politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » While we await the Cummings presser my nomination for the book
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I think the Bernard Castle thing is what the Govt's critics will concentrate on.0
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Overall, I think that was a disaster.0
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Laura lining up a nice easy delivery..0
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Oh lor.
Je never regrette rien.0 -
That response to Laura is a disaster in itself.0
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Our unelected PMFrancisUrquhart said:Its very weird look with him sitting at a table and the journalists having to come up to a mic.
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So no scalp today then?CorrectHorseBattery said:Overall, I think that was a disaster.
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So this just boils down to whether you think they should have driven to Durham and then back again a fortnight later. Yawn.1
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He is now giving it the media twisting the story.0
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He has closed down all the potential questions with his statement. He has done well. It doesn't let Boris off the hook though.1
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Party of around ten drinking on the roadside terrace outside a local pub this afternoon.
The Dom effect ?0 -
Does anybody actually believe that he rationalised his actions as he has now described as the events happened?0
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Genuine pants-shitting comedy here. Multiple breeches of the basic regulations around not going back to work when your missus has symptoms. And not driving 260 miles. Not taking a 30 minute test drive to see if you can see well enough to drive.
Number 10 attempting to Tunnel to Java. And Dom - "I have to take decisions like this every day". Wow. You're judgement is that shit and you say you are essential to the Downing Street operation0 -
Now he’s blaming the media.
What a fool.
Next he’ll be blaming Stephen Kinnock.
It was not a complicated situation. It was a straightforward one that you got totally wrong.0 -
He gives this statement Friday / Sat, steps down, this story would have been done and dusted by Sunday and the government would have been undamaged, and Big Dom would have been back in government by the end of the year.1
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100%glw said:Does anybody actually beleive that he rationalised his actions as he has now described as the events happened?
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The word "sorry" might have helped.1
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He returned to work on the 14th April being able to get childcare that he couldn’t on the 28/29th March?
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Is Dom wearing one of Boris' big shirts?0
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He still needs to resign, he's breached quarantine.Mexicanpete said:He has closed down all the potential questions with his statement. He has done well. It doesn't let Boris off the hook though.
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An extraordinary scene this, in the rose garden.0
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"I think I behaved reasonably"
So, the story rolls on.0 -
I'm not really sure the argument that he thought he showed good judgement is going to help the fact millions of people did not do the same. Seems like a kick in the teeth to me.0
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Benidorm and Ibiza back on this summer.
The Spanish government says no quarantine for foreign tourists from July 1st
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-528006111 -
I hope you're referring to the 'crisis' of the PM's chief advisor being revealed to be a self-entitled, law breaking, arrogant prick rather than the crisis of tens of thousands of people dying of Covid-19?BannedinnParis said:
but then we wouldn't have had the big screen outside his house, the absolute nadir of this crisis so far.Richard_Nabavi said:This explanation would have worked if it had been given immediately along with a bit of contrition, perhaps.
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Even if he wasn't sorry? I prefer honesty.CorrectHorseBattery said:The word "sorry" might have helped.
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Why gives his opponents the satisfaction?FrancisUrquhart said:He gives this statement Friday / Sat, steps down, this story would have been done and dusted by Sunday and the government would have been undamaged, and Big Dom would have been back in government by the end of the year.
Now they can just get stuffed with extreme prejudice 0 -
*cough*Manzikert*cough*
Lovely present for Starmer, though.0 -
I'm a Corbyn supporter and (ashamed) Remain voter* and I stand with Cummings. The complete loss of perspective on this forum and in the media at large is frankly embarassing and it has been scary to witness just how easily the mob can be whipped up.
*This shouldn't matter, of course, but I feel as if it does.6 -
He did not say sorry for breaking the rules.eadric said:
He said sorry earlier onCorrectHorseBattery said:The word "sorry" might have helped.
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STAY HOMEKentRising said:So this just boils down to whether you think they should have driven to Durham and then back again a fortnight later. Yawn.
PROTECT THE NHS
SAVE LIVES1 -
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This would work as a halfway effective response to an interrogation by Durham Constabulary.
It will do nothing to reconcile the public to Cummings and Johnson. No one, but no one, is going to have their minds changed by this.
