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The 10 Stages of a Crisis – politicalbetting.com

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  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 51,137

    One of the interesting thing about the fixed-term limits to the mayoralty (London, in this case), is that it shows how little power a mayor has to change things in their period in power.

    Take the Olympics. Delivered under Johnson, but got under Livingstone. Who takes most of the credit for its success? Johnson, obviously, but much of the groundwork (literally) was under his predecessor.

    Eight years, and particularly four years, is little time to change things for the better as most impactful projects take much longer to come to fruition. All a mayor can do is influence the direction of policy travel.
    True, but at least the projects Livingstone started, such as the bikes and the olympics, came to be seen as successes. With Johnson there was the (non) island airport, the (non) garden bridge, the cable car to nowhere (number of regular users = zero), the Olympic stadium scandal, the expensive bus, the income-generating helter-skelter that costs Londoners £10,000 a week, the Olympic village sold for half what it cost to build, the (non) new Crystal Palace, etc.

    Even the bike scheme, which Johnson promised would be self funding with private investment, has ended up costing £millions in annual subsidy.

    I have seen it estimated that the total waste and overspending on Johnson’s follies across his mayoralty adds up to not far short of a wasted £billion. He did however break a fair few records - the most expensive cable car in the world, the most expensive bus (or mobile sauna, in summer) in the world, etc.
  • Pulpstar said:

    Are you actually serious ??
    Yes
  • Leon said:

    Oh I entirely admit that. The sobriety of Millennials and Gen Z is a constant disappointment, likewise their lower IQs, their inability to have sex, inability to breed, inability to defend Free Speech, their inability to make good music, and so on, ad nauseam

    They are utterly useless. Cowardly and drug-free. They probably all WANT to live in Xi’s China

    You need to sober up, dude :lol:
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,963
    kle4 said:

    You surely don't muster so many troops without some goal in mind, but if it is a threat what does he think can be achieved without blood being shed, and if it were a distraction what could possibly slip by that would be worth such a furore?
    This is the confusing thing. Something doesn't add up. It feels like either a tactical blunder, or some kind of genius masterstroke of which we are not yet aware.

    I do tend to think the troop build up is in order to get leverage over the Western powers and try to extract concessions. Otherwise there are other, easier things he could surely have done. No.1 being a palace coup in Kiev supported by some deniable little green men, like the kind of thing the Americans used to get up to in Central America. But perhaps the judgment was there's just not enough popular pro-Russian support in Ukraine anymore to make this sustainable.
  • Boris is a wanker, these parties prove it.

    I did tell you all that worse to come but the birthday party isn't even in the top 5 worst ones.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022
    Are we really now on to “PM’s wife got him a birthday cake” as some sort of scandal?

    Spending 10 minutes slicing a cake for the staff and contractors who were in the office, really doesn’t tally with most people’s idea of a party. If this is all Dom has, from his meticulous record-keeping…
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Foxy said:

    Anyone think there was no wedding reception?
    I thought there was? We saw photos of Petacci as poundshop Galadriel, surely?
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    It’s got it all:

    ✅ Wallpaper woman
    ✅ Martin Reynolds
    ✅ Party gathering against rules
    ✅ Singing happy birthday

    It could only more perfectly sum up the last two years if Dominic Cummings burst out of the cake dressed as Marilyn Monroe, and Matt Hancock tried to chat him up.

    https://twitter.com/MattChorley/status/1485681393682235396
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    Thought there might have been a reason why ITV were keen on asking the PM this morning in the pool interview if he could guarantee that no more embarrassing allegations would come out before the Gray inquiry reported 😏

    For those wondering...

    Rep - Can you guarantee no more allegations about breaches before that report is published?

    PM - What I can guarantee is that this government is focussed 100% on dealing with the big problems that we have (goes onto talk about NHS etc).


    https://twitter.com/robpowellnews/status/1485681309204815872
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 51,137
    kle4 said:

    Why the heck would he not have come clean with that if that is true? It was bound to come up.
    You’re not trying hard enough to get into the Johnson mindset.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,746
    edited January 2022
    Actually here's another question

    https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677114200403975

    As for family friends going up to the PM's flat, No 10 deny this:

    "This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the Prime Minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening.”

    We have approached Lulu Lytle for comment.

    WTF was Lulu Lytle doing working in the No 10 / No 11 flat during June 2020 - work from home was still a requirement and redirecting isn't the sort of life and death repair works that were allowed to be done.
  • Sandpit said:

    Are we really now on to “PM’s wife got him a birthday cake” as some sort of scandal?

