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Snap poll finds more than half saying BJ should resign – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited December 2021 in General
imageSnap poll finds more than half saying BJ should resign – politicalbetting.com

The big news this afternoon is that Allegra Stratton has quit. This follows the video of her issued last night.

Read the full story here

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Comments

  • First arrest at anti-vaccine passport protest taking place at Parliament Square in London, just hours before the Prime Minister is expected to announce tighter covid restrictions for the country

    https://twitter.com/senewspics/status/1468595893238734855?s=20

    The Eco-Fascists never get treated this way...They get asked if they would like hemp or oat milk with their tea, while blocking the road for hours.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 9,169
    FPT:

    It'll be interesting to see what happens to opinions on Brexit. Is Boris so bound up with the idea and execution of Brexit that he drags opinion on the whole thing down with him, or is opinion on Brexit completely independent of views on Boris and he was simply a convenient mouthpiece for it?

    Recent polling might tend to support the former - that he is tarring the image of Brexit in the public eye - but that may just be to do with general perceptions of how it's going (border admin, fishing tussles with France, all the article 16 noise). We'd be able to tell one way or the other if the Yougov tracker poll suddenly ticks up if Boris is replaced as leader.
  • FarooqFarooq Posts: 10,775

    First arrest at anti-vaccine passport protest taking place at Parliament Square in London, just hours before the Prime Minister is expected to announce tighter covid restrictions for the country

    https://twitter.com/senewspics/status/1468595893238734855?s=20

    The Eco-Fascists never get treated this way...They get asked if they would like hemp or oat milk with their tea, while blocking the road for hours.

    Goodness, who are these eco-fascists you're talking about?
  • Joy.

    Fans attending sports events including Premier League matches this weekend are expected to be required to have vaccine passports or proof of a negative test as part of new government rules to tackle the Covid pandemic.

    The Premier League was in talks with Whitehall officials on Wednesday seeking clarification on the requirements of complying with the government’s plan B, due to be announced to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant.


    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/premier-league-grounds-set-for-vaccine-passports-under-covid-plan-b-mrwcf6kkw
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    If, as the BBC reports, the December party was for the press team, it would have to have been authorised, or at least not vetoed, by then-director of communications James Slack. Since he has departed to The Sun it makes it more difficult for No. 10 to blame him for subsequently assuring the PM that no rules were broken. If, however, current director of communications Jack Doyle was at the party, and has been briefing it didn’t happen, that would make life very difficult for him. It was Max Blain, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesperson, who briefed the Lobby on Monday that there was no party.

    Despite being the poster girl for this story, Allegra Stratton was not in charge of the Downing Street press operation at the time of these events, according to the leaked video did not stay for the party in question and certainly is not responsible for briefing the PM or the Lobby about the nature or existence of the party this week. Ultimately the PM must take responsibility for his advisors and their actions. Boris’s errors at PMQs today, not least denying Lee Cain’s leaving do was a party on November 13 and being bounced by Starmer into agreeing to hand over any evidence to the Metropolitan Police and the CPS, has compounded his difficulties. The Cabinet Secretary Simon Case is to head an internal inquiry, though currently Downing Street can’t confirm or deny if he attended the party. Allegra resigning over a party for which she wasn’t responsible might not be the end of this…

    https://order-order.com/2021/12/08/whose-head-will-roll-over-downing-street-parties/

    Even Boris official PR team at Guido Fawkes sticking the boot in, he is in big trouble.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950

    Joy.

    Fans attending sports events including Premier League matches this weekend are expected to be required to have vaccine passports or proof of a negative test as part of new government rules to tackle the Covid pandemic.

    The Premier League was in talks with Whitehall officials on Wednesday seeking clarification on the requirements of complying with the government’s plan B, due to be announced to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant.


    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/premier-league-grounds-set-for-vaccine-passports-under-covid-plan-b-mrwcf6kkw

    One, two or three?
  • I hope Johnson gets a total shellacking at North Shropshire.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603

    Joy.