So why's he doing it?0 -
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How does this compare with Mrs C's account as published? Can we believe that he hasn't been tested?0
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Why wasnt he tested?0
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Even Peston tripping him up now.0
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He is an absolute pro with this interview compared to Boris' calamity yesterday.CorrectHorseBattery said:The word "sorry" might have helped.
He is clearly a bastard but I am not wholly unimpressed.1 -
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But there is room for discretion is there not? That's s slogan, sure, you try to follow it as far as at all possible.Sunil_Prasannan said:
STAY HOMEKentRising said:So this just boils down to whether you think they should have driven to Durham and then back again a fortnight later. Yawn.
PROTECT THE NHS
SAVE LIVES0 -
Maybe Cummings really is The Master after all...
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He said he was sorry for being late. And gave no reason for his tardiness...eadric said:
He said sorry earlier onCorrectHorseBattery said:The word "sorry" might have helped.
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I bet this press conference doesn't change many minds. All the people who detested Cummings before will continue to do so, and those who like him will continue to do so.0
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Not sure this is the BBC breaking news headline the government was hoping for:
https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1264947585476964352?s=200 -
At the time, do you remember the media outrage that "privileged" people like Prince Charles got tested that weren't in the specific category.bigjohnowls said:Why wasnt he tested?
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Enough to hang on. Not enough to satisfy his critics, even those criticising in good faith rather than for partisan reasons.2
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I do not.CorrectHorseBattery said:Overall, I think that was a disaster.
I think he came over as reasonable and contrite and many will wonder why he is such a bogey man
I blame Boris for his dreadful presentation last night for making it worse, much worse, and why I believe Boris needs to go on paternity leave
Some things have been revealed that t needed clarification including the police did not consider any further action was required, the guardian and mirror falsely accused him of a second visit, he explained his visit to Barnard Castle , and Boris was not told initially0 -
In fairness, Piers wouldn’t be convinced by anything. He even tried to deny the forgeries at the Mirror after he’d been sacked.CorrectHorseBattery said:https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1264947443025600513
Well Piers isn't convinced
But you can’t blame him for suggesting this hasn’t quite cut it.1 -
That was for being late!eadric said:
He said sorry earlier onCorrectHorseBattery said:The word "sorry" might have helped.
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Pesto far more probing than the lovely Laura was.ydoethur said:Even Peston tripping him up now.
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I don't understand why he wasn't tested, he'd been around a lot of people who got it, so a test would have been justified.FrancisUrquhart said:
At the time, do you remember the media outrage that "privileged" people like Prince Charles got tested that weren't in the specific category.bigjohnowls said:Why wasnt he tested?
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Load of shite questioning from Beth. Useless.0
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@Big_G_NorthWales are you really buying this nonsense about driving to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight, which as you know, is also a breach of the rules, and has nothing to do with his kid.1
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Indeed.FrancisUrquhart said:
At the time, do you remember the media outrage that "privileged" people like Prince Charles got tested that weren't in the specific category.bigjohnowls said:Why wasnt he tested?
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It is a good point. He must have known this would come out, given the neighbours must have known he wasn't there for 2 weeks, the plod visit and the trip to the hospital. If they had got out in front of this, given a statement, probably far less of an issue.CarlottaVance said:0 -
"Do as I say, not as I do!"KentRising said:
But there is room for discretion is there not? That's s slogan, sure, you try to follow it as far as at all possible.Sunil_Prasannan said:
STAY HOMEKentRising said:So this just boils down to whether you think they should have driven to Durham and then back again a fortnight later. Yawn.
PROTECT THE NHS
SAVE LIVES0 -
Survives for what?
For goodness sake he broke the rules and admitted to it!0 -
It's a non story.
Now - let's get the economy restarted and the pubs open!2 -
Unfortunately his explanation doesn’t cut it.Big_G_NorthWales said:
I do not.CorrectHorseBattery said:Overall, I think that was a disaster.
