politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » While we await the Cummings presser my nomination for the book
Comments
-
That statement on the eyesight thing, with his child, surely he has just admitted to endangering his child1
-
It certainly looks like it. First when he went back to work after being with his wife. Second when he drove his family up to Durham. Third when he drove to Barnard Castle while still symptomatic.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.
That's two more breaches than we knew about before.0 -
Yes, but he was uniquely worried, and uniquely busy, and uniquely had an ill child. Checkmate your Honour.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.
0 -
Lol, okay then. All those MPs, receiving angry letters....Must be filling up the post boxDougSeal said:
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?
1 -
hard to understand why he did not resign, work as freelance behind the scenes and come back when the dust had settled. They have just made such a hash of it with their arrogance and thinking they can just do what they want.
Hopefully it will teach him a lesson on how he should treat people.0 -
Are they yellow bricks by any chance?Richard_Nabavi said:Anyway, back to my afternoon task of repairing a brick path...
0 -
That BBC headline is a killer0
-
I don't regret resigning my membership after that. The guy is a wankstain.0
-
Is it clear that putting some petrol in a tank and paying with a credit card at the pump ... as we are advised to do ... would be an existential death risk to the country?OldBasing said:All this driving around to/from and around County Durham from London. Didn’t he stop anywhere for fuel?
0 -
Gary doing well, Dom now blaming the press.0
-
Which one do you prefer? I think the Far Northern is just a touch better, although it doesn’t have that wonderful finish alongside Loch Carron.Ave_it said:
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.
0 -
And when he got back down to London, and back into work, he and Boris were both still feeling so ill that they can’t remember what he told him.
But he’d just driven 260 miles back to London despite feeling that ill, still.
Hmm.1 -
He wanted to check how ill he was.Gallowgate said:
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.
0 -
If he was worried about his eyesight, he should have read a number plate at 20 metres, not gone for a drive on public roads!Gallowgate said:@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.
2 -
No. The law requires a reasonable excuse. Your explanation is subjective, an excuse is objective. And he admitted to driving to Barnard Castle with impared eyesight and Covid-19.Philip_Thompson said:That was a reasonable explanation which is what the law asks for. Same rule for everyone.
0 -
Either Cummings survives or Johnson is done too.0
-
The same mood that made his London residence in his opinion unpleasant/unsafe to remain in?DougSeal said:
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?
0 -
Mr. Rasputin, interesting post.
The reason I said he should go was because of the serious damage (partly down to the abject mishandling of the Government's response over several days) that was caused to Government credibility. That's not a party political concern but one that may come back to bite us all if and when future restrictions need to be imposed.0 -
Gary Gibbon has cut Dom down at the knees. Dom floundering.0
-
Nailed him there over his admissions. Stammering and squirming.Mexicanpete said:Gary doing well, Dom now blaming the press.
The question of course if he is telling the truth, (Big if) is why did he rely on his own guidance and not ask the appropriate authorities?
Edit - questions getting harder and he’s clearly at a loss.0 -
My Dad doesn't swear, but he's called bullshit on the child not needing a wee on a three hour journey but he did need a wee in a 30 minute drive.2
-
He's talking about the rules for lockdown, not quarantine.0
-
I was just about to attempt a world record on the London Underground when the lockdown happened, which is rather annoying, lol.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.0 -
This is a bravura performance from Cummings. almost stunningly good.
1 -
"Do you regret what you did?"
"No"
That's the killer.1 -
Which is why both will survive. Those who hate Brexit/Boris/Tories will continue to bay for blood. Those who don't will shrug their shoulders.tlg86 said:Either Cummings survives or Johnson is done too.
1 -
Great question from the guy after Gary Gibbon, this is turning into another disaster.1
-
Only thing that has gone wrong is press have lied.
No contrition whatsoever2 -
Do the trains still split to Thurso and Wick or is there now the one which shuffles back to Thurso from Wick? I think it did that the last time.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.
0 -
The press getting personal now. That isn't a good look. Should stick to clear concise questions. Giving it the you might justify it to yourself, yadda yadda yadda.1
-
Except that there are plenty of backbench Tories baying for Cummings blood.ExiledInScotland said:
Which is why both will survive. Those who hate Brexit/Boris/Tories will continue to bay for blood. Those who don't will shrug their shoulders.tlg86 said:Either Cummings survives or Johnson is done too.
