Given the "Rishi must die!!!" tone of early messages out of the Boris campaign, don't be surprised if they go en masse to Penny to force a vote with members.....
Penny won’t push it to a contest - also part of the plan
But....she could beat Rishi - who the members hate.
If she pulls out, she has whatever job she wants. Plus the gratitude of the nation that this current shit-show is over.
Home Secretary. We haven't had a human being in the job since 2019
"And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this."
I am looking forward to hearing what the lying fuckwit was offering Sunak and Mordaunt.
'You can have your old jobs back'?
is this really language you think appropriate to a website like this - honestly getting tired of this type of language which is getting very common and its pretty juvenile and unpleasant to read- i think i have had enough so going to leave the site
Really? How do you cope in the real world?
I don't know how your world is, but I don't hear the phrase 'lying fuckwit' used very often in my day to day dealings.
Surely this'll end the ministerial career of the miserable streak of piss Jacob Rees- Mogg and Mad Nad Dorries
I hope so too, but Rishi does have to keep the swivel eyed loons onside. Perhaps put them where they can do little harm. In charge of tea and biscuits Perhaps.
I'd be wary of putting a former public school boy like Rees Mogg in charge of the biscuits.
It'll be Bath Olivers and Rich Teas only - none of those new-fangled Chocolate Digestives or Hob-Nobs for JRM.
For all our sakes, let’s hope Sunak proves to be a better PM than he was Chancellor, or we’re in for a pretty torrid time.
Just wait for the constant drip, drip, drip of dodgy business dealings and tax arrangements for the Sunaks over the next few weeks and months...
Yes, here's a couple off the top of my head all starting with "Will the PM please explain..."
"why if he 'forgot' about his Green Card while CoE we should trust his probity?" "how he can call for people in this country to accept pain and sacrifice when his wife was using non-dom rules to avoid paying tax?" "what he says to people who are being affected by Government cuts pushed through by a PM who is personally very wealthy and has never experienced a day's poverty in his life"
Now, where's that tape when he said he didn't mix with working class people?
I wish Farage et al do go through on their threat and start up a new party to take away the populist part of the Conservative party. Sunak is representative of all that's wrong with politics *
(* no, not because he is 'brown' but because he's glided to the top without any care or consideration for how most people in this country live"
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
All good politicians need luck, but they also need to be able to forge opportunity from adversity. He has both. I'm glad he will be PM because he isn't a moral degenerate like so many of the recent government ministers.
He inherits a horrible mess and will have to do really unpopular things. But he will do it with competence and compassion which will be a major change to recent iterations of the Tory government.
I’ve backed her back to a small profit, just so I don’t come away with a loss having called everything right so far. But I don’t see it. The party doesn’t want someone without majority support from the MPs, the markets may not like it, and she could have the Mail and Co against her with smear 2.0. She’s much better placed with a top job and ready for LOTO when Sunak loses the majority.
All the same, I'd forgive Penny for wondering what might have been if the Mail had not undermined her last time, and she'd gone forward, rather than Liz Truss, to beat Rishi in the members' vote.
Glad to see my political analysis is still good enough to make a profit every so often. I knew Boris was bullshitting about the 100 MPs. That he's withdrawn shows he never had the numbers because that 102 figure doesn't get tested in an actual vote. He remains the king over the water in case Rishi fucks up before 2024 this way as well and he also gets to cash in for the best year or so on the lecture circuit to repair his balance sheet.
Surely this'll end the ministerial career of the miserable streak of piss Jacob Rees- Mogg and Mad Nad Dorries
I hope so too, but Rishi does have to keep the swivel eyed loons onside. Perhaps put them where they can do little harm. In charge of tea and biscuits Perhaps.
Does he? Or does Rishi see himself as the Saviour of the Tories - in which he engages in a de-ERGification programme in the belief it can't get any worse, but sets the foundations for a centre right party to re-emerge after an electoral drubbing?
No, he probably doesn't. But it's an entertaining thought.
I think Sunak is more right-wing than people often assume because he’s less right-wing than some of the loons in his party, just as Starmer is more left-wing than people often assume because he’s less left-wing than some of the loons in his party.
That Johnson comeback in full: flew back from a luxury holiday, posed like a twat, begged his rivals, lied about his support, let down his allies and fell on his arse.
Fascinating results from the first round of the Slovenian Presidential election.
The social democrat has crashed to third and the run off is between the SDS candidate, the former Foreign Minister, Anze Logar and the Independent Natasa Pirc Musar, the President of the Slovenian Red Cross and supported by the Pirates and the Greens.
The gap is seven points - 34-27 - so a lot of other votes to be fought for in round two on November 13th.
OK, lets play this scenario out: Penny comfortably gets past 100 as the foamers are desperate and will back anyone to try and stop Rishi.
