To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
I think I am less offended by Johnson's behaviour than the Met. Police intervening and then taking virtually no action against Johnson and no action against Case. Either by cock-up or conspiracy their action saved Johnson.
Those who cooperated with Gray were banged to rights, those who didn't got off scott free. On what did the Met. spend their £460,000?
You are still posting this defamatory crap about the police, but I am not aware you answered my question. Do you have evidence the police saw todays photos? Downing Street merely say the police had access to them, whilst the police silent.
Secondly, I am not calling you out as a liar when you posted this “ I believe Starmer did technically breach the rules from the evidence I have read and will get a fixed penalty notice. The evidence is they had their meal, with a beer after work, they were not socially distanced and there were too many people at the event.” but I am asking you to share with us your evidence they had booze together after work, by how many people they were over what was clearly stated in the rules, and there was no social distancing at all as required.
"Defamatory Crap" my arse. The establishment looks after itself, always has done.
Where’s you’re evidence the police have Seen these photo’s before today?
Paul Brant on ITV, who broke the story believes similar photos of the event are integral to Gray's evidence and the old bill were given everything she had.
It's a judgement call from the detectives, they may have deduced that despite half a dozen empty bottles of wine, sparkling wine and spirits alongside spent glasses, Johnson's ministerial box jauntily flung to the floor meant he was still at work.
Can't get any answers from the Metropolitan Police about this tonight. They have consistently refused to comment on details of the investigation. But they face public questions from the London Assembly later this week and the risk is that their investigation is undermined. https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1528754003416387589
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
4. London is low-rise compared to international norms.
"The Greater London metropolitan area contains the second most skyscrapers of a city in Europe. There are 33 skyscrapers in Greater London that reach a roof height of at least 150 metres (492 ft),[1] with 57 in Moscow, 21 in the Paris Metropolitan Area, 17 in Frankfurt, 16 in Warsaw, 6 in Madrid, 5 each in Milan and Rotterdam, and 4 in Manchester."
London has quite a few tall buildings but is generally low rise. I urge you to go overseas to see it yourself, or do some googling if you prefer.
Almost every residential area in the world is generally low rise. For very good reason, people prefer low rise by and large.
For the small minority who want high rise, good luck to them, they should be able to get it. For everyone else, they should be able to get what they want too.
Most New Yorkers live in Long Island not Manhattan for a reason.
Is it because Long Island is 1,401 square miles in size while Manhattan is 22 square miles?
(It is also worth remembering that 1.6 million people commute into Manhattan each day.)
Precisely my point. Long Island has the space so people have spread out to live there, as they'd rather use the space than go up into the sky as GW proposes.
Approximately as many people commute into Manhattan every day as the entire population of Manhattan (including children and pensioners) who live there. So it seems reasonable to believe that even most workers in Manhattan have chosen not to live there.
Surely "have chosen" need to be caveated by "cannot afford to"?
The price per square foot in Manhattan is off the charts - perhaps $2,500/square foot (and that's just for apartments; for brownstones it's probably going to be even higher), while in Queen's, prices are going to be dramatically less. And if you head out to Riverhead, I reckon you can get a place for no more than $300/square foot.
"Good" London is £2k per square foot now. And most of "Fairly Good" London has broken the £1k mark.
I'm deep in this atm as a prospective buyer. The market is very hot.
I would be very nervous about jumping into London residential right now, given the rapidly slowing economy. (And I speak as an owner!)
Yes, I'm thinking of pressing pause and revisiting at a later point. There's some silliness afoot. A 20% drop is imo likelier than a 10% rise from here.
You'll miss Hampstead.
Yes, I know.
When I should die, think only this of me, That there's some corner of a foreign field. That is forever the Hampstead crepe van.
I lived in Hampstead for ten years. In that time, I visited the crepe van exactly zero times.
The queues always put me off.
Also, a crepe is a crepe…. is a crepe
Nice but not life-changing
This is true of all Hampstead. It lacks really impressive restaurants, which is odd, given the wealth of the area (this is also true of Camden & Primrose Hill, tho Camden has the market which now has fantastic street food)
In similarly wealthy parts of west or central London, or the trendy bits of the East like Shoreditch and Spitalifields, the restaurants are excellent. Maybe this is all the fault of people like @Kinabalu - affluent lefties who are self-confessed philistines about food
I refer the honorable Gentleman to the answer I gave two moments ago - Jin Kichi.
Yes, I’ve been there! Good fun, but a bit tiny and crowded
It’s still an unimpressive display for a burb as phenomenally wealthy and “sophisticated” as NW3
Oh, I agree.
It is embarrassing.
And there's no real excuse for it. But it's not that uncommon. St John's Wood - number of good restaurants... zero. Richmond/Kew... one. Primrose Hill... zero.
My apartment on Shaftesbury Avenue has a dozen excellent restaurants within a five minute walk.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
Any entrants for the Monkeypox sweepstake?
My punt is on Gove. Nailed on...
Speaking of punts, nipplegate went quiet quickly.
That passed me by. What on earth is nipplegate?
When everything goes tits up.
So somebody boobed?
Do try to keep abreast of developments.
lactating The hell out of punning with this run
Yeah - perhaps the most strained set of puns in living mammary.
Just watched ITV News. Peston pointed out that as people have been fined for attending that party, it was by definition illegal. So whomever it was on here earlier dancing on a pinhead about things being legal just received a little prick.
A work meeting that turned into a party after the pm left, may be one way you are wrong. At least that will be the weasel words the met use.
...so it was it his stunt double that was at the party in the picture?
There's no party in the picture.
Unless you think what Starmer was at was a party. 🤷♂️
I believe Starmer did technically breach the rules from the evidence I have read and will get a fixed penalty notice. The evidence is they had their meal, with a beer after work, they were not socially distanced and there were too many people at the event.
You may be right and Johnson was not at a party and therefore he did not mislead Parliament. The Met agree with you. Ruth Davidson on Channel 4 News does not.
The challenge for the Met is that other people have been fined for being at this party. So it was a party and was illegal. And the "I was at home" defence doesn't work either - especially as we know that Bonzo was the organiser - as hosting a party at home was also illegal.
We know why the Met fined the attendees but not the organiser...
Link that he organised it and also that he was not working
Quite right Big G, we must take the PM at his word, he is after all an honourable gentleman, and there are too few of those in public life in these barbaric times.
Keir on the other hand has questions to answer and should probably be horsewhipped regardless.
I was reporting what they said on the news. Something that my friend Big_G uses as defence all the time. Hacks have been told by people who know that the PM organised the leaving piss-up for Cain. Its a leaving do. Its not work. Has anyone claimed it was work...?
You simply do not have evidence Boris organised it, and the BBC did suggest he popped in during work for 10 minutes to toast a leaving colleague
I do not. The reporters who reported it do.
When you post what has been reported you stand by it. I am applying your methodology to what has been reported here.
Big G’s methodology is to breathlessly relay news favourable to Boris while repeating that he of course wants him to go.
Cakery.
Not at all
I do try to be honest and fair and most certainly not tribal
I genuinely do not care if Boris stays or goes but his mps should
Hang on you've moved! Before it was you wanted him gone otherwise your Con vote was at risk.
All part of the Big G shimmy and shuffle.