0 -
He claims he looked at the guidance at the time and it mentioned exceptional circumstances with small children.
Can anyone identity that reference?0 -
As preference the Far North route to Thurso/Wick - the Kyle route is prettier but the Far north route is more rugged, a bit like me!ydoethur said:
Which one do you prefer? I think the Far Northern is just a touch better, although it doesn’t have that wonderful finish alongside Loch Carron.Ave_it said:
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 -
Journalists now getting warmed up. About time.
0 -
When I was last there in 2015 it went to Thurso and reversed.Carnyx said:
Do the trains still split to Thurso and Wick or is there now the one which shuffles back to Thurso from Wick? I think it did that the last time.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.0 -
This is epic. Really couldn't be better. He isn't going anywhere but has made the situation a whole load worse for the government.
"I left wifey who had symptoms and went back to work (at Downing Street FFS)" - not allowed
"I drove 260 miles" - not allowed.
"I had conversations with my parents" - not allowed.
"I took a test drive with the sprog in the car to test I could see well enough to drive" - illegal
"I didn't stop at all in the 5 hour trip to Durham yet the sprog needed a piss after my illegal can I see 30 minute test drive" - fuck off
Epic epic fail. I remember Black Wednesday destroying the Tories financial reputation for 2 decades. And at no point on Black Wednesday did leading SPAD David Cameron push his way to the front of Lamont's press conference and take a Giant Shit before the cameras2 -
What all this proves is that there must never again be another lockdown, even if we have a more virulent epidemic than the present one.1
-
So the conclusion from PB is.
Those who always thought Cummings was innocent still do.
Those who thinks Cummings was guilty still do.
Have I missed anyone?0 -
Not broken spirit of the regulations even!!
What a piece of work.0 -
This current guy is a bloody rottweiler.2
-
‘I don’t think any reasonable person would take that view.’
Um...I hate to break it to you, but you’re wrong.1 -
A queue of torn faced whiners line up at the podium to cry crocodile tears.
A beautiful moment.3 -
Blair did it during the 2005 election campaign if I remember correctly, where he went on a one-man Question Time show in front of a very hostile audience. (Or perhaps it was 2001).eadric said:This is the punishment beating strategy. Take a lot of pain, absorb it all, exhaust the haters, bore everyone else
There's an episode in the West Wing when a candidate does exactly this0 -
"Families have put up with hardships, not going to funerals, not goling to hospital when their kids are having cancer treatment. What is so special about you? Don't you at the very least think you owe them an apology?"
"No."0 -
I've no idea how this helps anyone but it's bloody good television.0
-
Hopefully, mate! Hopefully! In England, there's also the brand new Trafford branch of Manchester Metrolink (opened just one day before lockdown!), and the Sunday-only Dale Rail in Lancashire (Clitheroe/Hellifield).Ave_it said:
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.0 -
Hardly surprising given there was no change in the information available.CorrectHorseBattery said:So the conclusion from PB is.
Those who always thought Cummings was innocent still do.
Those who thinks Cummings was guilty still do.
Have I missed anyone?0 -
'Plenty' is how many Boris once expelled from the party in a single day for defying him. That was a big scandal then too.DougSeal said:
Except that there are plenty of backbench Tories baying for Cummings blood.ExiledInScotland said:
Which is why both will survive. Those who hate Brexit/Boris/Tories will continue to bay for blood. Those who don't will shrug their shoulders.tlg86 said:Either Cummings survives or Johnson is done too.
I predict they'll back down.0 -
1
-
He's losing this on the questioning. He is incapable of expressing regret or empathy, and just retreats to "I acted within the letter".0
-
Who is this latest guy, he has shot Dom down in flames? What a hero0
-
You’re not on the public’s side with this mate.TGOHF666 said:A queue of torn faced whiners line up at the podium to cry crocodile tears.
A beautiful moment.0 -
He went for the first drive because he thought he might be incapacitated. He went for the second drive because he thought he might not be able to drive safely! He'll survive but this is too good for people to forget.0
-
Nice example of how important it is not to make a full statement in public until you know the case on the other side in full.