    Spending 10 minutes slicing a cake for the staff and contractors who were in the office, really doesn’t tally with most people’s idea of a party. If this is all Dom has, from his meticulous record-keeping…

    I know you live in Dubai but during that time people in this country were getting fined for having similar birthday parties.

    Why do you think the government was messaging this?

    The week before the party, the PM told us all: "meeting inside other people's homes - that remains against the law".

    The Queen had rearranged her birthday, as had millions more. For some, it would be their last.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 51,137
    edited January 2022
    Sandpit said:

    Are we really now on to “PM’s wife got him a birthday cake” as some sort of scandal?

    Spending 10 minutes slicing a cake for the staff and contractors who were in the office, really doesn’t tally with most people’s idea of a party. If this is all Dom has, from his meticulous record-keeping…

    I am wondering how Johnson gets the payments to you, out in Dubai? Surely there’s a trail that one day will come to light.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022

    I know you live in Dubai but during that time people in this country were getting fined for having similar birthday parties.

    Why do you think the government was messaging this?

    The week before the party, the PM told us all: "meeting inside other people's homes - that remains against the law".

    The Queen had rearranged her birthday, as had millions more. For some, it would be their last.
    This was a cake in the office, for people who were all working there anyway, not a party where invitations were sent to outsiders, no?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    "The official Ukrainian position is that the usage of "'the Ukraine' is incorrect both grammatically and politically.""

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine#Etymology_and_orthography
    Yes, but the good wurst-munchers of Munich delusionally believe they live in "Munchen" LOL. No point pandering to these people.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,746

    I know you live in Dubai but during that time people in this country were getting fined for having similar birthday parties.

    Why do you think the government was messaging this?

    The week before the party, the PM told us all: "meeting inside other people's homes - that remains against the law".

    The Queen had rearranged her birthday, as had millions more. For some, it would be their last.
    Also it doesn't count as a works do because 2 different sets of workers were in room at the same time (No 10 staff and the decorators of the No 10 flat).
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    Scott_xP said:

    No 10 admits birthday party on June 19, 2020.

    “A group of staff working in No 10 that day gathered briefly in the Cabinet Room after a meeting to wish PM a happy birthday. He was there for less than 10 minutes.”

    Yet interior designer Lulu Lytle - not No 10 staff - was invited.

    https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1485678846007463945

    How many tens of millions will have had birthdays with no parties - and many will have been alone.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,963

    "The official Ukrainian position is that the usage of "'the Ukraine' is incorrect both grammatically and politically.""

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine#Etymology_and_orthography

    It's an odd one. Why do we put the in front of a handful of countries and not others? Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon. Congo I can kind of understand, because it's a river basin. And obviously others do actually officially start with a the, like the UK, the US etc. But why that handful?
  • Yes
    To the extent that at least some Conservative MPs are working really hard to avoid confronting the issue, War (albeit with Russia, not France or Spain) gives them an excuse for a bit more procrastination.

    it shouldn't- see Gulf War I in 1990, but any port in a storm.

    But then what? He's still being caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar on lockdown parties. He still has a crazed ferret determined to kill him. Even on this R+W poll, his ratings are grim, before everyone realises that the government has made him poorer.

    The Ukraine crisis buys him time, but what can he do with it?
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152

    How many tens of millions will have had birthdays with no parties - and many will have been alone.

    From the fukwit in chief himself...

    Josephine sets a great example to us all by postponing her birthday party until we have sent coronavirus packing.

    Together we can beat this. In the meantime let's all wish her happy birthday (twice) whilst washing our hands. #BeLikeJosephine #StayHomeSaveLives
    https://twitter.com/LocksHeathCC/status/1241103836292530176 https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1241348429546217475/photo/1
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 51,292
    eek said:

    Actually here's another question

    https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485677114200403975

    As for family friends going up to the PM's flat, No 10 deny this:

    "This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the Prime Minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening.”

    We have approached Lulu Lytle for comment.

    WTF was Lulu Lytle doing working in the No 10 / No 11 flat during June 2020 - work from home was still a requirement and redirecting isn't the sort of life and death repair works that were allowed to be done.

    To be fair, decorating does require a few site visits.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,085
    edited January 2022
    Leon said:

    Oh I entirely admit that. The sobriety of Millennials and Gen Z is a constant disappointment, likewise their lower IQs, their inability to have sex, inability to breed, inability to defend Free Speech, their inability to make good music, and so on, ad nauseam

    They are utterly useless. Cowardly and drug-free. They probably all WANT to live in Xi’s China

    Here's a tale of a sad old man who flies to the other side of the world in a beautiful destination and then hangs around half the day on a UK based political betting forum, winding people up, railing at anyone who isn't, like him, a baby boomer drug taker who boasts of multiple sexual encounters including teenage Thai prostitutes, not to mention inappropriate remarks about Emma Raducanu.