By 2024 it will be, “with a heavy heart I must vote for Boris to raise taxation on working people to 90 pennies in the pound because Keir has questions to answer about whether it was a korma or a masala, as suggested by James Delingpole’s son in the Daily Express”.
July this year will resolve Starmer issue, the one you tried to close down with your personal insults which you just cannot avoid
2024 is wide open for my vote though not with Plaid
Not for Plaid?
Definitive proof to close down the accusations that you are a Tory
Imagine a shopping trolley, full of booze and other stuff, with wonky wheels, careering down a supermarket aisle crashing into anything and everything, causing chaos, and yet emerging relatively unscathed from all the damage it has wreaked. That's Dom's vision of Boris.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
Boris is doing a pretty good job at the moment. He's rather repelling the tide of socialist policy dressed up in blue that seems to be pervading the Tory party. He does need to go, but until someone else starts to make a case for sensible Tory leadership of a hopefully more sensible Tory party he's the best man for the job.
Edit: And this is definitely not the Steve Bakers.
I don't really think that's true. I think his Government (whatever his own true feelings are, which we never learn) seems to be exactly as you describe. Boris just doesn't take the flak for it because every now and again he declares something vaguely commonsensical, eg. that 18 stone hulks of testosterone with balls like melons shouldn't compete in women's shinty, and Telegraph readers get all excited. It's pretty thin gruel really isn't it?
Very, very thin gruel. There have clearly been a lot of hurdles along the way, but this government seems set to have achieved nothing.
What's far worse is that they've completely lost the argument in many areas, and seem oblivious to it. The next Labour government is very likely to take us back to the situation in the 70s.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
I think I am less offended by Johnson's behaviour than the Met. Police intervening and then taking virtually no action against Johnson and no action against Case. Either by cock-up or conspiracy their action saved Johnson.
Those who cooperated with Gray were banged to rights, those who didn't got off scott free. On what did the Met. spend their £460,000?
You are still posting this defamatory crap about the police, but I am not aware you answered my question. Do you have evidence the police saw todays photos? Downing Street merely say the police had access to them, whilst the police silent.
Secondly, I am not calling you out as a liar when you posted this “ I believe Starmer did technically breach the rules from the evidence I have read and will get a fixed penalty notice. The evidence is they had their meal, with a beer after work, they were not socially distanced and there were too many people at the event.” but I am asking you to share with us your evidence they had booze together after work, by how many people they were over what was clearly stated in the rules, and there was no social distancing at all as required.
"Defamatory Crap" my arse. The establishment looks after itself, always has done.
Where’s you’re evidence the police have Seen these photo’s before today?
Paul Brant on ITV, who broke the story believes similar photos of the event are integral to Gray's evidence and the old bill were given everything she had.
It's a judgement call from the detectives, they may have deduced that despite half a dozen empty bottles of wine, sparkling wine and spirits alongside spent glasses, Johnson's ministerial box jauntily flung to the floor meant he was still at work.
I think you are missing something. Similar photos aren’t necessarily the ones with Boris in them. Let me remind again exactly what I am saying to the police bashers over no FPN for PM for Cain’s leaving do “DOWNING street insist the police had ACCESS to EVERYTHING”.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
Any entrants for the Monkeypox sweepstake?
My punt is on Gove. Nailed on...
Speaking of punts, nipplegate went quiet quickly.
That passed me by. What on earth is nipplegate?
When everything goes tits up.
So somebody boobed?
Do try to keep abreast of developments.
lactating The hell out of punning with this run
Yeah - perhaps the most strained set of puns in living mammary.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
Any entrants for the Monkeypox sweepstake?
My punt is on Gove. Nailed on...
Speaking of punts, nipplegate went quiet quickly.
That passed me by. What on earth is nipplegate?
Yet more allegations about a Tory mp and sexual assault/misdemeanour, this time potentially involving drugging
But nipplegate?!?
I think a Tory MP woke up to find an older Tory Mp licking his nipples or something…
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
Any entrants for the Monkeypox sweepstake?
My punt is on Gove. Nailed on...
Speaking of punts, nipplegate went quiet quickly.
That passed me by. What on earth is nipplegate?
When everything goes tits up.
So somebody boobed?
Do try to keep abreast of developments.
lactating The hell out of punning with this run
Yeah - perhaps the most strained set of puns in living mammary.
I don’t really see any risk to him from photos of an event the police have seen and didn’t fine him for to be honest - only if he withheld them. As far as I can see those saying he should go are the ones who always have, and his defenders are awaiting the line to take.
Re: Lying to Parliament, the public just don’t care, no matter how much we on here think they should. The long term damage of this all comes down to whether enough people forgive him this when he shoves cash at them in a few weeks as part of a “non-emergency Budget” emergency Budget.
I remain of the option that if cost of living impacts due to Ukraine can be unwound in a few months (hopefully with a Ukrainian victory) then he’s odds on to win the next election.
I think that's right.
On the other hand, if sanctions drag on, then the situation for the UK is only going to get worse as the Europeans increase their LNG import capacity. (Of course, looking out four or five years, lots of new natural gas supply will come on stream, and the situation will resolve itself.)
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
Any entrants for the Monkeypox sweepstake?
My punt is on Gove. Nailed on...
Speaking of punts, nipplegate went quiet quickly.
That passed me by. What on earth is nipplegate?
Yet more allegations about a Tory mp and sexual assault/misdemeanour, this time potentially involving drugging
But nipplegate?!?
I think a Tory MP woke up to find an older Tory Mp licking his nipples or something…
Good grief. Parliament need some bromide in their tea
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
Boris is doing a pretty good job at the moment. He's rather repelling the tide of socialist policy dressed up in blue that seems to be pervading the Tory party. He does need to go, but until someone else starts to make a case for sensible Tory leadership of a hopefully more sensible Tory party he's the best man for the job.
Edit: And this is definitely not the Steve Bakers.
I don't really think that's true. I think his Government (whatever his own true feelings are, which we never learn) seems to be exactly as you describe. Boris just doesn't take the flak for it because every now and again he declares something vaguely commonsensical, eg. that 18 stone hulks of testosterone with balls like melons shouldn't compete in women's shinty, and Telegraph readers get all excited. It's pretty thin gruel really isn't it?
Very, very thin gruel. There have clearly been a lot of hurdles along the way, but this government seems set to have achieved nothing.
What's far worse is that they've completely lost the argument in many areas, and seem oblivious to it. The next Labour government is very likely to take us back to the situation in the 70s.
In Penny we trust.
Maybe. I think the Tories need someone like Rory Stewart. I like what I've seen of two Tory MPs - Alok Sharma, and Alex Chalk.
I also quite like Priti Patel, so maybe my judgement isn't so good
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
He didn’t say “there was no party” in the quote above. He said “I have been assured there was no party”.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
Any entrants for the Monkeypox sweepstake?
My punt is on Gove. Nailed on...
Speaking of punts, nipplegate went quiet quickly.
That passed me by. What on earth is nipplegate?
When everything goes tits up.
So somebody boobed?