    Fans attending sports events including Premier League matches this weekend are expected to be required to have vaccine passports or proof of a negative test as part of new government rules to tackle the Covid pandemic.

    The Premier League was in talks with Whitehall officials on Wednesday seeking clarification on the requirements of complying with the government’s plan B, due to be announced to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant.


    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/premier-league-grounds-set-for-vaccine-passports-under-covid-plan-b-mrwcf6kkw

    Glad I went to see Spurs on Sunday, I expect getting into the stadium will now take 2-3h of queuing and checking vaccine status with arguments and fights breaking out.
  • Its incredible the Lib Dems aren't heavy odds-on favourites for N Shropshire. They should be the clear favourites.

    Sad to see Stratton's tearful resignation, but it is kind of inevitable. She humiliated herself on that video and a resignation now was realistically the only way out.

    The weirdest thing in the video is the way that she looked at the camera in an embarrassed way saying "this is filmed" . . . why not ensure that recording was deleted? To allow it to leak is just odd. Don't put things on tape you don't want to see the light of day, its like the political equivalent of a sex tape.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739
    Weird for someone to resign over a party that didn't happen.
    https://twitter.com/jessphillips/status/1468611210606268426
  • 51, 342 and 161 deaths and 729 admissions
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149

    Its incredible the Lib Dems aren't heavy odds-on favourites for N Shropshire. They should be the clear favourites.

    Sad to see Stratton's tearful resignation, but it is kind of inevitable. She humiliated herself on that video and a resignation now was realistically the only way out.

    The weirdest thing in the video is the way that she looked at the camera in an embarrassed way saying "this is filmed" . . . why not ensure that recording was deleted? To allow it to leak is just odd. Don't put things on tape you don't want to see the light of day, its like the political equivalent of a sex tape.

    IN other words, she was made by her boss to do it. No?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    It is just laughably inadequate. Especially as most people thought she had gone anyway.
  • NerysHughesNerysHughes Posts: 3,346

    Its incredible the Lib Dems aren't heavy odds-on favourites for N Shropshire. They should be the clear favourites.

    Sad to see Stratton's tearful resignation, but it is kind of inevitable. She humiliated herself on that video and a resignation now was realistically the only way out.

    The weirdest thing in the video is the way that she looked at the camera in an embarrassed way saying "this is filmed" . . . why not ensure that recording was deleted? To allow it to leak is just odd. Don't put things on tape you don't want to see the light of day, its like the political equivalent of a sex tape.

    Isn't that the problem with being in politics and modern technology, everything you do can be recorded or filmed and held against you at some point in the future.

  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,960
    Scott_xP said:

    Weird for someone to resign over a party that didn't happen.
    https://twitter.com/jessphillips/status/1468611210606268426

    Nonsense. Many members of party planning committees have been forced to resign over parties that didn't happen.
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    Not that it matters anymore, but case rise coming off the boil.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    edited December 2021
    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story
  • 51, 342 and 161 deaths and 729 admissions

    HOLD THE LINE.....
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,149

    51, 342 and 161 deaths and 729 admissions

    HOLD THE LINE.....
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart166axe/34125716551
  • isamisam Posts: 40,731
    "The big news this afternoon is that Allegra Stratton has quit. This follows the video of her issued last night."