If you are a Tory member do you vote for the remainer backstabber or the woke trans lover? Do the rules allow for a Boris write-in?
More hatred. Grow up.
Hatred? No. Dripping sarcastic pity of the monster wing of the Tory party? Yes. Some great callers into LBC this morning, Tory members and voters who practically see Boris as The Messiah. You can't help people who live in an alternate reality - but you can try to stop them wrecking so many people's lives.
Hatred? Absolutely. Maybe spend more time looking at yourself and less time pretending your prediction was right.
Well, it's been great fun, but time now to get back to serious stuff.
Yes I feel that way too.
Whilst I want to see a Labour victory at the next GE I'd love it if MPs could suspend party politicking for a few months to focus on getting the county reset. It's simply more important given the multiple crises facing us.
I'm relaxed about Sunak being at the helm. Assuming he makes sensible ministerial appointments he's not likely to get me particularly agitated about anything very much, which will be a blessed relief after the last 3 years.
I just hope the losers out on the right of the party zip it and let him get on with the job. We all owe him that.
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
You'e missed the bit where he personally hated giving out the free money that made him popular and was desperate to kill tens of thousands more of us as soon as possible in 2020.
Such a relief to see the back of Boris. I think that’s it now, forever. People have clocked him.
A moderately competent couple of years of Rishi will be useful for Keir and Labour. Good opportunity to hone their policies and see what does/doesn’t work in this strange new world.
OK, lets play this scenario out: Penny comfortably gets past 100 as the foamers are desperate and will back anyone to try and stop Rishi.
If you are a Tory member do you vote for the remainer backstabber or the woke trans lover? Do the rules allow for a Boris write-in?
I would say narrow Rishi victory I think, which would legitimise him. I think bypassing the members would be an error.
Agree with you on this, as on desirability (re: politicking/governating) for broad-bottomed cabinet, as opposed to one of cronies & ideological allies.
What the hell is wrong with me?!?
Best thing would be for a membership contest (by semi-sobered members who have have lost some of their starch over past 40+ days) then the loser appoint the winner to a serious, top job. Foreign sec seeming most likely.
AND appoint Boris Johnson as Ambassador Extraordinary FOR Ukraine. Wooleyed put that idea up on PB, and it's damn good one, for a number of reasons.
ADDENDUM - try working as a working team, not a flying flea circus.
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
You'e missed the bit where he personally hated giving out the free money that made him popular and was desperate to kill tens of thousands more of us as soon as possible in 2020.
EOTHO has attracted adverse attention from the medical statisticians, too.
"And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this."
I am looking forward to hearing what the lying fuckwit was offering Sunak and Mordaunt.
'You can have your old jobs back'?
is this really language you think appropriate to a website like this - honestly getting tired of this type of language which is getting very common and its pretty juvenile and unpleasant to read- i think i have had enough so going to leave the site
Really? How do you cope in the real world?
I don't know how your world is, but I don't hear the phrase 'lying fuckwit' used very often in my day to day dealings.
So, we’re all presuming he’s lying about having 100 noms, yes?
I was wrong. I thought he’d get 100 and go for it. I presume Sunak wins now, I think the Tories still lose the next election, I presume Sunak then goes, and I have no idea who becomes the next leader, but probably someone unsuitable.
I expect the markets will prove very positive tomorrow morning and while it looks like labour in 24 Sunak will narrow the deficit
Which deficit?
Narrowing the Tory polling deficit and narrowing the fiscal deficit, aren’t compatible.
"And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this."
I am looking forward to hearing what the lying fuckwit was offering Sunak and Mordaunt.
'You can have your old jobs back'?
is this really language you think appropriate to a website like this - honestly getting tired of this type of language which is getting very common and its pretty juvenile and unpleasant to read- i think i have had enough so going to leave the site
Really? How do you cope in the real world?
I don't know how your world is, but I don't hear the phrase 'lying fuckwit' used very often in my day to day dealings.
Really? Boris IS a lying fuckwit. A proven repeated liar. And someone so dumb that his defence was that he didn't understand the laws his own government created.
There is some real snowflakery on here tonight. I know the crashing end of libertarian hard right Toryism is hard to take, but it's *over*.
Are we counting the 62-16 R&W poll on Wikipedia as a proper poll, or is it not comparable to others because it reminds people that Truss is currently PM?
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
The Privileges Committee need to finish him off. A possible 8 by-elections from his resignation honours list is a bomb that hadn't gone off yet. What about Liz's?
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
All good politicians need luck, but they also need to be able to forge opportunity from adversity. He has both. I'm glad he will be PM because he isn't a moral degenerate like so many of the recent government ministers.
He inherits a horrible mess and will have to do really unpopular things. But he will do it with competence and compassion which will be a major change to recent iterations of the Tory government.