    What a saddo.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,874
    kle4 said:

    Hey now, I defend free speech.

    No other notes from me.
    Good for you!

    Just a shame your penises are LITERALLY TINY NOW


    https://news.sky.com/story/human-penises-are-shrinking-because-of-pollution-warns-scientist-12255106
  • Boris is a wanker, these parties prove it.

    I did tell you all that worse to come but the birthday party isn't even in the top 5 worst ones.

    The fact it was the cabinet room does indicate it was work related but the problem with these stories is that everyone believes parties were held and they become less effective in adding to the story

    Sue Gray's report is the key and without something that is unequivocally negative I expect Boris to carry on for now
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 51,137
    edited January 2022
    Leon said:

    Oh I entirely admit that. The sobriety of Millennials and Gen Z is a constant disappointment, likewise their lower IQs, their inability to have sex, inability to breed, inability to defend Free Speech, their inability to make good music, and so on, ad nauseam

    They are utterly useless. Cowardly and drug-free. They probably all WANT to live in Xi’s China

    Ageing lecher wishes the young would get drunk or stoned more often? Not a good look, pal.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,601
    TimS said:

    It's an odd one. Why do we put the in front of a handful of countries and not others? Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon. Congo I can kind of understand, because it's a river basin. And obviously others do actually officially start with a the, like the UK, the US etc. But why that handful?
    Wasn't aware of it for Yemen or Lebanom. Changing convention perhaps.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,746
    Sandpit said:

    This was a cake in the office, for people who were all working there anyway, not a party where invitations were sent to outsiders, no?
    Cake for two different groups of people who shouldn't have mixed together.
  • MISTYMISTY Posts: 1,594
    Parties are important, but of equal concern for some should be the resignation of the Lords Treasury Minister Lord Agnew over the billions in furlough fraud.

    A blow to Sunak's leadership ambitions?
  • eekeek Posts: 29,746

    Boris is a wanker, these parties prove it.

    I did tell you all that worse to come but the birthday party isn't even in the top 5 worst ones.

    How many of your top 5 are general (public) knowledge?
  • To the extent that at least some Conservative MPs are working really hard to avoid confronting the issue, War (albeit with Russia, not France or Spain) gives them an excuse for a bit more procrastination.

    it shouldn't- see Gulf War I in 1990, but any port in a storm.

    But then what? He's still being caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar on lockdown parties. He still has a crazed ferret determined to kill him. Even on this R+W poll, his ratings are grim, before everyone realises that the government has made him poorer.

    The Ukraine crisis buys him time, but what can he do with it?
    The bastard is looking for (potentially) thousands of Russian and Ukrainian casualties to save his ;political skin.

    Like I said, bastard!
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,344
    edited January 2022
    .
    Foxy said:

    Anyone think there was no wedding reception?
    A work-wedding breakfast?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,874
    IanB2 said:

    Ageing lecher wishes the young would get drunk more often? Not a good look, pal.
    I have a ready supply of REDACTEDhypnol
  • Look at the rules, it was against the rules.

    Otherwise the rest of the country could have set up their own limited companies, hire their mates, and use 'work' events to hold parties, that too would have been against the law.

    To use another principle, they had to be wholly, exclusively, and necessarily for work reasons.

    My youngest's birthday falls in the middle of June, so I was fairly aware of what was permissible in June 2020 for birthday parties.

    He wanted his mates round, he couldn't.
    You were premature in your... rejoining.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022
    MISTY said:

    Parties are important, but of equal concern for some should be the resignation of the Lords Treasury Minister Lord Agnew over the billions in furlough fraud.

    A blow to Sunak's leadership ambitions?

    Now there’s an actual story, that journalists could be spending their time usefully working through. But no, the PM got a birthday cake from his wife.
  • eek said:

    How many of your top 5 are general (public) knowledge?
    The party the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,746
    edited January 2022
    Foxy said:

    To be fair, decorating does require a few site visits.
    At the time our decorator was working at Morrisons as decorating wasn't allowed...

    I suspect he would have preferred to be decorating as it earnt about £50 more a day than he was getting at the time.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,808

    BEIS is Kwasi iirc. Where does he stand on the succession? Agnew's line that stands out is "no single dashboard" which sounds very Cummingsesque.
    And previously Sharma.
    But this was a Treasury scheme.
    Leon said:

    And YES, you’re right. It’s Ayatollah Khomeini!