    In other times the video in a headline like this would surely have been a bit more x-rated
  • HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
  • Scott_xP said:

    Weird for someone to resign over a party that didn't happen.
    https://twitter.com/jessphillips/status/1468611210606268426

    She did not resign over that, she resigned in a tearful speech over her insensitive comments and apologised
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,401
    24 Hour [there wasn't a] Party People

  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,261
    Feel rather sorry for Stratton. This will haunt her, as she tearfully says, for the rest of her life

    This gives the lie to any idea this is some kind of internal Spectator/ITV plot. She is married to James Forsyth, the Spec's political ed, he won't be happy seeing his wife in bits, nor will their kids be overjoyed at the sight of Mum weeping on telly
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
  • FarooqFarooq Posts: 10,775
    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    Underlining something is sometimes a way of drawing attention to it.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
    The problem is, I suspect that perhaps he might well have given them a nudge nudge wink wink to hold a gathering, and that somebody who has been thrown under the bus will say that was the case. Also, it seems like he was actually in Downing Street at the time of the party, so chances of being totally unaware of any gathering going on would be virtually impossible.
  • 51, 342 and 161 deaths and 729 admissions

    HOLD THE LINE.....
    HODOR!

    image
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,088
    Hmmm.

    Which of the BJ alternatives will be able to put a competent staff in place?
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 20,901
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
    He should go too, if he knew about it and covered it up.
  • RazedabodeRazedabode Posts: 2,973
    For all those supporting BoJo - what success has he delivered over the last 2 years?
  • HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
    Again you do not get the optics

    Boris needs to realise time is up and do the honest thing and resign and not hide behind resignations of his staff
  • TOPPING said:

    Joy.

    Fans attending sports events including Premier League matches this weekend are expected to be required to have vaccine passports or proof of a negative test as part of new government rules to tackle the Covid pandemic.

    The Premier League was in talks with Whitehall officials on Wednesday seeking clarification on the requirements of complying with the government’s plan B, due to be announced to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant.


    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/premier-league-grounds-set-for-vaccine-passports-under-covid-plan-b-mrwcf6kkw

    One, two or three?
    Yet to be confirmed.
  • The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.
  • HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    Laughable delusion
  • AslanAslan Posts: 1,673

    For all those supporting BoJo - what success has he delivered over the last 2 years?

    I am not supporting him, but he got us out of the EU, got a trade deal that protected our sovereignty more than anyone said was possible, and got us a vaccine program earlier than anyone else in Europe
  • For all those supporting BoJo - what success has he delivered over the last 2 years?

    He did say 'success', so don't say 'Brexit'.
  • NerysHughesNerysHughes Posts: 3,346

    The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    Absolutely, that and Omicron are so much more important than a party a year ago.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458
    kjh said:

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
    Unbelievably on the last thread HYUFD thinks Allegra is more to blame than Boris. I mean how?
  • The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    I'm told more is to come out about that story.

    Whistleblowers and journos trying to get verification on a few things.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 3,773
    If Boris brought in a Plan B with destructive implications to the economy and general society would it be a smart political move by Rishi (whether he really feels it or not) to resign stating he cannot accept more damage to economy etc etc?

    Not only could he show clear blue water between him and the Boris cluster-fk but He would be the darling of a lot of Tory MPs who might then find the strength and motivation to get those letters in to Brady PDQ - striking whilst the iron is hot…..
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 8,480
    edited December 2021

    The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    There's so many, with this wretched shower, who knows where to start.

    For the first time in my life I'm hoping that Dominic Cummings has something that helps him further in his closet.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
    They all work for Boris. He is responsible.
  • Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein seen relaxing in Queen's log cabin at Balmoral in newly released photograph

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/12/08/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-seen-relaxing-queens-log-cabin/
  • For all those supporting BoJo - what success has he delivered over the last 2 years?