Read between the lines (and assume of course that most of his account is exculpatory nonsense).
Only yesterday the PM was not prepared to accept that DC had visited Barnard Castle. He evaded and was not pressed. At that point clearly they didn't know if it could be proved.
But today it was admitted and a weak explanation given. It has to be that even yesterday it was hoped that the the Barnard Castle thing could not be stood up and could be denied. And would have been denied if possible.
DC has done his best and it was quite well presented. The idea that it is a full and frank account is nonsense. The jigsaw has been carefully arranged to fit the shape of all the bits of evidence.
He'll survive unless and until some new data turns up.
The press didn't help themselves by running an account of a 19 April visit to Durham which rather looks as if it didn't happen.
0 -
The Uriah Heap act cannot disguise a very arrogant man.1
-
He should not have taken questions. Look at the way waverers are changing their minds over this as it goes on.CorrectHorseBattery said:https://twitter.com/Robert___Harris/status/1264951496078213129
The questions have made it worse.2 -
The Durham police had already said this yesterday.CorrectHorseBattery said:0 -
Cummings strikes me as a Sherlock Holmes type figure, in the sense that he's a genius on some subjects but doesn't know the first thing about other topics, such as where the boundary of London is. Usually a nerd like him would know exactly where it is. (Unless he's pretending not to know).0
-
Yup, he would have been attacked for running away - but I think that's a lot less bad than what is happening now.ydoethur said:
He should not have taken questions. Look at the way waverers are changing their minds over this as it goes on.CorrectHorseBattery said:https://twitter.com/Robert___Harris/status/1264951496078213129
The questions have made it worse.0 -
He really better be sure that the guidance that was published AT THE TIME said all that about small children, otherwise it’ll look really really bad.0
-
This is not Black Wednesday.RochdalePioneers said:This is epic. Really couldn't be better. He isn't going anywhere but has made the situation a whole load worse for the government.
"I left wifey who had symptoms and went back to work (at Downing Street FFS)" - not allowed
"I drove 260 miles" - not allowed.
"I had conversations with my parents" - not allowed.
"I took a test drive with the sprog in the car to test I could see well enough to drive" - illegal
"I didn't stop at all in the 5 hour trip to Durham yet the sprog needed a piss after my illegal can I see 30 minute test drive" - fuck off
Epic epic fail. I remember Black Wednesday destroying the Tories financial reputation for 2 decades. And at no point on Black Wednesday did leading SPAD David Cameron push his way to the front of Lamont's press conference and take a Giant Shit before the cameras
Millions lost their homes and jobs after Black Wednesday (and Labour was already ahead in the polls beforehand).
WTO terms Brexit combined with the economic effects of the lockdown and the deaths from Covid might be Black Wednesday but Cummings' actions are not, at most they might be the equivalent of bad tabloid headlines over Ministers' indiscretions1 -
Someone should ask about Ferguson.Scott_xP said:
0 -
CorrectHorseBattery said:
So the conclusion from PB is.
Those who always thought Cummings was innocent still do.
Those who thinks Cummings was guilty still do.
Have I missed anyone?
It will depend on how the news media cut the clips. As a whole it’s all reasonable explanations although outside most people’s understanding of the rules. The coverup is the real issue and leads to wider suspicionsCorrectHorseBattery said:So the conclusion from PB is.
Those who always thought Cummings was innocent still do.
Those who thinks Cummings was guilty still do.
Have I missed anyone?0 -
He was doing OK until the Barnard Castle but - clearly lying on that bit0
-
Correct. Black Wednesday wasn't an actual life-or-death thing. Covid-19 is.HYUFD said:
This is not Black Wednesday.RochdalePioneers said:This is epic. Really couldn't be better. He isn't going anywhere but has made the situation a whole load worse for the government.
"I left wifey who had symptoms and went back to work (at Downing Street FFS)" - not allowed
"I drove 260 miles" - not allowed.
"I had conversations with my parents" - not allowed.