    Little known fact: he was a connoisseur of Rhône blends, vintage Malmsey and new Balkan whites, was an early enthusiast for English fizz, and kept an exceptional cellar in Qom

    Qom Perignon ?
  • RandallFlaggRandallFlagg Posts: 1,381
    GIN1138 said:

    24K. Queen Nadine is going nowhere! :D
    Perhaps Martin Bell will come out of retirement to challenge her... worked with getting rid of Neil Hamilton.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,022

    Look at the rules, it was against the rules.

    Otherwise the rest of the country could have set up their own limited companies, hire their mates, and use 'work' events to hold parties, that too would have been against the law.

    To use another principle, they had to be wholly, exclusively, and necessarily for work reasons.

    My youngest's birthday falls in the middle of June, so I was fairly aware of what was permissible in June 2020 for birthday parties.

    He wanted his mates round, he couldn't.
    Was it not also against the rules to go to the office in the first place? With limited exceptions, like, oh I dunno, working at the heart of government in Downing St?
  • So Boris Johnson is going to have to apologise to the Queen again.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,874
    Heathener said:

    Here's a tale of a sad old man who flies to the other side of the world in a beautiful destination and then hangs around half the day on a UK based political betting forum, winding people up, railing at anyone who isn't, like him, a baby boomer drug taker who boasts of multiple sexual encounters including teenage Thai prostitutes, not to mention inappropriate remarks about Emma Raducanu.

    What a saddo.
    Hmm. Fair comment. Hard to argue

    OTOH you are much younger, and you ALSO spend half your time on a political betting website. Difficult to know which is more tragic. Possibly you?
  • eekeek Posts: 29,746
    MISTY said:

    Parties are important, but of equal concern for some should be the resignation of the Lords Treasury Minister Lord Agnew over the billions in furlough fraud.

    A blow to Sunak's leadership ambitions?

    Nope this is a data collection issue which would seem to be in Lord Agnew's remit. His complaint seems to be down to lack of reporting which has to be an easy job to fix if you are a minister with a remit that covers that area

  • The Six Day War? There was a context to it, but the actual shooting was clearly started by Israel. And they won.
    And arguably they won because they started it.
  • So Boris Johnson is going to have to apologise to the Queen again.

    Should just do a generic apology video and then get his assistant to email it round as and when necessary.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 51,292
    MISTY said:

    Parties are important, but of equal concern for some should be the resignation of the Lords Treasury Minister Lord Agnew over the billions in furlough fraud.

    A blow to Sunak's leadership ambitions?

    Yes, and a lot of business bounceback loans too. It was ridiculously easy to get mine.

    I can pay mine off shortly though.
  • Boris is a wanker, these parties prove it.

    I did tell you all that worse to come but the birthday party isn't even in the top 5 worst ones.

    Here's a question.

    Suppose BoJo resigned tonight. He won't, but suppose.

    Would you-know-who keep on leaking... just for the LOLs?
  • To the extent that at least some Conservative MPs are working really hard to avoid confronting the issue, War (albeit with Russia, not France or Spain) gives them an excuse for a bit more procrastination.

    it shouldn't- see Gulf War I in 1990, but any port in a storm.

    But then what? He's still being caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar on lockdown parties. He still has a crazed ferret determined to kill him. Even on this R+W poll, his ratings are grim, before everyone realises that the government has made him poorer.

    The Ukraine crisis buys him time, but what can he do with it?
    Time will tell

    Sky reporting that the cabinet room event was in fact at the end of day and as it was a surprise Boris was unaware of it

    No 10 also rejecting the party in the flat that night saying a few family friends within the regulations met outside in the garden

    Not Cummings best attempt by the looks of it
  • Foxy said:

    To be fair, decorating does require a few site visits.
    And the singing "Happy Birthday" might have been a reminder of how long to wash your hands for.

    The man's a national treasure, really.
  • ApplicantApplicant Posts: 3,379

    Did it? I never noticed a booze problem on the tube (Christmas excepted, perhaps) but perhaps it depended which line you took.
    I used to finish work at 10pm. People drinking was a pretty bad problem.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,874
    edited January 2022
    Scott_xP said:
    AND she let them eat cake


    The headlines write themselves

    (Edit: I am available for £3 an hour as the joke has already been made)
  • MISTYMISTY Posts: 1,594
    Foxy said:

    Yes, and a lot of business bounceback loans too. It was ridiculously easy to get mine.

    I can pay mine off shortly though.
    The puzzling thing to me is there seem to be forces moving against Johnson in the 1922, but as far as I can see they don't have a candidate.