    I'm no longer supporting Boris but:
    1. A far better initial Brexit deal with the Backstop replaced with the infinitely better NI Protocol including Article 16
    2. 80 seat majority defeating Jeremy Corbyn
    3. Got Brexit Done
    4. Promoted Liz Truss who did a great job shoring up trade agreements and starting new ones.
    5. Got a trade deal with the EU that allows regulatory divergence.
    6. Vaccines
    7. Promoted my 250/1 next PM tip Rishi Sunak to Chancellor.
    8. Got us through a pandemic with full employment at the other end.
    9. Vaccines. Vaccines. Vaccines.
    10. One of the only nations to drop Covid restrictions in the summer.
    Those are all on the credit list.
  • HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    Laughable delusion
    It is not really laughable though the delusion is his failure to have any political antenna

    I really hope the cabinet and his mps call time is up
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,261
    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 7,257
    Interesting headline from the Beeb ( https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-59580782 )
    "5G in Coverdale: Ancient valley set for telecoms upgrade"

    I mean, most valleys are ancient, aren't they?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,575

    The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    It will only be truly displaced should Johnson resign.
    It's a more complicated, slower burn story. That doesn't mean it will get forgotten.
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391
    https://twitter.com/andrew_lilico/status/1468615164866015232

    If 3 vaxx doses or 2 plus an infection still pretty much stop you getting omicron, then there aren't gonna be many hospitalisation even in a large omicron wave cos we've already triple-vaxxed the main groups from which hospitalisations come.
  • So are we getting a press conference today or not?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
    They all work for Boris. He is responsible.
    He isn't if he was not there and did not organise it.

    Most Tory voters still want Boris to stay on this afternoon's polls, he will therefore stay despite the usual anti Boris hysteria on here (most of it from those who did not vote Tory in 2019 anyway(
  • On topic, the worst thing from this polling is this.

    Three in ten say they are less likely to follow Covid rules as a result (29%).

    This rises to a third of Labour voters (33%) and those aged 18-34 (33%) who say the same.

    Over half say they are just as likely to follow the rules (54%)


    Whatever Boris Johnson announces tonight will be ignored by large parts of the country making us less secure.

    He needs to go and be replaced by someone with the credibility and authority to launch you new Covid-19 measures.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165
    MaxPB said:

    Joy.

    Fans attending sports events including Premier League matches this weekend are expected to be required to have vaccine passports or proof of a negative test as part of new government rules to tackle the Covid pandemic.

    The Premier League was in talks with Whitehall officials on Wednesday seeking clarification on the requirements of complying with the government’s plan B, due to be announced to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant.


    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/premier-league-grounds-set-for-vaccine-passports-under-covid-plan-b-mrwcf6kkw

    Glad I went to see Spurs on Sunday, I expect getting into the stadium will now take 2-3h of queuing and checking vaccine status with arguments and fights breaking out.
    It'll be interesting to see if they accept the blue cards issued at vaccination rather than an "app" on a phone. I've been surveyed twice so far this season (once at Arsenal and once at Leicester), and on both occasions the blue card was fine.

    I still object to them asking, but so long as they aren't insisting on me downloading something on to my phone, then I'm not too worried. But there is bound to be trouble if they actually stop people from entering without proof of being vaccinated.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited December 2021
    Leon said:

    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?

    Big Dom....Yes....not saying it was him, but he is quite happy to torpedo anybody and everybody.
  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,960

    51, 342 and 161 deaths and 729 admissions

    How many of the admissions were by the Prime Minister?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,575

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    Laughable delusion
    Reading HYUFD defending the honesty and integrity of the PM this afternoon is keeping me marvellously amused.
    Don't spoil it.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712
    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
    Unbelievably on the last thread HYUFD thinks Allegra is more to blame than Boris. I mean how?
    She was the one laughing about this party not Boris who was not even in the room
  • On topic, the worst thing from this polling is this.

    Three in ten say they are less likely to follow Covid rules as a result (29%).

    This rises to a third of Labour voters (33%) and those aged 18-34 (33%) who say the same.

    Over half say they are just as likely to follow the rules (54%)


    Whatever Boris Johnson announces tonight will be ignored by large parts of the country making us less secure.

    He needs to go and be replaced by someone with the credibility and authority to launch you new Covid-19 measures.

    That sounds like a reason that he should stay.

    When it comes to restrictions then we need to take a drugs stance to them: Just Say No.
  • Aslan said:

    For all those supporting BoJo - what success has he delivered over the last 2 years?