Do try to keep abreast of developments.
lactating The hell out of punning with this run
Yeah - perhaps the most strained set of puns in living mammary.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
He didn’t say “there was no party” in the quote above. He said “I have been assured there was no party”.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
But COVID rules were broken, at both the parties that night. Johnson knew he was lying when he made that reply because he knew when he stood up to answer, neither of the “work events” he attended that evening remotely fitted his own rules being lectured to the Nation across the road from the cinema room. Johnson, and everyone of his supporters in the media are a one rule for us another rule for you tribe.
I also found it funny the Mail currently out there on news stands carried out an investigation proving Sue Gray instigated the secret meeting with Boris. Downing Street shredded that Daily Mail proof confessing this morning THEY instigated it. so much for voracity of mails thorough front page investigations.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
He didn’t say “there was no party” in the quote above. He said “I have been assured there was no party”.
That’s not the same thing at all.
"I have been assured there was no party, but I know that to be incorrect because I fucking organised it" would have been the more accurate answer.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
Boris is doing a pretty good job at the moment. He's rather repelling the tide of socialist policy dressed up in blue that seems to be pervading the Tory party. He does need to go, but until someone else starts to make a case for sensible Tory leadership of a hopefully more sensible Tory party he's the best man for the job.
Edit: And this is definitely not the Steve Bakers.
I don't really think that's true. I think his Government (whatever his own true feelings are, which we never learn) seems to be exactly as you describe. Boris just doesn't take the flak for it because every now and again he declares something vaguely commonsensical, eg. that 18 stone hulks of testosterone with balls like melons shouldn't compete in women's shinty, and Telegraph readers get all excited. It's pretty thin gruel really isn't it?
Very, very thin gruel. There have clearly been a lot of hurdles along the way, but this government seems set to have achieved nothing.
What's far worse is that they've completely lost the argument in many areas, and seem oblivious to it. The next Labour government is very likely to take us back to the situation in the 70s.
In Penny we trust.
Maybe. I think the Tories need someone like Rory Stewart. I like what I've seen of two Tory MPs - Alok Sharma, and Alex Chalk.
I also quite like Priti Patel, so maybe my judgement isn't so good
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
Killer quote you say…
“Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your a**hole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.”
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
He didn’t say “there was no party” in the quote above. He said “I have been assured there was no party”.
That’s not the same thing at all.
This really is getting silly now . Can’t people just say they simply don’t care how many parties Johnson went to.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
He didn’t say “there was no party” in the quote above. He said “I have been assured there was no party”.
That’s not the same thing at all.
Hmm, what did he think he saw? Elevenses?
What he thought is irrelevant.
Not if that quote is all the “lying” case is based on.
I phone up Boris and say “there was no party at Downing Street” 3 times. He has now been “repeatedly assured there was no party at Downing Street”
I might have no reasonable basis for my statement. He might know for a fact that my assertion is untrue. But he can still say “I have been repeatedly assured there was no party at Downing Street”
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
He didn’t say “there was no party” in the quote above. He said “I have been assured there was no party”.
That’s not the same thing at all.
"I have been assured there was no party, but I know that to be incorrect because I fucking organised it" would have been the more accurate answer.
Yes. But I don’t think lying by omission counts under parliamentary rules
I understand Sue Gray will go into detail on each event including this one and maybe best not to jump to conclusions as who organised each event as it will become clear very soon
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
He caught Covid, and isn't known as Shagger for no reason. What are the odds he gets Monkeypox?
Any entrants for the Monkeypox sweepstake?
My punt is on Gove. Nailed on...
Speaking of punts, nipplegate went quiet quickly.
That passed me by. What on earth is nipplegate?
Yet more allegations about a Tory mp and sexual assault/misdemeanour, this time potentially involving drugging
But nipplegate?!?
I think a Tory MP woke up to find an older Tory Mp licking his nipples or something…
Good grief. Parliament need some bromide in their tea
Or maybe to develop some brain function, though I realize that's asking a lot in some cases.
Just watched ITV News. Peston pointed out that as people have been fined for attending that party, it was by definition illegal. So whomever it was on here earlier dancing on a pinhead about things being legal just received a little prick.
A work meeting that turned into a party after the pm left, may be one way you are wrong. At least that will be the weasel words the met use.
...so it was it his stunt double that was at the party in the picture?
There's no party in the picture.
Unless you think what Starmer was at was a party. 🤷♂️
I believe Starmer did technically breach the rules from the evidence I have read and will get a fixed penalty notice. The evidence is they had their meal, with a beer after work, they were not socially distanced and there were too many people at the event.
You may be right and Johnson was not at a party and therefore he did not mislead Parliament. The Met agree with you. Ruth Davidson on Channel 4 News does not.
“ You may be right and Johnson was not at a party and therefore he did not mislead Parliament. The Met agree with you.”
I am challenging you on that Pete. I am asking you to supply evidence to support you claim the police saw these photos before leaked today. All we have so far is Downing Street insisting the police had “access” to the photo’s… and police silence. You currently have zero evidence to support that claim in your post.
The understanding on ITV News was that similar pictures of this event were enclosed in Gray's evidence to the Met.
Ruth Davidson and Steve "Hardman" Baker are not taken in but Barty and BigG. have taken the bait
The Met investigation was a whitewash from start to finish. I am very skeptical that of the only two events Johnson attended one resulted in a fine for Sunak as well as Johnson. Bad behaviour, as we have read on here tonight is baked into Johnson's polling but the FPN skewered Sunak.
It’s at least a credible hypothesis that the Met investigation was a deliberate whitewash.
It’s also a live hypothesis this evening, rather like wallpapergate investigation, the investigation didn’t get to see key bits of evidence they apparently “had access to”.
I wouldn’t like to come over all Miss Marple, though suspect some of you would like to see me try - but my hypothesis fits a ‘pattern of behaviour’
When full Gray report out, the Met will have to explain: Why they fined the PM for one 9 min event instigated by others (🎂), but did not fine him for a 9 min event he instigated (🍾) One answer? 🎂 fine seen as over zealous, so overreacted + caved to pressure from PM's lawyer? https://twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/1528819099475877888
Is this Dom playing 5D chess here? Did he leak the more incriminating photos to Gray after the Met had stated that Boris was (mostly) in the clear? That would be a great way of reigniting the story just as Number Ten thought it had fizzled out, and it would also make the Met look inept and their previous exoneration of Boris utterly worthless.
Does he ever want to work again? I mean we all know why he has fallen out with Boris but as a prospective client what I would take from this is that you can’t rely on confidentiality if he falls out with you…
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
Boris is doing a pretty good job at the moment. He's rather repelling the tide of socialist policy dressed up in blue that seems to be pervading the Tory party. He does need to go, but until someone else starts to make a case for sensible Tory leadership of a hopefully more sensible Tory party he's the best man for the job.
Edit: And this is definitely not the Steve Bakers.
I don't really think that's true. I think his Government (whatever his own true feelings are, which we never learn) seems to be exactly as you describe. Boris just doesn't take the flak for it because every now and again he declares something vaguely commonsensical, eg. that 18 stone hulks of testosterone with balls like melons shouldn't compete in women's shinty, and Telegraph readers get all excited. It's pretty thin gruel really isn't it?
Very, very thin gruel. There have clearly been a lot of hurdles along the way, but this government seems set to have achieved nothing.
What's far worse is that they've completely lost the argument in many areas, and seem oblivious to it. The next Labour government is very likely to take us back to the situation in the 70s.
