I think. Germany and Spain next (they're doing 50k/60k/75k per day respectively, so it was only a matter of time).
Time to lay Boris standing at 2024 GE. Think nailed on he isn't going to last. Totally bonkers decision to keep Cummings, followed by another disastrous performance (he wasn't much good at these Q&As before, but since cornavirus he is utterly useless). And there is one thing the Tories are very good at, getting rid of failing leaders.
Mr Yorkshire Tea must be sitting pretty for the job.
Not when he is presiding over mass employment and hammering conservative voters with huge tax rises he isn't
This is a big thing for me to say but I am angered by Boris response and how he could defend the indefensible. His press conference was a car crash and he is not well
Sadly he has lost my support and I hope that he stands down due to his health
It's not what they did. The guidance is - obviously - that the household should have self-isolated immediately when Mrs Cummings developed symptoms. Instead, some time after that, the family travelled to the other end of the country and supposedly self-isolated in "part of a property" there.
Well, thanks to Cummings and now Boris, lockdown is over. The distractions Boris threw in will just emphasise the misperceived point that it’s all over.
Shutdown is still going on, of course - Boris isn’t irresponsible enough to pull a Bolsanaro. But with glorious weather due tomorrow, expect social distancing to die a death.
What’s the odds that we’re back in a full lockdown again by late June following a new death spike thanks to this? Christ, I don’t want to have to go through all this again and now it looks all too plausible.
Yep.
What a disaster this government is proving to be. I still have some sympathy over the late lockdown, as I do think it is right that people will find it very hard to stick to for long periods.
But everything has been shit. Testing, PPE, care homes, lying aides etc etc.
For testing, PPE and care homes the fault lies in government in general rather than this government albeit with the belated exception of testing this government has shown no leadership.
A more unpleasant fact is that many of the government institutions in this country are deeply mediocre.
The continual failings of our political class distract us from that.
Time to lay Boris standing at 2024 GE. Think nailed on he isn't going to last. Totally bonkers decision to keep Cummings, followed by another disastrous performance (he wasn't much good at these Q&As before, but since cornavirus he is utterly useless). And there is one thing the Tories are very good at, getting rid of failing leaders.
Mr Yorkshire Tea must be sitting pretty for the job.
Not when he is presiding over mass employment and hammering conservative voters with huge tax rises he isn't
Timing is everything - it wouldn't surprise me if Boris is gone by the end of the Summer.
This is a big thing for me to say but I am angered by Boris response and how he could defend the indefensible. His press conference was a car crash and he is not well
Sadly he has lost my support and I hope that he stands down due to his health
You often surprise me, Big G. Sometimes you appear to fall into line as a loyalist, but at crucial moments you show a strong streak of pretty sound moral judgment.
Comments
But I do not accept Boris has done the right thing and I have growing concern about his leadership
Over half the Tory Party, from Cameroons to hard Brexiteers loathe the man, he is very bright with a good strategic brain but he is not really a Tory and is mainly there because of his links to Boris and Gove at Vote Leave.
The only point in doing it would be to kill the story either with a sacking or with total transparency. He's failed to do that, he didn't answer the questions, and has made the story "Johnson holds you, the public, in contempt too... and leaves questions unanswered". He's fueled the thing!
Reason being that you have (as all know) zero intellectual integrity and lack a moral compass.
Other countries are fining people who go out without a mask 300 Euros, and forced people to stay indoors by putting the army on the streets. In Spain you had to have a letter confirming your destination to drive your car, else get a 1000 Euro fine
In the UK the fine for breaking lockdown was the same as one for parking on a yellow line.
Shortest press conference so far - by quite a margin I think.
Reason: Boris just gave brief, brush off answers, and sensibly avoided any specifics.
Except Boris of course.
Some might dream of Starmer as a new Atlee but the reality of the Atlee government was real austerity, 'export or starve', bread rationing and energy shortages.
This ain't all over yet, not by a long chalk.
And why didn't he answer the very specific question about whether or not Cummings visited Barnard Castle?
Over 40 Covid-19 cases traced to church service in Germany
Church officials say they followed social distancing rules and disinfected the building ahead of the service. Those attending services have to be kept 1.5m (5ft) apart, and provided with hand sanitiser.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52786242
And I have supported Boris but that is now in doubt
https://twitter.com/allisonpearson/status/1264595002749079558
https://twitter.com/allisonpearson/status/1264578558497824772
Nobody said it had three buildings. Somebody said "Well, maybe it had three buildings."
You can very easily find out online where the property is. It's described as a four-bedroom detached house.
Boris could then do a press conference reiterating how important the rules are, even those with best intentions got to resist these urges and stick to them, yadda yadda yadda yadda.
That is what Malcolm Tucker, I mean Bad Al would have had Blair do.
And then Boris could have him back in government by the end of the year.
Shutdown is still going on, of course - Boris isn’t irresponsible enough to pull a Bolsanaro. But with glorious weather due tomorrow, expect social distancing to die a death.
What’s the odds that we’re back in a full lockdown again by late June following a new death spike thanks to this? Christ, I don’t want to have to go through all this again and now it looks all too plausible.
Boris. Boris just waffled his way through the entire conference as usual not really answering the questions put to him. He just kept repeating the same line over and over. He hasn't buried the issue at all he has ensured it remains a live issue.
They don;t have enough.
Easter Sunday was April 12th....which is 16 days after March 27th.....so jolly close....
What a disaster this government is proving to be. I still have some sympathy over the late lockdown, as I do think it is right that people will find it very hard to stick to for long periods.
But everything else has been shit. Testing, PPE, care homes, lying aides etc etc.
https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1264598237870260230
He's the PM and this is his senior advisor. People in a democracy demand answers, and rightly so.
And I'm still not convinced that kids will be going back next Monday. Bozo left enough wiggle room for a Uturn on Thursday.
Isn't it a bit surprising that the police didn't even speak to Dominic Cummings directly, considering he had travelled from one end of the country to the other, and by the time they were alerted was known to be displaying coronavirus symptoms?
Sorry.
My prediction, Labour has ammo.
'I want the Prime Minister to continue his excellent work leading the country out of lockdown and I'm glad he set out his plans clearly today.'
https://twitter.com/thistlejohn/status/1264597839465926656?s=20
And you know what, PMs usually have senior aides to tell them when they are making a class A fuck up.
Oh wait...
Mr Yorkshire Tea must be sitting pretty for the job.
Questions should have been very short and sharp.
Journalist 1 Q: Did Cummins go to Barnard Castle? END (If no answer, repeat identical words)
Journalist 2 Q: Did Cummins make 2 separate trips to Durham? END (If no answer, repeat identical words)
The Government has made their bed. Let them lie in it.
Burn your political capital. Shackle this albatross around your neck with unbreakable chains.
Let your belief in your special privilege (in the literal sense of private law) be on
show always.
This is the most politically incompetent defence I've ever seen. JFSH: Just F*cking Sack Him.
Instead we've had the PM waffling and lying for 30 minutes before running away.
Sadly he has lost my support and I hope that he stands down due to his health
A coronavirus outbreak at a Nike conference in Edinburgh has been linked to infections spreading in north-east England.
It follows claims the Scottish Government should have made information public about the February gathering at the time.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/edinburgh-nike-conference-outbreak-linked-22078157?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar
A more unpleasant fact is that many of the government institutions in this country are deeply mediocre.
The continual failings of our political class distract us from that.
LOL