    I am not supporting him, but he got us out of the EU, got a trade deal that protected our sovereignty more than anyone said was possible, and got us a vaccine program earlier than anyone else in Europe
    The one that ended the United Kingdom as a trading block and forces GB and NI companies to have export licences to sell things to each other?

    If that's protecting the sovereignty of the UK I'd hate to see what not ptotecting it looks like.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    That hasn't gone away. I thought sks would devote half his questions to it today. He was right not to do so but there's always next Wednesday. And the publication of the fac report.
  • Leon said:

    Feel rather sorry for Stratton. This will haunt her, as she tearfully says, for the rest of her life

    This gives the lie to any idea this is some kind of internal Spectator/ITV plot. She is married to James Forsyth, the Spec's political ed, he won't be happy seeing his wife in bits, nor will their kids be overjoyed at the sight of Mum weeping on telly

    Bollocks, she's crying because she got caught, no sympathy.
  • Aslan said:

    For all those supporting BoJo - what success has he delivered over the last 2 years?

    I am not supporting him, but he got us out of the EU, got a trade deal that protected our sovereignty more than anyone said was possible, and got us a vaccine program earlier than anyone else in Europe
    The one that ended the United Kingdom as a trading block and forces GB and NI companies to have export licences to sell things to each other?

    If that's protecting the sovereignty of the UK I'd hate to see what not ptotecting it looks like.
    Theresa May's backstop.

    Infinitely worse.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
    Unbelievably on the last thread HYUFD thinks Allegra is more to blame than Boris. I mean how?
    She was the one laughing about this party not Boris who was not even in the room
    You're aware of the role of Directors in companies ?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
    They all work for Boris. He is responsible.
    He isn't if he was not there and did not organise it.

    Most Tory voters still want Boris to stay on this afternoon's polls, he will therefore stay despite the usual anti Boris hysteria on here (most of it from those who did not vote Tory in 2019 anyway(
    He is their boss. Whatever they do they do it because someone who works for Boris told them it was ok. His is the ultimate responsibility.

    And then you go on about the polls. You are defending a party that doesn't want people like you as a member.
  • FarooqFarooq Posts: 10,775
    MaxPB said:

    Joy.

    Fans attending sports events including Premier League matches this weekend are expected to be required to have vaccine passports or proof of a negative test as part of new government rules to tackle the Covid pandemic.

    The Premier League was in talks with Whitehall officials on Wednesday seeking clarification on the requirements of complying with the government’s plan B, due to be announced to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant.


    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/premier-league-grounds-set-for-vaccine-passports-under-covid-plan-b-mrwcf6kkw

    Glad I went to see Spurs on Sunday, I expect getting into the stadium will now take 2-3h of queuing and checking vaccine status with arguments and fights breaking out.
    I went to a match a few weeks ago and it took about 3 minutes to get in
  • Who was it who said "greater man than he who will lay down his friends for his Life"?

  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,004
    edited December 2021
    HYUFD said:

    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Only 1/3 of Conservative voters in the poll however think Boris should resign.

    Hopefully Allegra Stratton's resignation should begin to draw a line under the story

    See Guido Fawkes post I linked below, I don't think it will be anywhere near enough, so many people are implicated in multiple gatherings.
    Any other No 10 staff who attended this party or other parties during lockdown should be sacked or disciplined.

    However as long as Boris was not personally at this party he will stay
    They all work for Boris. He is responsible.
    He isn't if he was not there and did not organise it.