    Sunak, Truss & Co are getting caught in the net, too.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    That is a good header. But, in my experience, most parts of the government exist in a perpetual state of crisis. However, most things blow over or are buried successfully. If you lurch in to every crisis with a view to unearthing truth and justice very little will get done, and you prompt overreactions with perverse consequences. That is what we see a lot of time now with policies on crime and justice - lots of new rules and laws hastily bought in, in response to bad things that have happened, whereas such issues were previously absorbed in to the vagaries of the administrative state. The problem with BoJo and the tories is that there is no solution to their crisis: you can 'get him out' to a brief round of applause, but then exactly what? Who can reconstruct and sustain the electoral coalition that BoJo assembled in 2019? It is a perfectly viable course of action to just let him try and ride out the problems he has created, in the hope that his particular style will get him through it.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    The best part of the Boris/Tories parties story in the UK is that everytime a new one is revealed you have to ask yourself ‘So the last time they went on air to defend themselves over the last party they knew there was another hidden one that could come out anytime’ 🤦🏽‍♂️
    https://twitter.com/mehdirhasan/status/1485684808030298114
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    One of the things that Tory MPs will be considering tonight. The strong speculation last week was that the most damaging revelations, (in particular photos), have not yet been released, but are actually being held back for after the publication of the Sue Gray report.
    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1485685321698267140
  • I do hope you are right.

    Just an hour ago, fanbois and former fanbois were singing Johnson's Churchillian praises in three part harmony.

    I don't care who replaces him anymore. Just get rid of this dangerous clown.
    It's tragic but predictable.
  • Eabhal said:

    Scotland...
    There hasn't been social distancing in my GCC run gym since well before Christmas, though wiping down of equipment is strongly advised.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    Keir Starmer responds:

    “This is yet more evidence that we have got a Prime Minister who believes that the rules that he made don’t apply to him.

    "And so we have got a Prime Minister and a government who spend their whole time mopping up sleaze and deceit.” https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485685935043973126/photo/1
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 7,085
    Really interesting piece on the 1922 plotting to bring down Johnson in the Telegraph just out. Unfortunately it's behind their subscriber wall but if you read it, it's well worth it.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/24/1922-coup-members-tory-partys-influential-group-mobilising-against/

    Fascinating stuff.
  • Sandpit said:

    Was it not also against the rules to go to the office in the first place? With limited exceptions, like, oh I dunno, working at the heart of government in Downing St?
    Doctors who were working the front line against the pandemic couldn't do what Downing Street did in June 2020 (and May 2020, and December 2020, et al)
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    The finale of a TV series often sees the separate strands of the story brought together for the denouement. And now we have Downing Street parties, Lulu Lytle and cakeism all in the same scene.
    https://twitter.com/DavidGauke/status/1485685881776357383
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    Take a step back & one under-discussed thing is that the people imposing lockdown weren’t experiencing it like the rest of us.

    Going into work w/ regular wine-fuelled gatherings in the garden with colleagues/friends is better for mental health than living alone & Zooming gran


    https://twitter.com/MattChorley/status/1481358243574263812
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 65,031
    edited January 2022

    I do hope you are right.

    Just an hour ago, fanbois and former fanbois were singing Johnson's Churchillian praises in three part harmony.

    I don't care who replaces him anymore. Just get rid of this dangerous clown.
    I outlined a scenario that could see Boris survive and you interpret that as singing his praise

    You are wrong to do so as it is part of a political dialogue not an expression of support for Boris

    Indeed as a betting site I assume expressing an opinion on a possible outcome may be of assistance
  • The party the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
    Is there anything that tops that in your eyes or is that Number One?

    Hard to imagine anything as viscerally shocking as that. Short of a video of Boris doing Jagerbombs from a hookers belly button.
  • ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,331
    Scott_xP said:

    "I didn't know it was my birthday..."
    Another civil service failure. Why didn’t they tell him? Heads must roll.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,808
    MISTY said:

    The puzzling thing to me is there seem to be forces moving against Johnson in the 1922, but as far as I can see they don't have a candidate.

    Sunak, Truss & Co are getting caught in the net, too.
    Well, there’s always Hunt….
    (…checks book.)
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,874

    It's tragic but predictable.
    And yet in the polls the Tories have narrowed the lead by a pretty dramatic five points or so?