In Penny we trust.
Maybe. I think the Tories need someone like Rory Stewart. I like what I've seen of two Tory MPs - Alok Sharma, and Alex Chalk.
I also quite like Priti Patel, so maybe my judgement isn't so good
There we diverge except on Patel. I like her too.
Do you have anything you dislike about Sharma or Chalk? Or just a lack of any positives?
Patel is an odd case - I think it's absolutely clear she gets a wildy unfair press. So hard to work out if any home secretary is doing a good job though. In hindsight it seems May was awful, but that wasn't the vibe at the time.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
She’s disliked him for 30 years. I understand he was a bit of a shit to her when they worked together in Brussels but she’s hardly a neutral commentator
I agree that she probably isn't a neutral commentator but lots of people across the board who have had dealings with Johnson say very similar things. The weight of evidence from those that have been close to him seems to be that he is shit and would sell his grandmother to save his own skin.
FWIW I think he will survive till the next GE because I don't believe the current Tory membership are much bothered by his mendacity.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
Boris is doing a pretty good job at the moment. He's rather repelling the tide of socialist policy dressed up in blue that seems to be pervading the Tory party. He does need to go, but until someone else starts to make a case for sensible Tory leadership of a hopefully more sensible Tory party he's the best man for the job.
Edit: And this is definitely not the Steve Bakers.
I don't really think that's true. I think his Government (whatever his own true feelings are, which we never learn) seems to be exactly as you describe. Boris just doesn't take the flak for it because every now and again he declares something vaguely commonsensical, eg. that 18 stone hulks of testosterone with balls like melons shouldn't compete in women's shinty, and Telegraph readers get all excited. It's pretty thin gruel really isn't it?
Boris “is doing a pretty good job at the moment” is a staggering thing to hear someone say - i think it’s more like, why would someone want to be PM if they have no sane ideas how to lead the country forward? This is the first government in my lifetime without an economic plan and direction.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
For hydro, substitute wind and tidal. The first hasn’t happened fast enough; the second has been completely and irrationally hobbled.
Boris should resign for lying to the House, as per the convention. But Boris not following up on his promise to develop tidal when on the stump for his leadership bid in 2019 is the true reason he should resign.
Pushing nuclear when we have a massive tidal resource is condemning the taxpayer and the bill payer to decades of unnecessary pain. Every nuclear power plant on the planet has only been built with massive state aid. Boris is at grave risk of Starmer felling him with the charge he has sided against the customer in the cost of living crisis. To which, frankly, Boris has no answer.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
But when he instigated the Cain leaving party. Attended. Led the toasts and made a speech. He knows that his statement "there was no party" is a lie because he was there.
He didn’t say “there was no party” in the quote above. He said “I have been assured there was no party”.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
That was my point. The accusation is hard to prove (though easy to be seen as very likely), so long as he can maintain that he is astoundingly inept and unable to tell what is going on.
So far he has been very disciplined in that regard. He's happy to look ridiculous, so long as it means he cannot be proven a liar, even if his being a liar is a far more likely scenario given he is not an idiot.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
Killer quote you say…
“Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your a**hole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.”
He was right you know. The Duke suite is bloody epic.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
“Can the prime minister tell the House whether there was a party in Downing Street on 13 November?” asks Labour’s Catherine West
“No, but I’m sure whatever happened the guidance... and the rules were followed at all times,” says the PM
Strangely, I remember that day very well. It was the day Mrs Foxy was redeployed to Intensive Care, pre vaccination. She came down with it a few days later.
When full Gray report out, the Met will have to explain: Why they fined the PM for one 9 min event instigated by others (🎂), but did not fine him for a 9 min event he instigated (🍾) One answer? 🎂 fine seen as over zealous, so overreacted + caved to pressure from PM's lawyer? https://twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/1528819099475877888
Is this Dom playing 5D chess here? Did he leak the more incriminating photos to Gray after the Met had stated that Boris was (mostly) in the clear? That would be a great way of reigniting the story just as Number Ten thought it had fizzled out, and it would also make the Met look inept and their previous exoneration of Boris utterly worthless.
Does he ever want to work again? I mean we all know why he has fallen out with Boris but as a prospective client what I would take from this is that you can’t rely on confidentiality if he falls out with you…
I think that ship sailed a long time ago. He was clearly never the right fit to be a glorified Spad or chief adviser, in that he was not willing to fall on his sword, and was happy to be the story. Years ago now it was clear he kept records and notes of secret conversations and decisions, and was happy to share them if he was pissed off (and not before then, it was no moral choice).
I'm sure an able chap like him can find a niche, but anyone involved in politics would be a fool to go anywhere near him.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
Lots of people have divided the world into two groups- those who BoJo has betayed and those he will betray.
The more interesting classification is threefold. Those who accept they have been betrayed, those who haven't realised it yet, and the ones in the middle. Those who, deep down, know they have been had but don't quite want to admit it.
Partygate though is example of how he trashed brands.
The Police closing the investigation was certainly a big moment, as Save Big Dog had it parked into long grass up to that moment. The question for the Tories now is, does it remain “partygate”, mostly owned by Boris, meaning a new leader and administration installed by August can bat away more photo’s leaked in September. October. November. Etc. Or, by keeping Big Dog does this now morph into something more serious. I’ll explain what I mean. That famous ‘Partygate Heat Map’ of voters views, with the giant word LIAR in the middle, if liar is replaced by WHITEWASH, it doesn’t pass with Johnson’s vonking, the damage will hang more specifically on what the TORY PARTY done in power during covid.
My argument is this can now morph beyond a Boris crisis, more election threat even without Boris to the Tories in the coming general election and even ones after that.
Many if not most Tory MPs today would own the Partygate mess and step down if PM, as many previous And hopefully future Tory leaders would own Partygate and step down, putting Country and it’s people, and their Grand Old Party before their personal ambition. It is no longer in the interests of the Tory Party to keep Johnson, rather than choose a new leader and start putting this behind them.
Anyone disagree with that?
Yes and ho, as my avatar was forced to put it.
It's definitely in the interests of the Conservative Party (as well as the country) that Johnson goes. But it's not entirely in their interests that Conservative MPs make him go. After all, it will be a painful business. Some currently senior Conservatives know that no possible future leader will keep them on. Others know that they will look pretty silly, having gone to so much trouble to put him into office. And there's no sign of anyone out there who won't lose at the next election. So it's really tempting to procrastinate, hope someone else who do the dirty work, even if every day makes things worse.
Maybe the time has come for the Macmillan solution. Find a tame doctor to tell Bozza that he's got some terrible medical problem, the only solution is complete rest, preferably in a warmer climate than Britain has to offer...
Boris is doing a pretty good job at the moment. He's rather repelling the tide of socialist policy dressed up in blue that seems to be pervading the Tory party. He does need to go, but until someone else starts to make a case for sensible Tory leadership of a hopefully more sensible Tory party he's the best man for the job.
Edit: And this is definitely not the Steve Bakers.
I don't really think that's true. I think his Government (whatever his own true feelings are, which we never learn) seems to be exactly as you describe. Boris just doesn't take the flak for it because every now and again he declares something vaguely commonsensical, eg. that 18 stone hulks of testosterone with balls like melons shouldn't compete in women's shinty, and Telegraph readers get all excited. It's pretty thin gruel really isn't it?