    Most Tory voters still want Boris to stay on this afternoon's polls, he will therefore stay despite the usual anti Boris hysteria on here (most of it from those who did not vote Tory in 2019 anyway(
    The expression 'last man standing comes to mind'

    And I have voted conservative every election since 1964, apart from 1997 and 2001, and again in 2019

    Can you not see the damage he has caused to the party with Paterson and now this
  • pingping Posts: 3,724
    IshmaelZ said:

    The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    That hasn't gone away. I thought sks would devote half his questions to it today. He was right not to do so but there's always next Wednesday. And the publication of the fac report.
    Half the country were fully behind rescuing the fucking cats and dogs.
  • HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
    Unbelievably on the last thread HYUFD thinks Allegra is more to blame than Boris. I mean how?
    She was the one laughing about this party not Boris who was not even in the room
    Sadly HYUFD is right on this one. She's the face who was laughing about this, she's the one who caused the ire, and she's now done a teary resignation. The scalp has come, even if it isn't the PMs.

    A lot of people I think will be happy to see her resign and will view a tear-filled resignation as the matter resolved, unlike what happened with Cummings. Had Cummings done a teary-eyed resignation then that would have played out very differently.

    And not to be sexist, but the fact its a woman crying on TV is a powerful image.
  • Leon said:

    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?

    Isn't it odd how in a country of over sixty million people those at the top across the media, politics, the civil service, law etc all seem to know each other, or are even related. Britain is basically an oligarchy. No wonder it's so dysfunctional.
  • So are we getting a press conference today or not?

    Looks unlikely

    Cabinet has yet to meet and who knows maybe they are saying time to go
  • Who was it who said "greater man than he who will lay down his friends for his Life"?

    The fine and upstanding Jeremy Thorpe.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739
    Allegra Stratton finds herself in the rather odd and unenviable position of resigning for joking about a party which the Prime Minister spent days insisting didn't happen
    https://twitter.com/adampayne26/status/1468611596176052225
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,587
    BBC 5 Live listeners are happy now Stratton has gone, blaming her for the party video and blaming Labour "bots" for creating all the No 10 party fuss in the first place. "Who cares about a party that happened a year ago?"

    Johnson still has significant support in the country and he still has the BBC watching his back, and can easily tough this out.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,575
    What do folks make of the idea of betting on Hamilton for SPOTY, while laying him as winner of last GP for the amount of that stake at 1.75 on Betfair ?

    Decent arb or not ?
  • So are we getting a press conference today or not?

    Looks unlikely

    Cabinet has yet to meet and who knows maybe they are saying time to go
    Ideally the PM has been told he's on thin ice and that people will not back new restrictions and he needs to get us through the winter without any new resignations or people will demand he resigns.

    Better that we get through the winter with him refusing new restrictions than he's replaced with someone "with the moral authority" to put us back into lockdown again.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,712

    On topic, the worst thing from this polling is this.

    Three in ten say they are less likely to follow Covid rules as a result (29%).

    This rises to a third of Labour voters (33%) and those aged 18-34 (33%) who say the same.

    Over half say they are just as likely to follow the rules (54%)


    Whatever Boris Johnson announces tonight will be ignored by large parts of the country making us less secure.

    He needs to go and be replaced by someone with the credibility and authority to launch you new Covid-19 measures.

    That sounds like a reason that he should stay.

    When it comes to restrictions then we need to take a drugs stance to them: Just Say No.
    Indeed, if you want further restrictions vote for Starmer and note most of those refusing to comply following this are young Labour voters, so that is more his problem
  • Leon said:

    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?

    If you're going to eliminate members of the ruling elite because they have connections to the Speccie then it can't be any member of the ruling elite.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718
    HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
    Unbelievably on the last thread HYUFD thinks Allegra is more to blame than Boris. I mean how?
    She was the one laughing about this party not Boris who was not even in the room
    At the time!

    And, FPT, a question I asked then: what is 'the succession of Antrim'?
  • Who was it who said "greater man than he who will lay down his friends for his Life"?

    The fine and upstanding Jeremy Thorpe.
    oh yes,
  • Leon said:

    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?