    Right now, as in midnight Colombo time, it is conceivable to imagine Boris surviving. This new party won’t change much. We already know of 387 other parties. Eventually the accusations will wither in effect. The new ones you hint at need to be absolutely spectacular and involve Boris yodelling naked in a Swastika-embossed Fez surrounded by 200 interns in iingerie: with all of that on video

    And I say that as someone who thinks he should go, as that makes a defeat of Labour/SNP more likely in 2024

    MPs are pusillanimous by nature. Their careers depend on choosing the right leader. Boris, for all his monumental and now cruelly- exposed flaws, is a proven winner….. it will make many pause
  • The party the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.
    I absolutely agree and probably the one/ two that really cut through
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,152
    What's also interesting is how we've now reached the point where No.10 have stopped even trying to claim these events were within the rules. "He was there for less than 10 minutes". But the British people weren't told, "meet for 10 minutes on your Birthday, but that's it".
    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1485687206886916099
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,344

    Time will tell

    Sky reporting that the cabinet room event was in fact at the end of day and as it was a surprise Boris was unaware of it

    No 10 also rejecting the party in the flat that night saying a few family friends within the regulations met outside in the garden

    Not Cummings best attempt by the looks of it
    Oh for goodness sake BigG. the Queen had to bury her husband alone. Yet Johnson could celebrate his birthday with impunity.

    You were one of the posters who wanted Steve Kinnock's nuts when he placed a birthday cake at Neil's door and withdrew 10 metres. But Boris can enjoy a surprise party organised by his GF for ten minutes (yeah, right).

    His response should have been " ffs get out of here now. I know it's my birthday, but for the love of God, get the hell out of here...ALL of you! Carrie wtf were you thinking?"
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,808
    Scott_xP said:

    Keir Starmer responds:

    “This is yet more evidence that we have got a Prime Minister who believes that the rules that he made don’t apply to him.

    "And so we have got a Prime Minister and a government who spend their whole time mopping up sleaze and deceit.” https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1485685935043973126/photo/1

    And the spilled booze.
  • It's tragic but predictable.
    But why? Is it the schoolboy gang scenario where some fairly unlikable oaf gets minions and goons to do his will by raw charisma? The general public (who haven't been in the room with him) have fallen away, so what's holding the guard in place?

    It does feel like some are waiting for that scene at the end of Lord of the Flies where a grownup arrives and makes it better- but real life isn't like that.
  • Is there anything that tops that in your eyes or is that Number One?

    Hard to imagine anything as viscerally shocking as that. Short of a video of Boris doing Jagerbombs from a hookers belly button.
    One of them yes.

    Imagine some people holding illegal parties then being too hungover/took ages to clean up the office the next morning to delay an important Covid-19 meeting.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,685
    edited January 2022
    Hmmm.

    According to Octopus, I used £857.46 of electricity and £177.36 of gas between 1 Oct and 28 Dec, and I now owe them £734.93 of debt.

    Time for some investigation. That's more than my entire bill last year, and prices have not quadrupled.

    The electricity estimate for the 3 months is double last year's entire use.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 14,078

    The fact it was the cabinet room does indicate it was work related but the problem with these stories is that everyone believes parties were held and they become less effective in adding to the story

    Sue Gray's report is the key and without something that is unequivocally negative I expect Boris to carry on for now
    You are absolutely right BIG G - Partygate has run it’s course, adding to the story can not only not harm Boris anymore, but partygate fatigue is now creeping in after the initial angry stage, hence the polls closing up again.

    Eagles should know this. 😕. Maybe he is thinking about the money he won’t get back for rejoining the party in lost cause, but he is another still fighting a war that is over.

    More seriously now, in Boris transformation from loved to feared, is what happens to the failed rebels - Sunak in particular. If you could guess what they will do to Sunak - hollow him out by pointing out the bad job he has done with tax payers money, then in the relaunch reshuffle offering him foreign Office in straight swap with the well performing Liz, it’s down to Rishi if he accepts that offer or leaves government - if we are second guessing that is what they will do having seen the coup off, then it looks today like they have already started it?

    Poor Pork Pie plotters!

    And Cummings. They have obviously put the MI5 creeps on him, I can see them jailing him! 😦
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,344
    Leon said:

    AND she let them eat cake


    The headlines write themselves

    (Edit: I am available for £3 an hour as the joke has already been made)
    I wonder if Carrie arranged for a Russian violinist to burst free from the cake to serenade the birthday boy?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 65,031
    edited January 2022

    Oh for goodness sake BigG. the Queen had to bury her husband alone. Yet Johnson could celebrate his birthday with impunity.

    You were one of the posters who wanted Steve Kinnock's nuts when he placed a birthday cake at Neil's door and withdrew 10 metres. But Boris can enjoy a surprise party organised by his GF for ten minutes (yeah, right).