I think he came over as reasonable and contrite and many will wonder why he is such a bogey man
I blame Boris for his dreadful presentation last night for making it worse, much worse, and why I believe Boris needs to go on paternity leave
Some things have been revealed that t needed clarification including the police did not consider any further action was required, the guardian and mirror falsely accused him of a second visit, he explained his visit to Barnard Castle , and Boris was not told initially
It should do, actually, because there is no good reason to stop people driving around in closed groups. But his own government’s rules did prohibit it. It was not exercise nor was it shopping.0 -
Any reasonable parent who was worried about his eyesight would certainly bundle their 4-year-old into a car and go for a 30 mile drive in the country.3
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Do we know that the "public mood" is on this? Media keep referring to it, does anyone give a toss other than Twitter, really, let's be honest?2
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Go Beth!!!0
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Beth being predictably shrill, asking him when he stopped beating his wife.2
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The guidance around small children is for lockdown not quarantine. Or do people not give a shit about the difference ?0
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To me it just sounded like he prepared a statement to fit the available evidence justifying his actions ex-post facto. The bit about going to Barnard Castle to see if he felt well enough to go back was especially unconvincing..1
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He might have got away with it, without that ridiculous statement on driving 30 miles to test his eyesight, with his CHILD in the car0
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I don't understand why all the major players in government weren't been tested daily tbh. No reasonable person really thought what Boris jumped the queue on testing, outrageous.glw said:
I don't understand why he wasn't tested, he'd been around a lot of people who got it, so a test would have been justified.FrancisUrquhart said:
At the time, do you remember the media outrage that "privileged" people like Prince Charles got tested that weren't in the specific category.bigjohnowls said:Why wasnt he tested?
The behaviour of lots of world leaders is baffling to me on this. Not just Trump or Boris, but Merkel got exposed, Trudeau got exposed.0 -
Not seeking to get tested and then going to a place where medical assistance in case of an urgent emergency would be much further away than in his home in Islington seems a little bit irresposnsible, doesn't it?bigjohnowls said:Why wasnt he tested?
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He should have said sorry on Friday.eadric said:
He said sorry earlier onCorrectHorseBattery said:The word "sorry" might have helped.
He, and the government, have two unenviable choices:
1. Allow "the mob" to get Cummings scalp, and he resigns.
2. Allow the story to run on for days (or perhaps even weeks) as CCTV footage is unearthed showing the Cummings family in a service station
I suspect they'll go for (2). And I suspect they'll regret it. They'll have managed to avoid looking weak, but at the expense of pissing off a lot of moderate Tories. The "one rule of them, another for us" meme will not be easily dispelled.0 -
Laurence Olivier lives!eadric said:The stammering is a good look. Makes him appear hesitant but sincere, a little emotional
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Again, is he unique? No.eadric said:
Also his kid went to hospital. May not be relevant, but will generate sympathyBig_G_NorthWales said:
I do not.CorrectHorseBattery said:Overall, I think that was a disaster.
I think he came over as reasonable and contrite and many will wonder why he is such a bogey man
I blame Boris for his dreadful presentation last night for making it worse, much worse, and why I believe Boris needs to go on paternity leave
Some things have been revealed that t needed clarification including the police did not consider any further action was required, the guardian and mirror falsely accused him of a second visit, he explained his visit to Barnard Castle , and Boris was not told initially0 -
It’s a balance. One might argue that it’s pretty unfair that he’s had to disclose that his son went to hospital.FrancisUrquhart said:
It is a good point. He must have known this would come out, given the neighbours must have known he wasn't there for 2 weeks, theCarlottaVance said:
plod visit and the trip to the hospital. If they had got out in front of this, given a statement, probably far less
of an issue.0 -
Anyway, back to my afternoon task of repairing a brick path...0
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The lack of experience in press conferences is very visible - he read off the prepared statement without a hitch, but is stumbling badly with fairly predictable questions.
To be fair the statement sounded quite plausible, but I think the repeated refusal to apologise is a fatal flaw.2 -
He should still resign.0
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Even I am feeling sorry for him, it is a public flogging. Excruciating to listen to.1
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Tsk Richard, you didn't furlough the staff did you?Richard_Nabavi said:Anyway, back to my afternoon task of repairing a brick path...
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Piers is all wind and piss jumping on any bandwagon that keeps him in the spotlight.ydoethur said:
In fairness, Piers wouldn’t be convinced by anything. He even tried to deny the forgeries at the Mirror after he’d been sacked.CorrectHorseBattery said:https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1264947443025600513
Well Piers isn't convinced
But you can’t blame him for suggesting this hasn’t quite cut it.0 -
Almost certainly not. You can feel the fading of the embers and the evaporation of the froth with every passing minute...KentRising said:Do we know that the "public mood" is on this? Media keep referring to it, does anyone give a toss other than Twitter, really, let's be honest?