    Cummings may be piggybacking his existing grievance at the Nov 23 party - a party (if it existed) held on the day he left No 10, quite possibly *because* he left No 10 - onto this separate story about the December Christmas party, which someone else set running for reasons of their own.
  • IshmaelZ said:

    The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    That hasn't gone away. I thought sks would devote half his questions to it today. He was right not to do so but there's always next Wednesday. And the publication of the fac report.
    Boris may be gone by then !!!!!!
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited December 2021
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Feel rather sorry for Stratton. This will haunt her, as she tearfully says, for the rest of her life

    This gives the lie to any idea this is some kind of internal Spectator/ITV plot. She is married to James Forsyth, the Spec's political ed, he won't be happy seeing his wife in bits, nor will their kids be overjoyed at the sight of Mum weeping on telly

    Bollocks, she's crying because she got caught, no sympathy.
    No, she isn't. She has been painted as a heartless witch in front of an entire country, during a time of great death and suffering. The emotional impact on her must be severe, and it will be long lasting

    She had to resign, and it is good that she did. But she's still a human being. She made a foolish, throwaway remark about a party which - it seems - she never even attended. Who hasn't made a daft remark that would look terrible if filmed and put in a different context?

    One can condemn the actions but still forgive the person. And she has done the right thing. Resigned almost immediately
    She hasn't been painted like that, she is heartless.

    While we were all making sacrificing she was taking the piss.
  • Who was it who said "greater man than he who will lay down his friends for his Life"?

    Jeremy Thorpe, of Harold Macmillan, I think.

    Who Boris resembles more than either of them would like to admit.

    Maybe BoJo will find some medical excuse to step down.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Leon said:

    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?

    I don't think Allegra is long-term damaged by this anyway. The more you think about it the more you think: hang on, she wasn't at the party and she didn't raise the topic so what about Oldfield? Plus who knew this would become an issue? Surely someone with current access to the video records must be behind it?
  • Leon said:

    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?

    Collateral damage. This is the set-up before the next video revelation is leaked.
  • Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Feel rather sorry for Stratton. This will haunt her, as she tearfully says, for the rest of her life

    This gives the lie to any idea this is some kind of internal Spectator/ITV plot. She is married to James Forsyth, the Spec's political ed, he won't be happy seeing his wife in bits, nor will their kids be overjoyed at the sight of Mum weeping on telly

    Bollocks, she's crying because she got caught, no sympathy.
    No, she isn't. She has been painted as a heartless witch in front of an entire country, during a time of great death and suffering. The emotional impact on her must be severe, and it will be long lasting

    She had to resign, and it is good that she did. But she's still a human being. She made a foolish, throwaway remark about a party which - it seems - she never even attended. Who hasn't made a daft remark that would look terrible if filmed and put in a different context?

    One can condemn the actions but still forgive the person. And she has done the right thing. Resigned almost immediately
    All this leaking of videos etc, it is fascinating. I can't imagine anybody trusts one another within the higher echelons of the government.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458
    HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
    Unbelievably on the last thread HYUFD thinks Allegra is more to blame than Boris. I mean how?
    She was the one laughing about this party not Boris who was not even in the room
    She was laughing because it was an impossible question to answer and trying to think up responses all of which sounded absurd. She did nothing wrong other than her job of trying to defend Boris/Govt. This was preparation and they had to go through the scenarios. She laughed because it was indefensible and the possible answers crass.

    Whereas Boris has been denying a party took place which he knew was a lie or if he didn't he should have jolly well known. I mean how many clues has he been given over the last week.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,765
    ping said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    The irony is that the Pen Farthing story is far, far more serious, but has been displaced from the news by Partygate.