Very, very thin gruel. There have clearly been a lot of hurdles along the way, but this government seems set to have achieved nothing.
What's far worse is that they've completely lost the argument in many areas, and seem oblivious to it. The next Labour government is very likely to take us back to the situation in the 70s.
In Penny we trust.
Maybe. I think the Tories need someone like Rory Stewart. I like what I've seen of two Tory MPs - Alok Sharma, and Alex Chalk.
I also quite like Priti Patel, so maybe my judgement isn't so good
There we diverge except on Patel. I like her too.
Do you have anything you dislike about Sharma or Chalk? Or just a lack of any positives?
Patel is an odd case - I think it's absolutely clear she gets a wildy unfair press. So hard to work out if any home secretary is doing a good job though. In hindsight it seems May was awful, but that wasn't the vibe at the time.
Sharma I have been unimpressed with. Stewart I saw as buying into his own messianic image a little too much. And in a funny way I felt was like Macron in France - a bold, brave new way of presenting being exactly the same as everyone else. Chalk I must be honest I have never seen anything of. Seems nice and pleasant from his headshot. Though does look uncannily like a young Danny La Rue (when not in drag).
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
She’s disliked him for 30 years. I understand he was a bit of a shit to her when they worked together in Brussels but she’s hardly a neutral commentator
I agree that she probably isn't a neutral commentator but lots of people across the board who have had dealings with Johnson say very similar things. The weight of evidence from those that have been close to him seems to be that he is shit and would sell his grandmother to save his own skin.
FWIW I think he will survive till the next GE because I don't believe the current Tory membership are much bothered by his mendacity.
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
She’s disliked him for 30 years. I understand he was a bit of a shit to her when they worked together in Brussels but she’s hardly a neutral commentator
I agree that she probably isn't a neutral commentator but lots of people across the board who have had dealings with Johnson say very similar things. The weight of evidence from those that have been close to him seems to be that he is shit and would sell his grandmother to save his own skin.
FWIW I think he will survive till the next GE because I don't believe the current Tory membership are much bothered by his mendacity.
The original comment amused me greatly. To paraphrase “She’s biased against the Prime Minister because she knows him”
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
That was my point. The accusation is hard to prove (though easy to be seen as very likely), so long as he can maintain that he is astoundingly inept and unable to tell what is going on.
So far he has been very disciplined in that regard. He's happy to look ridiculous, so long as it means he cannot be proven a liar, even if his being a liar is a far more likely scenario given he is not an idiot.
Not exactly easy to sell on the doorsteps though:
"Can we have your vote please for the ridiculous Prime Minister who was astoundingly inept and unable to tell what was going on in his workplace - but who wasn't a liar, no sirree, not a liar?"
Cutting through all the crap, Boris looks like a fraud and the Met look like bungling crooks.
Boris is finished regardless- either shortly or at next GE. But my longer term worry is how the Met can continue in its current form
Frankly the met should be reformed for all the other shit.
Well, yes. But you’d expect some degree of reflection of their utter incompetence after the last decade or so. No - they plough on regardless into a bizarre party gate investigation which the most bizarre application of the law.
God knows where they go from here. Full restructure and re brand maybe
Believe he's been provisionally sworn in. Since Scott Morrison has conceded defeat they, like us, have to have a PM. Incidentally, Labor has fallen behind today in Deakin as postals were counted meaning they are on for 76. A majority of 1 not 3. The decision to reject the original Electoral Commission recommendations that NT get only one MP has had the decisive effect.
Cutting through all the crap, Boris looks like a fraud and the Met look like bungling crooks.
It's not like the Met have had a senior management meeting and said "lets cover this up". The establishment is a network of people who attend the right clubs and went to the right schools, ensuring that everything happens as they believe it should.
The problem is either that they have suddenly become rubbish at organising cover-ups, or they simply weren't in possession of both the facts they needed to bury or the news agenda coming out of Downing Street.
As an example, not even that demented troll Dacre would publish a full page one "investigation" proving the meeting was instigated by that Trot monster Gray only to have Number 10 say "we did it" by lunchtime.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
The BBC have been showing it. When asked in Parliament if there was a party on the date in question, Bozo says "No".
Ah, I have a spin-line for that, which is that he wasn't saying 'No, there wasn't a party', he was saying 'No, I can't confirm to the House that there was a party, because that would be an awkward admission '.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
That was my point. The accusation is hard to prove (though easy to be seen as very likely), so long as he can maintain that he is astoundingly inept and unable to tell what is going on.
So far he has been very disciplined in that regard. He's happy to look ridiculous, so long as it means he cannot be proven a liar, even if his being a liar is a far more likely scenario given he is not an idiot.
Not exactly easy to sell on the doorsteps though:
"Can we have your vote please for the ridiculous Prime Minister who was astoundingly inept and unable to tell what was going on in his workplace - but who wasn't a liar, no sirree, not a liar?"
Hey, I'm not the one who has chosen that strategy!
The 'I'm a fool' defence is never a good sign for any politician, and is surely only used as a last resort, which says something about the weakness of those who use it (see also 'I didn't notice the contents of the mural I was commenting about' and many other examples)
To work with Boris Johnson is to encounter something dark, sinister and totally without soul. It is a destructive experience that makes you doubt your very sanity. Sympathy therefore for the good people of Whitehall. I found that the only salvation is to tell what you've seen.
I think I am less offended by Johnson's behaviour than the Met. Police intervening and then taking virtually no action against Johnson and no action against Case. Either by cock-up or conspiracy their action saved Johnson.
Those who cooperated with Gray were banged to rights, those who didn't got off scott free. On what did the Met. spend their £460,000?
You are still posting this defamatory crap about the police, but I am not aware you answered my question. Do you have evidence the police saw todays photos? Downing Street merely say the police had access to them, whilst the police silent.
Secondly, I am not calling you out as a liar when you posted this “ I believe Starmer did technically breach the rules from the evidence I have read and will get a fixed penalty notice. The evidence is they had their meal, with a beer after work, they were not socially distanced and there were too many people at the event.” but I am asking you to share with us your evidence they had booze together after work, by how many people they were over what was clearly stated in the rules, and there was no social distancing at all as required.
"Defamatory Crap" my arse. The establishment looks after itself, always has done.
Where’s you’re evidence the police have Seen these photo’s before today?
Paul Brant on ITV, who broke the story believes similar photos of the event are integral to Gray's evidence and the old bill were given everything she had.
It's a judgement call from the detectives, they may have deduced that despite half a dozen empty bottles of wine, sparkling wine and spirits alongside spent glasses, Johnson's ministerial box jauntily flung to the floor meant he was still at work.
You’ve made your point very clear - but what you just typed there, do you actually believe it? Alternately you can believe what the investigation lead said last week, the key determinant to each FPN issued was to be sure it was correct to issue (and not challenged and overturned) everybody in the media seemed to believe this meant was FPN by being in photograph. The point you are making in this mini discussion with me you yourself are admitting “similar photos to these” in other words “you are stonkingly right again MoonRabbit, until today the police have not seen these particular photos”.
I don’t want to come over all Sherlock, but what alerted me to it was the haste Downing Street hit the microphones this evening to claim “the police had access to all photos”
Cutting through all the crap, Boris looks like a fraud and the Met look like bungling crooks.