"I took a test drive with the sprog in the car to test I could see well enough to drive" - illegal
"I didn't stop at all in the 5 hour trip to Durham yet the sprog needed a piss after my illegal can I see 30 minute test drive" - fuck off
Epic epic fail. I remember Black Wednesday destroying the Tories financial reputation for 2 decades. And at no point on Black Wednesday did leading SPAD David Cameron push his way to the front of Lamont's press conference and take a Giant Shit before the cameras
In case you hadn't noticed.1 -
It's just that the BBC quotes him as saying "I think that I looked at the guidance, I knew what it was, it talks about exceptional circumstances with small children."Andy_Cooke said:He really better be sure that the guidance that was published AT THE TIME said all that about small children, otherwise it’ll look really really bad.
Was it not something that had been said orally?0 -
You can read that in some of his blogs.Andy_JS said:Cummings strikes me as a Sherlock Holmes type figure, in the sense that he's a genius on some subjects but doesn't know the first thing about other subjects, such as where the boundary of London is.
Some of the drivel he has written on AI and Software Engineering has made me laugh, I speak as a Software Engineer.0 -
The reason futurology isn't a science: who could have predicted at the start of the year that Dominic Cummings would be hosting a press conference discussing taking a toilet break at the side of the road instead of using a service station.3
-
And the effect of thousands losing their lives?HYUFD said:
This is not Black Wednesday.RochdalePioneers said:This is epic. Really couldn't be better. He isn't going anywhere but has made the situation a whole load worse for the government.
"I left wifey who had symptoms and went back to work (at Downing Street FFS)" - not allowed
"I drove 260 miles" - not allowed.
"I had conversations with my parents" - not allowed.
"I took a test drive with the sprog in the car to test I could see well enough to drive" - illegal
"I didn't stop at all in the 5 hour trip to Durham yet the sprog needed a piss after my illegal can I see 30 minute test drive" - fuck off
Epic epic fail. I remember Black Wednesday destroying the Tories financial reputation for 2 decades. And at no point on Black Wednesday did leading SPAD David Cameron push his way to the front of Lamont's press conference and take a Giant Shit before the cameras
Millions lost their homes and jobs after Black Wednesday (and Labour was already ahead in the polls beforehand).
WTO terms Brexit combined with the economic effects of the lockdown might be Black Wednesday but Cummimgs' actions are not, at most they might be the equivalent of bad tabloid headlines over Ministers' indiscretions0 -
It’s in the governments clear interest for him to go.0
-
This is beyond ridiculous now. He’s clearly falling to pieces.
The last two questions have kneecapped him. This journalist now has hammered him into a million pieces here. She’s running rings round him.0 -
The castle stuff has been a real error.0
-
I think he was unwise, made mistakes, but he will have some sympathy following this interviewCorrectHorseBattery said:So the conclusion from PB is.
Those who always thought Cummings was innocent still do.
Those who thinks Cummings was guilty still do.
Have I missed anyone?
The guardian have questions to answer3 -
Quite. SH didn't know or care whether the earth went round the sun or the sun round the earth. (Study in Scarlet)Andy_JS said:Cummings strikes me as a Sherlock Holmes type figure, in the sense that he's a genius on some subjects but doesn't know the first thing about other subjects, such as where the boundary of London is.
2 -
- Do you regret going to Barnard Castle?
- I think it was a reasonable thing to do.0 -
Wow. You really are a CummingsHYUFD said:
This is not Black Wednesday.RochdalePioneers said:This is epic. Really couldn't be better. He isn't going anywhere but has made the situation a whole load worse for the government.
"I left wifey who had symptoms and went back to work (at Downing Street FFS)" - not allowed
"I drove 260 miles" - not allowed.
"I had conversations with my parents" - not allowed.
"I took a test drive with the sprog in the car to test I could see well enough to drive" - illegal
"I didn't stop at all in the 5 hour trip to Durham yet the sprog needed a piss after my illegal can I see 30 minute test drive" - fuck off
Epic epic fail. I remember Black Wednesday destroying the Tories financial reputation for 2 decades. And at no point on Black Wednesday did leading SPAD David Cameron push his way to the front of Lamont's press conference and take a Giant Shit before the cameras
Millions lost their homes and jobs after Black Wednesday (and Labour was already ahead in the polls beforehand).