    That hasn't gone away. I thought sks would devote half his questions to it today. He was right not to do so but there's always next Wednesday. And the publication of the fac report.
    Half the country were fully behind rescuing the fucking cats and dogs.
    That's the alarming thing. There's probably a majority in favour of prioritising the evacuation of animals over Afghans.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739
    Obviously goes without saying that @AllegraCOP26 is just not the story here, probably didn’t even go to the party that didn’t happen, and was merely the person whose job it was to be on the (rehearsal) camera. The moral of the story - just never ever, ever go near Boris Johnson.
    https://twitter.com/tompeck/status/1468617974399619072
  • StockyStocky Posts: 9,653
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Feel rather sorry for Stratton. This will haunt her, as she tearfully says, for the rest of her life

    This gives the lie to any idea this is some kind of internal Spectator/ITV plot. She is married to James Forsyth, the Spec's political ed, he won't be happy seeing his wife in bits, nor will their kids be overjoyed at the sight of Mum weeping on telly

    Bollocks, she's crying because she got caught, no sympathy.
    No, she isn't. She has been painted as a heartless witch in front of an entire country, during a time of great death and suffering. The emotional impact on her must be severe, and it will be long lasting

    She had to resign, and it is good that she did. But she's still a human being. She made a foolish, throwaway remark about a party which - it seems - she never even attended. Who hasn't made a daft remark that would look terrible if filmed and put in a different context?

    One can condemn the actions but still forgive the person. And she has done the right thing. Resigned almost immediately
    I agree. From the 30 second clip I saw (if that is all there is to see) she seemed to me to be embarrassed about something she didn't know and realised it was dangerous territory. It was a car crash moment for sure. I feel sorry for her too, and even more sorry for the staff that Johnson seems willing to throw under the bus.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,261

    Leon said:

    hmm

    The Allegra Stratton mess also makes me question my prior assumption this is a Cummings hit job. Cummings is married to Mary Wakefield, another Spectator editor (and, no doubt, a friend of Stratton)

    Is Dominic that envenomed he would take down his friends as well as his enemies?

    Isn't it odd how in a country of over sixty million people those at the top across the media, politics, the civil service, law etc all seem to know each other, or are even related. Britain is basically an oligarchy. No wonder it's so dysfunctional.
    Not quite true. There are three or four competing oligarchies

    There's a left wing one: the Guardian, the BBC, the Shadow Cabinet, north London types

    There's a posho Remainer west London Tory elite: Cameron, Osborne, etc

    This crosses over with a third cabal: the Spectator Telegraph Brexiteer faction, who are in charge at the moment (but maybe not for much longer)

    And so on
  • BBC 5 Live listeners are happy now Stratton has gone, blaming her for the party video and blaming Labour "bots" for creating all the No 10 party fuss in the first place. "Who cares about a party that happened a year ago?"

    Johnson still has significant support in the country and he still has the BBC watching his back, and can easily tough this out.

    I've never thought Boris was in the slightest danger. He's survived far worse.
  • HYUFD said:

    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Stratton - even last year - understood that there was no defence. Nor, if we're to take her at her word then (and it was in private and wasn't contradicted then, so it's probably reasonable to do so), was she at the party.

    If she should go for having said something embarrassing, where does that leave those who actually did the thing that it was embarrassing to admit to? Or their boss, who must have known about it.

    I agree. I said similar on the last thread. She was just preparing for questions and laughing at how to answer an impossible question. Not sure she has done anything wrong.
    Unbelievably on the last thread HYUFD thinks Allegra is more to blame than Boris. I mean how?
    She was the one laughing about this party not Boris who was not even in the room
    Sadly HYUFD is right on this one. She's the face who was laughing about this, she's the one who caused the ire, and she's now done a teary resignation. The scalp has come, even if it isn't the PMs.

    A lot of people I think will be happy to see her resign and will view a tear-filled resignation as the matter resolved, unlike what happened with Cummings. Had Cummings done a teary-eyed resignation then that would have played out very differently.

    And not to be sexist, but the fact its a woman crying on TV is a powerful image.
    Unfairly or not (and I don't think it is unfair), it also plugs into the idea that Bozza is a serial shagger who dumps women when he gets bored.
This discussion has been closed.