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All this driving around to/from and around County Durham from London. Didn’t he stop anywhere for fuel?0
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My father has said by his reckoning Cummings has broken quarantine (not just lockdown) at least three times. That's utterly criminal from a public health point of view.4
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You plebs can go to the pub!Ave_it said:It's a non story.
Now - let's get the economy restarted and the pubs open!
I just want to feel safe enough to be able to complete my conquest of ScotRail by doing those last two trains west and north of Inverness. 2 -
Irrespective of the coronavirus restrictions, driving with impaired eyesight and driving while so ill that you could barely walk are offences in themselves.3
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So, essentially, what do we know now that we didn't know half an hour ago, except that he went back to Downing Street after being with his wife who was showing symptoms, and that he himself was still showing symptoms when he drove to Barnard Castle?0
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The problem is he has not apologised, yes there were difficult circumstances with his child etc but that is what viewers will have looked for at least even if he stayseadric said:
Also his kid went to hospital. May not be relevant, but will generate sympathyBig_G_NorthWales said:
I do not.CorrectHorseBattery said:Overall, I think that was a disaster.
I think he came over as reasonable and contrite and many will wonder why he is such a bogey man
I blame Boris for his dreadful presentation last night for making it worse, much worse, and why I believe Boris needs to go on paternity leave
Some things have been revealed that t needed clarification including the police did not consider any further action was required, the guardian and mirror falsely accused him of a second visit, he explained his visit to Barnard Castle , and Boris was not told initially0 -
That's brilliant, isn't it? Go for a drive to see whether or not you're fit to drive?CorrectHorseBattery said:He might have got away with it, without that ridiculous statement on driving 30 miles to test his eyesight, with his CHILD in the car
"Sir, can I ask you to breathe into this bag, please?"
"Well, offisher, I'd thought I'd just drive for 30 milesh to see if I'm drunk."3 -
That was a reasonable explanation which is what the law asks for. Same rule for everyone.1
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And the Mail Online comments section. And the thousands of people writing to their Tory MPs. Yeah - we know what the public mood is.KentRising said:Do we know that the "public mood" is on this? Media keep referring to it, does anyone give a toss other than Twitter, really, let's be honest?
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Go Gary!0
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Indeed.Richard_Nabavi said:Enough to hang on. Not enough to satisfy his critics, even those criticising in good faith rather than for partisan reasons.
And the account might have been a great deal more convincing if it hadn’t taken days to emerge (see the ‘lawyered‘ comments above).
Why could this not have all been said when the story first broke, rather than waiting - and then blaming the press for their speculation ?0 -
Guys: when people like @MaxPB - no Corbyn loving Remoaner - are talking about tearing up their Conservative membership cards over this, then you have to recognise that at least some people who voted Tory last time around are not particularly happy about this.BluestBlue said:
Almost certainly not. You can feel the fading of the embers and the evaporation of the froth with every passing minute...KentRising said:Do we know that the "public mood" is on this? Media keep referring to it, does anyone give a toss other than Twitter, really, let's be honest?
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Strong call Sunil - I have done both the lines, both are well worth doing and each offer spectacular but quite contrasting views. You should be able to go in July - do it.Sunil_Prasannan said:
You plebs can go to the pub!Ave_it said:It's a non story.
Now - let's get the economy restarted and the pubs open!
I just want to feel safe enough to be able to complete my conquest of ScotRail by doing those last two trains west and north of Inverness.1 -
What was the “reasonable” explanation for making a pleasure drive to Barnard Castle?Philip_Thompson said:That was a reasonable explanation which is what the law asks for. Same rule for everyone.
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There are two halves to that claim.TheScreamingEagles said:My father has said by his reckoning Cummings has broken quarantine (not just lockdown) at least three times. That's utterly criminal from a public health point of view.
One is whether there was significant risk to others, which has not been convincingly established.
The other is to do with public perception, on which Cummings has just attempted to skewer media reporting.
We 'll see how it plays.0
This discussion has been closed.