It's not like the Met have had a senior management meeting and said "lets cover this up". The establishment is a network of people who attend the right clubs and went to the right schools, ensuring that everything happens as they believe it should.
The problem is either that they have suddenly become rubbish at organising cover-ups, or they simply weren't in possession of both the facts they needed to bury or the news agenda coming out of Downing Street.
As an example, not even that demented troll Dacre would publish a full page one "investigation" proving the meeting was instigated by that Trot monster Gray only to have Number 10 say "we did it" by lunchtime.
I don’t know what happened, I’m just saying what it looks like.
Forget the PM, we know he‘s a shyster. The Met need to explain what their process and decision-making.
For hydro, substitute wind and tidal. The first hasn’t happened fast enough; the second has been completely and irrationally hobbled.
It turns out the entire energy market was a scam, with providers merely providing a kind of performative competition.
The UK seems to specialise in such fictions while maintaining that it is a deregulated, post-Thatcher paradise.
True, but more importantly, long term planning for reliable and economic energy generation was non existent. The failure to invest in large scale projects that only government could undertake was forever kicked into the long grass.
And I think we've missed our best opportunity to secure cheap funding for tidal - over the last decade we could have borrowed hundreds of billions, long term, at very low rates had the debt been government backed. It could likely have been paid off profitably from tidal electric revenues. That might not work if long term rates are too high.
Believe he's been provisionally sworn in. Since Scott Morrison has conceded defeat they, like us, have to have a PM. Incidentally, Labor has fallen behind today in Deakin as postals were counted meaning they are on for 76. A majority of 1 not 3. The decision to reject the original Electoral Commission recommendations that NT get only one MP has had the decisive effect.
Yes, like the nerdy political junky I am becoming, I have been following the remaining counts here
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
The BBC have been showing it. When asked in Parliament if there was a party on the date in question, Bozo says "No".
Ah, I have a spin-line for that, which is that he wasn't saying 'No, there wasn't a party', he was saying 'No, I can't confirm to the House that there was a party, because that would be an awkward admission '.
“Frankly we were very rarely sober though the whole period in the office so in my mind this wasn’t a party, it was just the next round.”
For hydro, substitute wind and tidal. The first hasn’t happened fast enough; the second has been completely and irrationally hobbled.
It turns out the entire energy market was a scam, with providers merely providing a kind of performative competition.
The UK seems to specialise in such fictions while maintaining that it is a deregulated, post-Thatcher paradise.
True, but more importantly, long term planning for reliable and economic energy generation was non existent. The failure to invest in large scale projects that only government could undertake was forever kicked into the long grass.
And I think we've missed our best opportunity to secure cheap funding for tidal - over the last decade we could have borrowed hundreds of billions, long term, at very low rates had the debt been government backed. It could likely have been paid off profitably from tidal electric revenues. That might not work if long term rates are too high.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
Killer quote you say…
“Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your a**hole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.”
He was right you know. The Duke suite is bloody epic.
I dunno, I quite like Trick of the Tail and Wind & Wuthering. They are a bit like Pink Floyd in prob having improved for selling out and going mainstream (and losing the founding genius barrett/Gabriel)
I'll tell you what worries me: I have just watched The Departed and not realised till literally the last 2 minutes (shot of shoes with overshoes, pan upwards) that I have seen it before. Great film.
From my limited view once the Prime Minister (and other senior civil servants) avoided significant censure from the police and relatively junior staff didn’t it seemed inevitable that photo leaks would happen.
And like the Allegra Stratton video visual matters on this story.
The Metropolitan Police are going to keep on getting asked to “show us your working out.” They will hold fast as long as they can. However, if there is a “drip, drip” that is eventually going to prove untenable. But if that is the case what then? Justice has to be transparent, but surely the police can’t be badgered into an investigation / reopening an investigation? Or even putting out a line-by-line on how they came to recommending fines for certain individuals but not others.
I guess the Prime Minister has to be happy with the rumours that a lot of the photos have already been deleted. But, even though he is pretty teflon (and all that nonsense about the fact that him being a shit is “priced in”) I can’t understand how he can continue as PM. But will that really mean a PM Truss?
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
The BBC have been showing it. When asked in Parliament if there was a party on the date in question, Bozo says "No".
Ah, I have a spin-line for that, which is that he wasn't saying 'No, there wasn't a party', he was saying 'No, I can't confirm to the House that there was a party, because that would be an awkward admission '.
“Frankly we were very rarely sober though the whole period in the office so in my mind this wasn’t a party, it was just the next round.”
Don't think so. I don't have Boris down as a drunk, whatever his other faults
Rishi Sunak has ordered officials to draw up plans for possible windfall tax on more than £10bn of excess profits by electricity generators, including wind farm operators, on top of a hit on North Sea oil & gas producers
You’re half right. i did put it in to provoke Nats, tho it is also true, to an extent. I’ve never eaten well in Edinburgh - to me it has been like Hampstead. Wealthy, beautiful, full of tourists, not great food. Not terrible just not great
Sunderland is interesting. Could you not find decent ethnic food? They are usually the saviour of British cities. Wherever you are, you can generally get decent Indian, and probably Chinese and Thai as well. This is no small thing. It means you can eat well almost anywhere in the UK, it just won’t be “British” food
Edinburgh is filled with decent food but is absolutely up itself about how good it thinks it is. Vastly over priced, especially when compared to Glasgow.
Edinburgh's big food secret (possibly the city is shamed by it and doesn't want to talk about it) is at the low end. 1) Literally everywhere in Edinburgh that sells a baked potato does a perfect baked potato. I have never eaten anything other than a 10/10 baked potato in Edinburgh - perfect crisp skin, angel soft in the middle. It blows me away every time. 2) Similarly they know how to do a portion of chips. I've had one bad portion of chips of Edinburgh in my entire life. 3) The hole in the wall places like Snax will actually do you a solid value full breakfast without doing stupid shit like making their own baked beans and charging you 5 quid over the odds for the privilege.
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
The BBC have been showing it. When asked in Parliament if there was a party on the date in question, Bozo says "No".
Ah, I have a spin-line for that, which is that he wasn't saying 'No, there wasn't a party', he was saying 'No, I can't confirm to the House that there was a party, because that would be an awkward admission '.
“Frankly we were very rarely sober though the whole period in the office so in my mind this wasn’t a party, it was just the next round.”
Don't think so. I don't have Boris down as a drunk, whatever his other faults
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
The BBC have been showing it. When asked in Parliament if there was a party on the date in question, Bozo says "No".
Ah, I have a spin-line for that, which is that he wasn't saying 'No, there wasn't a party', he was saying 'No, I can't confirm to the House that there was a party, because that would be an awkward admission '.
“Frankly we were very rarely sober though the whole period in the office so in my mind this wasn’t a party, it was just the next round.”
Don't think so. I don't have Boris down as a drunk, whatever his other faults
Who cares? The Met already fined Johnson and Sunak, the vast majority of voters made up their minds on Johnson months ago over partygate, all the further stories on this like tonight's are just noise.