    His response should have been " ffs get out of here now. I know it's my birthday, but for the love of God, get the hell out of here...ALL of you! Carrie wtf were you thinking?"
    I have no idea about Kinnock and if the rules about family gathering outside were followed then many others would have done the same

    To be fair I do not know the rules on family gatherings at the time but I am fairly certain my family could come into our garden
  • eekeek Posts: 29,746
    Rowena
    @JustRowena
    When a seasoned criminal is caught, they know after a certain point additional offences don't add to the sentence and ask for them all to be taken into consideration. Cos it's worse if they come out later in a separate trial.

    No idea why that popped into my head.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,874

    I have no idea about Kinnock and if the rules about family gathering outside were followed then many others would have done the same

    To be fair I do not know the rules on family gatherings at the time but I am fairly certain my family could come into our garden
    The problem was that Kinnock Jr allegedly travelled many miles to do this, IIRC

    Looking back, pretty bloody trivial

  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,963
    eek said:

    Rowena
    @JustRowena
    When a seasoned criminal is caught, they know after a certain point additional offences don't add to the sentence and ask for them all to be taken into consideration. Cos it's worse if they come out later in a separate trial.

    No idea why that popped into my head.

    One effect of this revelation, even though less explosive than some of the previous ones, might be to harden Sue Grey's resolve. If she has been asking whether anything else happened that broke the rules and has been assured not, then this lands, I expect she would feel pretty pissed off.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,737
    Scott_xP said:

    Was the wallpaper lady there because BoZo said he wanted a stripper?

    You win PB.com today.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,874
    We need a Truth and Reconciliation Committee for Lockdown Breakers

    Let’s face it, everyone sinned in some way. I recall sitting on a bench when it was not allowed. And also travelling many miles to see a friend. And driving across the bloody country by the end of lockdown 1 when it all went mad

    In Lockdown 3 I was too fossilised by depression to break any rules, but I like to think I would have broken a few if I’d had the mental energy
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,950
    eek said:


    Paul Brand
    @PaulBrandITV
    ·
    2m
    EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson had a birthday party during lockdown in June 2020 despite rules forbidding social gatherings indoors, ITV News has learnt.

    Up to 30 staff celebrated in the cabinet room where Carrie Johnson surprised him with a cake, we're told.

    A cake on his birthday?
    That's a generously wide definition of "surprise".
  • Leon said:

    We need a Truth and Reconciliation Committee for Lockdown Breakers

    Let’s face it, everyone sinned in some way. I recall sitting on a bench when it was not allowed. And also travelling many miles to see a friend. And driving across the bloody country by the end of lockdown 1 when it all went mad

    In Lockdown 3 I was too fossilised by depression to break any rules, but I like to think I would have broken a few if I’d had the mental energy

    But you didn't write the rules, nor were you in charge of the people prosecuting people who did break the rules.

    That's why this annoys so many.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,867
    I wonder why Boris just didn't lay it all out there after the first leak? He must have known Cummings wouldn't stop until he'd destroyed him so he should have just admitted everything right out the outset and apologized for all the parties in one go.
  • TimS said:

    One effect of this revelation, even though less explosive than some of the previous ones, might be to harden Sue Grey's resolve. If she has been asking whether anything else happened that broke the rules and has been assured not, then this lands, I expect she would feel pretty pissed off.
    The government have played a blinder over Sue Gray. The general assumption seems to be that she is an independent investigator with great conscience, investigative experience, powers to get answers and a brief that includes assigning blame.

    I'm a natural cynic but not sure any of that is true at all, let alone all of it.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,402
    Amid the continuing gloom here today, there is a rumour that the US is prepared to increase the number of troops on the ground in NATO states by over 50,000 (10x more than the previously discussed number), and that green berets will not be withdrawn from Ukraine. The announcement of withdrawal of embassy staff from Kyiv is being made to show that US/UK is taking the prospect of war seriously and that they will not back down. I dont know, but the serious falls across the board in the Russian markets today is going to add to pressure on Moscow, If the Moscovites do come across the Ukrainian border, I am beginning to wonder whether they may face something they do not expect. I guess its a function of the fear that we all feel here, but we can only pray that the wind is changing.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,651
    Nus Ghani's latest statement - https://twitter.com/jewishlabour/status/1485674257724096512?s=21.

    Note what she mentions in the last paragraph.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 14,078
    Farooq said:

    What happens if Starmer goes in hard next PMQs on Covid loans fraud? Forces Boris to back his chancellor (and so stain himself with yet another scandle) or no back his chancellor (political dynamite).
    If this resignation is really part of a Number 10 plot to discredit Sunak, there's a significant risk of blowback. I wonder how they think they can play this.