WTO terms Brexit combined with the economic effects of the lockdown and the deaths from Covid might be Black Wednesday but Cummings' actions are not, at most they might be the equivalent of bad tabloid headlines over Ministers' indiscretions0 -
His stuff on teaching was worse, as he tried to put it into practice.CorrectHorseBattery said:
You can read that in some of his blogs.Andy_JS said:Cummings strikes me as a Sherlock Holmes type figure, in the sense that he's a genius on some subjects but doesn't know the first thing about other subjects, such as where the boundary of London is.
Some of the drivel he has written on AI and Software Engineering has made me laugh, I speak as a Software Engineer.
Edit - who was that? She was very good.1 -
Started off okay and it then turned into a train wreck . Refusing to apologize and some pathetic excuse for popping off to Barnard Castle will be what most people remember .1
-
Cummings probably doing this as a bit of an intellectual challenge and to do a unique situation. I think he thinks like that1
-
This journalist is taking him to pieces.0
-
Does Mrs C not drive?0
-
The statement was fine - but he comes across as so arrogant when he answers questions.0
-
Should you have told the Prime Minister...?
"I don't know... I have to protect the Prime Minister's time".
How long does a text message take to read?0 -
The UK government’s worst-in-class (except for parts of the US) response to coronavirus is Black Wednesday. This is singing in the bath. That was what everyone remembered.HYUFD said:
This is not Black Wednesday.RochdalePioneers said:This is epic. Really couldn't be better. He isn't going anywhere but has made the situation a whole load worse for the government.
"I left wifey who had symptoms and went back to work (at Downing Street FFS)" - not allowed
"I drove 260 miles" - not allowed.
"I had conversations with my parents" - not allowed.
"I took a test drive with the sprog in the car to test I could see well enough to drive" - illegal
"I didn't stop at all in the 5 hour trip to Durham yet the sprog needed a piss after my illegal can I see 30 minute test drive" - fuck off
Epic epic fail. I remember Black Wednesday destroying the Tories financial reputation for 2 decades. And at no point on Black Wednesday did leading SPAD David Cameron push his way to the front of Lamont's press conference and take a Giant Shit before the cameras
Millions lost their homes and jobs after Black Wednesday (and Labour was already ahead in the polls beforehand).
WTO terms Brexit combined with the economic effects of the lockdown and the deaths from Covid might be Black Wednesday but Cummings' actions are not, at most they might be the equivalent of bad tabloid headlines over Ministers' indiscretions1 -
He is such a lying little shit......it's embarrassing.....0
-
God this is boring. He looks like a harassed teacher at parent-teacher evening (trestle table and shirt) having to justify giving some hectoring parents' kid a fail.
1 -
The main thing that Cummings is good at is conning gullible people. I suppose some are watching this with limited critical faculty but that’s his only hope. I think most will be able to spot it miles away, not the outward show but the frantic dissembling underneath it all.1
-
Those education reforms were dreadful, as some of my teaching friends have told me.ydoethur said:
His stuff on teaching was worse, as he tried to put it into practice.CorrectHorseBattery said:
You can read that in some of his blogs.Andy_JS said:Cummings strikes me as a Sherlock Holmes type figure, in the sense that he's a genius on some subjects but doesn't know the first thing about other subjects, such as where the boundary of London is.
Some of the drivel he has written on AI and Software Engineering has made me laugh, I speak as a Software Engineer.
Edit - who was that? She was very good.0 -
He probably will have more sympathy, but at the same time he's broken quarantine. He went home to his wife, who was showing covid symptoms, then returns to work? Inexcusable anywhere, but when you work at the heart of government, in the middle of a pandemic .....Big_G_NorthWales said:
I think he was unwise, made mistakes, but he will have some sympathy following this interview
Regardless of the technicalities of the law, and even ignoring the whole Durham travel, this alone should cost him his job.
The Barnard Castle stuff is bollocks, but I don't really care about that. It didn't risk anyone else. Returning to Downing Street did, and could have had huge consequences for the country.2 -
That aspect of the story is transparent BS. It was a day trip.eadric said:Why did he take a child on a potentially dangerous test drive?
4