It is Starmer who has said he will resign if fined, even if the Met decided to go further with Johnson and fine him again it would be irrelevant given he was already fined
I look forward to hearing PB Tories and other stalwart opponents of anti semitism calling out the man the government has appointed to oversee England's universities - after he ran Boris Johnson's leadership campaign, natch - for sharing a platform with a Hungarian anti semite and racist who calls Jews "stinking excrement." James Wharton said it was good to attend the conference and "fight for the values that we all hold dear."
Rishi Sunak has ordered officials to draw up plans for possible windfall tax on more than £10bn of excess profits by electricity generators, including wind farm operators, on top of a hit on North Sea oil & gas producers
1) Literally everywhere in Edinburgh that sells a baked potato does a perfect baked potato. I have never eaten anything other than a 10/10 baked potato in Edinburgh - perfect crisp skin, angel soft in the middle. It blows me away every time.
There used to be one at Tollcross that sold haggis as a filling. Practically lived on those for a panto season at the Kings.
Rishi Sunak has ordered officials to draw up plans for possible windfall tax on more than £10bn of excess profits by electricity generators, including wind farm operators, on top of a hit on North Sea oil & gas producers
I see that BR is still trying to say "whats the difference between this and Starmer". Without wasting everyone's time as he will keep repeating the same guff and ignore everyone else, remember that the Starmer case is that campaigning events were legal in April 21. There was no similar legal allowance for leaving parties etc in November 20.
Putting things very bluntly, what will absolutely fuck him is the string of lies to Parliament. Not only did Allegra Stratton describe this kind of thing and get angrily fired for doing so, Bonzo told everyone he too was very upset.
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”. Now a provable lie as here he is at the very same party. No "its only a cake" excuses here. He was there. At a party. Then said "I have been told there was no party".
Liar. Resign. (he won't, but now we have to watch "I'll say anything for money" Tory MPs soil themselves on TV trying to claim otherwise)
What we know is:
Boris has not been fined for attending any party
Anything that Boris attended that was a party was officially legal for him
And therefore, him saying there weren't any (illegal) parties is not a provable lie.
Utterly wrong, where on earth are you getting "officially legal for him" from? From plod's decision not to FPN?
Exactly. No FPN = officially legal.
Hang on: so if John is discovered shot, and the evidence suggest that Bill did it, but it's not enough to convict, then no murder took place?
If there's no conviction then, officially, Bill is not a murderer.
I don't believe one would say "well, given the lack of a conviction, Bill's actions were officially legal". One might say "he's been found not guilty, and that should be the end of it", but unless one were high of rather strong hallucinogens, I don't think you would use the phrase "officially legal".
It depends what Bill's defence was. If it was self-defence, then yes, I think I would.
"I was quaffing wine in self defence."
Actually, given the tediousness of some in No10, he might just go with that...
Appalled at the illegal gathering I'd burst in upon whilst working late on the priorities of the British people, I wrested a glass of illicit cava from the hand of one of the revellers. Holding it aloft to prevent the miscreant from snatching it back, I remonstrated severely with the group, leaving them in no doubt of the grave nature of their actions, when the common, salt of the earth people of Britain were cowering under the jackboot of Covid. It was at this point that somebody seems to have snapped me with their camera phone, and frankly, any other interpretation of these events says more about the mucky cynicism of the British press than it does about me.
Very good, but you should also add "I was so angry, all memory of the event and my own fury was erased from my mind".
As he told the Commons: “I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.
Even if the events were parties AND Boris *knew* they were parties that quote is not necessarily a lie.
All he is saying is he was “repeatedly assured” about something at a given point in time.
Is that really the killer quote / smoking gun?
I don't think there is a killer quote. The likely situation is not in doubt, but he can and will rely on the unlikely situation still being possible.
But it is still not a good look for a Prime Minister to be so reliant on appearing to be bloody clueless and incurious about everything.
For the “lying to Parliament” accusation to stand up there has to be a killer quote
The BBC have been showing it. When asked in Parliament if there was a party on the date in question, Bozo says "No".
Ah, I have a spin-line for that, which is that he wasn't saying 'No, there wasn't a party', he was saying 'No, I can't confirm to the House that there was a party, because that would be an awkward admission '.
“Frankly we were very rarely sober though the whole period in the office so in my mind this wasn’t a party, it was just the next round.”
Don't think so. I don't have Boris down as a drunk, whatever his other faults
Interesting comparison raised between Australia and USA's political culture. We don't yet know if there's a majority or not. The votes haven't all been counted after three days, and it's on a knife edge really*. Yet. Morrison has conceded, Albanese has been sworn in, and has met with foreign leaders and is appointing a Cabinet. No one has launched a legal action, denied any votes were real, assembled a pitchfork wielding mob, made scattergun, unsubstantiated accusations of fraud, nor demanded anyone stop counting whilst my side is ahead. Everyone's just moved on.
*I know largest Party isn't a question. But a majority is still questionable. And though the Coalition couldn't form a government, Labor hasn't actually done so either. If it needs to.
You’re half right. i did put it in to provoke Nats, tho it is also true, to an extent. I’ve never eaten well in Edinburgh - to me it has been like Hampstead. Wealthy, beautiful, full of tourists, not great food. Not terrible just not great
Sunderland is interesting. Could you not find decent ethnic food? They are usually the saviour of British cities. Wherever you are, you can generally get decent Indian, and probably Chinese and Thai as well. This is no small thing. It means you can eat well almost anywhere in the UK, it just won’t be “British” food
Edinburgh is filled with decent food but is absolutely up itself about how good it thinks it is. Vastly over priced, especially when compared to Glasgow.
Edinburgh's big food secret (possibly the city is shamed by it and doesn't want to talk about it) is at the low end. 1) Literally everywhere in Edinburgh that sells a baked potato does a perfect baked potato. I have never eaten anything other than a 10/10 baked potato in Edinburgh - perfect crisp skin, angel soft in the middle. It blows me away every time. 2) Similarly they know how to do a portion of chips. I've had one bad portion of chips of Edinburgh in my entire life. 3) The hole in the wall places like Snax will actually do you a solid value full breakfast without doing stupid shit like making their own baked beans and charging you 5 quid over the odds for the privilege.
The baked tattie place at the top of Cockburn Street was amazing. They used to do brilliant vegetarian Haggis samosas too.
Rishi Sunak has ordered officials to draw up plans for possible windfall tax on more than £10bn of excess profits by electricity generators, including wind farm operators, on top of a hit on North Sea oil & gas producers
What is the point of the Tories? They just constantly nick Labour policies. I see why Starmer is reluctant to put out a plan for government just yet.
Damned if they do, damned if they dont one this one though. Bit odd about wind energy has there been a lot of wind recently, or are they riding the price surge on oil and gas?
Comments
It's a judgement call from the detectives, they may have deduced that despite half a dozen empty bottles of wine, sparkling wine and spirits alongside spent glasses, Johnson's ministerial box jauntily flung to the floor meant he was still at work.
Definitive proof to close down the accusations that you are a Tory
It's not an unreasonably analogy.
TSE in the relegation zone...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/results?filter=indoubt&sort=az&state=all
On the other hand, if sanctions drag on, then the situation for the UK is only going to get worse as the Europeans increase their LNG import capacity. (Of course, looking out four or five years, lots of new natural gas supply will come on stream, and the situation will resolve itself.)