    As you know I think Boris survives. Comfortably. Survives or is done for - in both instances he takes Sunak down if he can. Do you see what I mean?
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,107
    Heathener said:

    Here's a tale of a sad old man who flies to the other side of the world in a beautiful destination and then hangs around half the day on a UK based political betting forum, winding people up, railing at anyone who isn't, like him, a baby boomer drug taker who boasts of multiple sexual encounters including teenage Thai prostitutes, not to mention inappropriate remarks about Emma Raducanu.

    What a saddo.
    Spoken like a true sad git.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,963
    Farooq said:

    What happens if Starmer goes in hard next PMQs on Covid loans fraud? Forces Boris to back his chancellor (and so stain himself with yet another scandle) or no back his chancellor (political dynamite).
    If this resignation is really part of a Number 10 plot to discredit Sunak, there's a significant risk of blowback. I wonder how they think they can play this.

    Please do it Sir Keir. Please do. Unless the questions need to be about the just launched invasion of Ukraine of course.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 31,344

    I outlined a scenario that could see Boris survive and you interpret that as singing his praise

    You are wrong to do so as it is part of a political dialogue not an expression of support for Boris

    Indeed as a betting site I assume expressing an opinion on a possible outcome may be of assistance
    Sadly G. it is quite a likely outcome. I misinterpreted your posts as over- enthusiasm for the dangerous fool.

    I don't care who replaces him. Anyone would be an improvement. He has to go before he makes some extremely dangerous foreign policy gaffe over Ukraine. Don't forget Foreign Policy is not Johnson's specialist subject as Mrs Ratcliffe and Rudyard Kipling could testify, were one not incarcerated and the other deceased.
  • GIN1138 said:

    I wonder why Boris just didn't lay it all out there after the first leak? He must have known Cummings wouldn't stop until he'd destroyed him so he should have just admitted everything right out the outset and apologized for all the parties in one go.

    He knows if he told the entire truth he would have to resign as PM.
  • Leon said:

    We need a Truth and Reconciliation Committee for Lockdown Breakers

    Let’s face it, everyone sinned in some way. I recall sitting on a bench when it was not allowed. And also travelling many miles to see a friend. And driving across the bloody country by the end of lockdown 1 when it all went mad

    In Lockdown 3 I was too fossilised by depression to break any rules, but I like to think I would have broken a few if I’d had the mental energy

    I bought a lot of bog roll. And some of my walks were more than the 1 hour Govey thought was reasonable.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    You are absolutely right BIG G - Partygate has run it’s course, adding to the story can not only not harm Boris anymore, but partygate fatigue is now creeping in after the initial angry stage, hence the polls closing up again.

    Eagles should know this. 😕. Maybe he is thinking about the money he won’t get back for rejoining the party in lost cause, but he is another still fighting a war that is over.

    More seriously now, in Boris transformation from loved to feared, is what happens to the failed rebels - Sunak in particular. If you could guess what they will do to Sunak - hollow him out by pointing out the bad job he has done with tax payers money, then in the relaunch reshuffle offering him foreign Office in straight swap with the well performing Liz, it’s down to Rishi if he accepts that offer or leaves government - if we are second guessing that is what they will do having seen the coup off, then it looks today like they have already started it?

    Poor Pork Pie plotters!

    And Cummings. They have obviously put the MI5 creeps on him, I can see them jailing him! 😦
    Ha ha

    The message to the tory MPs is this: Yes, we have more stories, Yes we can release them at times convenient to us, and Yes that includes after you have propped him up for a further year with a VOC, so are you sure you wanna do that

    You think Boris has survived the Great War 1914-1917
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,107

    You are absolutely right BIG G - Partygate has run it’s course, adding to the story can not only not harm Boris anymore, but partygate fatigue is now creeping in after the initial angry stage, hence the polls closing up again.

    Eagles should know this. 😕. Maybe he is thinking about the money he won’t get back for rejoining the party in lost cause, but he is another still fighting a war that is over.

    More seriously now, in Boris transformation from loved to feared, is what happens to the failed rebels - Sunak in particular. If you could guess what they will do to Sunak - hollow him out by pointing out the bad job he has done with tax payers money, then in the relaunch reshuffle offering him foreign Office in straight swap with the well performing Liz, it’s down to Rishi if he accepts that offer or leaves government - if we are second guessing that is what they will do having seen the coup off, then it looks today like they have already started it?

    Poor Pork Pie plotters!

    And Cummings. They have obviously put the MI5 creeps on him, I can see them jailing him! 😦
    Only for some , I would have fatso tarred and feathered and run out of town, along with many of his creepy chums
This discussion has been closed.