I also quite like Priti Patel, so maybe my judgement isn't so good
That’s not the same thing at all.
I also found it funny the Mail currently out there on news stands carried out an investigation proving Sue Gray instigated the secret meeting with Boris. Downing Street shredded that Daily Mail proof confessing this morning THEY instigated it. so much for voracity of mails thorough front page investigations.
“Do you like Phil Collins? I've been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where Phil Collins' presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Christy, take off your robe. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. Sabrina, remove your dress. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Sabrina, why don't you, uh, dance a little. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Christy, get down on your knees so Sabrina can see your a**hole. Phil Collins' solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. Sabrina, don't just stare at it, eat it. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite.”
Not if that quote is all the “lying” case is based on.
I phone up Boris and say “there was no party at Downing Street” 3 times. He has now been “repeatedly assured there was no party at Downing Street”
I might have no reasonable basis for my statement. He might know for a fact that my assertion is untrue. But he can still say “I have been repeatedly assured there was no party at Downing Street”
Minister)
Ugh
I wouldn’t like to come over all Miss Marple, though suspect some of you would like to see me try - but my hypothesis fits a ‘pattern of behaviour’
Patel is an odd case - I think it's absolutely clear she gets a wildy unfair press. So hard to work out if any home secretary is doing a good job though. In hindsight it seems May was awful, but that wasn't the vibe at the time.
FWIW I think he will survive till the next GE because I don't believe the current Tory membership are much bothered by his mendacity.
Pushing nuclear when we have a massive tidal resource is condemning the taxpayer and the bill payer to decades of unnecessary pain. Every nuclear power plant on the planet has only been built with massive state aid. Boris is at grave risk of Starmer felling him with the charge he has sided against the customer in the cost of living crisis. To which, frankly, Boris has no answer.
So far he has been very disciplined in that regard. He's happy to look ridiculous, so long as it means he cannot be proven a liar, even if his being a liar is a far more likely scenario given he is not an idiot.
“Can the prime minister tell the House whether there was a party in Downing Street on 13 November?” asks Labour’s Catherine West
“No, but I’m sure whatever happened the guidance... and the rules were followed at all times,” says the PM
Strangely, I remember that day very well. It was the day Mrs Foxy was redeployed to Intensive Care, pre vaccination. She came down with it a few days later.
I'm sure an able chap like him can find a niche, but anyone involved in politics would be a fool to go anywhere near him.
The original comment amused me greatly. To paraphrase “She’s biased against the Prime Minister because she knows him”
"Can we have your vote please for the ridiculous Prime Minister who was astoundingly inept and unable to tell what was going on in his workplace - but who wasn't a liar, no sirree, not a liar?"
God knows where they go from here. Full restructure and re brand maybe
Since Scott Morrison has conceded defeat they, like us, have to have a PM.
Incidentally, Labor has fallen behind today in Deakin as postals were counted meaning they are on for 76. A majority of 1 not 3.
The decision to reject the original Electoral Commission recommendations that NT get only one MP has had the decisive effect.
The problem is either that they have suddenly become rubbish at organising cover-ups, or they simply weren't in possession of both the facts they needed to bury or the news agenda coming out of Downing Street.
As an example, not even that demented troll Dacre would publish a full page one "investigation" proving the meeting was instigated by that Trot monster Gray only to have Number 10 say "we did it" by lunchtime.
The 'I'm a fool' defence is never a good sign for any politician, and is surely only used as a last resort, which says something about the weakness of those who use it (see also 'I didn't notice the contents of the mural I was commenting about' and many other examples)
I don’t want to come over all Sherlock, but what alerted me to it was the haste Downing Street hit the microphones this evening to claim “the police had access to all photos”
Forget the PM, we know he‘s a shyster.
The Met need to explain what their process and decision-making.
From wiki.
The electoral division of...
Corangamite would not be renamed to Tucker over concerns that it would be vandalised as "Fucker".
Damn, they were right, that is harder to vandalise.
The failure to invest in large scale projects that only government could undertake was forever kicked into the long grass.
And I think we've missed our best opportunity to secure cheap funding for tidal - over the last decade we could have borrowed hundreds of billions, long term, at very low rates had the debt been government backed. It could likely have been paid off profitably from tidal electric revenues.
That might not work if long term rates are too high.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/elections/federal/2022/results?filter=indoubt&sort=az&state=all
I'll tell you what worries me: I have just watched The Departed and not realised till literally the last 2 minutes (shot of shoes with overshoes, pan upwards) that I have seen it before. Great film.
And like the Allegra Stratton video visual matters on this story.
The Metropolitan Police are going to keep on getting asked to “show us your working out.” They will hold fast as long as they can. However, if there is a “drip, drip” that is eventually going to prove untenable. But if that is the case what then? Justice has to be transparent, but surely the police can’t be badgered into an investigation / reopening an investigation? Or even putting out a line-by-line on how they came to recommending fines for certain individuals but not others.
I guess the Prime Minister has to be happy with the rumours that a lot of the photos have already been deleted. But, even though he is pretty teflon (and all that nonsense about the fact that him being a shit is “priced in”) I can’t understand how he can continue as PM. But will that really mean a PM Truss?
Rishi Sunak has ordered officials to draw up plans for possible windfall tax on more than £10bn of excess profits by electricity generators, including wind farm operators, on top of a hit on North Sea oil & gas producers
https://www.ft.com/content/ddbde592-a4e0-465a-9dd2-d6566790403f @GeorgeWParker
Edinburgh's big food secret (possibly the city is shamed by it and doesn't want to talk about it) is at the low end.
1) Literally everywhere in Edinburgh that sells a baked potato does a perfect baked potato. I have never eaten anything other than a 10/10 baked potato in Edinburgh - perfect crisp skin, angel soft in the middle. It blows me away every time.
2) Similarly they know how to do a portion of chips. I've had one bad portion of chips of Edinburgh in my entire life.
3) The hole in the wall places like Snax will actually do you a solid value full breakfast without doing stupid shit like making their own baked beans and charging you 5 quid over the odds for the privilege.
It is Starmer who has said he will resign if fined, even if the Met decided to go further with Johnson and fine him again it would be irrelevant given he was already fined
I look forward to hearing PB Tories and other stalwart opponents of anti semitism calling out the man the government has appointed to oversee England's universities - after he ran Boris Johnson's leadership campaign, natch - for sharing a platform with a Hungarian anti semite and racist who calls Jews "stinking excrement." James Wharton said it was good to attend the conference and "fight for the values that we all hold dear."
This government is a literal clown show.
https://twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/1528743508823138305?s=20&t=S6zPadddumGLNBns6B1b3A
Is it still an excess profit if I reinvest the lot?
We don't yet know if there's a majority or not. The votes haven't all been counted after three days, and it's on a knife edge really*.
Yet. Morrison has conceded, Albanese has been sworn in, and has met with foreign leaders and is appointing a Cabinet.
No one has launched a legal action, denied any votes were real, assembled a pitchfork wielding mob, made scattergun, unsubstantiated accusations of fraud, nor demanded anyone stop counting whilst my side is ahead.
Everyone's just moved on.
*I know largest Party isn't a question. But a majority is still questionable. And though the Coalition couldn't form a government, Labor hasn't actually done so either. If it needs to.