"Compassion" Haha, he'll fuck the poor over royally.
I'm saving this post for 12 months time. Sunak will p1ss over those in need.
That Johnson comeback in full: flew back from a luxury holiday, posed like a twat, begged his rivals, lied about his support, let down his allies and fell on his arse.
That Johnson comeback in full: flew back from a luxury holiday, posed like a twat, begged his rivals, lied about his support, let down his allies and fell on his arse.
Rain in Edinburgh easing now. Left the family in the hotel to pop to Sainsburys for a tube of toothpaste. Next to which happened to be a rather splendid pub (the Abbotsford Bar) which in most cities would be one of the stars of the show but in Edinburgh is just one of dozens and dozens. And then this is the view on the way back.
I am enjoying being reminded how much I love this place.
Am celebrating recent news with a dram of Highland Park. Edinburgh is a great town, and hard for an American not to like the New Town. OR the Old Town!
And not personally a big barfly, but DO make a wee exception in Edinburgh. And Dublin!
Hard not to be SSI. Most cities have their decent pubs, but in Edinburgh (and Dublin, and York) you are almost falling over them; they are almost irresistible.
Is this the end of the line for Boris Johnson's political career? He's 58 now - if Labour are in for two terms, he'll be 70 by the time the Conservatives next get back to office and he'll surely be yesterday's man.
A somewhat ignominious end if I'm being honest - perhaps as with us all, the fault lies not in the stars but in ourselves and he was incapable of being the Prime Minister we wanted or needed.
To paraphrase Dickens, he might have been a good Prime Minister in the best of times but he wasn't suited to the worst of times.
The question now is whether he retreats quietly into the night or whether he remains the king over the water and a thorn in the side of Sunak if not directly then through his "friends" such as Dorries and Rees-Mogg whose political careers have probably also ended tonight.
To the victor, the spoils - it seems unlikely Mordaunt will get the nominations necessary and it's already clear those leaving the Johnson ship are heading more to Sunak. Having looked
as though he had thrown away his chance of becoming Prime Minister with indecision in January, Rishi Sunak now finds himself alone on the battlefield in October.
It may yet be the most pyrrhic of victories - I find
it hard to see after everything that has happened how the Conservatives can regain any modicum
of unity or competence in the eyes of the electorate. Some on here seem to think it'll be
easy - I'm far from convinced.
Who on here thinks it will be easy? Even the dyed in the wool Tories on here seem to think Labour will still win from here.
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
All good politicians need luck, but they also need to be able to forge opportunity from adversity. He has both. I'm glad he will be PM because he isn't a moral degenerate like so many of the recent government ministers.
He inherits a horrible mess and will have to do really unpopular things. But he will do it with competence and compassion which will be a major change to recent iterations of the Tory government.
"Compassion" Haha, he'll fuck the poor over royally.
I'm saving this post for 12 months time. Sunak will p1ss over those in need.
Yes. If you're on minimum wage I don't see how Rishi is an upgrade.
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
All good politicians need luck, but they also need to be able to forge opportunity from adversity. He has both. I'm glad he will be PM because he isn't a moral degenerate like so many of the recent government ministers.
He inherits a horrible mess and will have to do really unpopular things. But he will do it with competence and compassion which will be a major change to recent iterations of the Tory government.
He's about as right wing economically as they come. The guy is popular because he happened to be sitting in the right seat of the merry-go-round when furlough money was being dished out, but we're now told he was the one voice arguing for less generosity.
It's almost certainly more public sector cutbacks with the current crisis as an excuse. I can't believe I'm defending Boris, but his desperation to be liked meant he was never as cruel as he could have been.
Well, it's been great fun, but time now to get back to serious stuff.
Yes I feel that way too.
Whilst I want to see a Labour victory at the next GE I'd love it if MPs could suspend party politicking for a few months to focus on getting the county reset. It's simply more important given the multiple crises facing us.
I'm relaxed about Sunak being at the helm. Assuming he makes sensible ministerial appointments he's not likely to get me particularly agitated about anything very much, which will be a blessed relief after the last 3 years.
I just hope the losers out on the right of the party zip it and let him get on with the job. We all owe him that.
I don't think Sunak will be very good, and even if he were it's clear that the country is in for a torrid time. But at least he's decent, intelligent and diligent. It's a big step up from Boris and Truss.
Still no one on here understands that Boris remains genuinely popular with a certain vote the Tories otherwise won’t get. Not wanting him as PM (I don’t either), or disliking him, shouldn’t stop you from understanding his appeal to others.
Is this the end of the line for Boris Johnson's political career? He's 58 now - if Labour are in for two terms, he'll be 70 by the time the Conservatives next get back to office and he'll surely be yesterday's man.
A somewhat ignominious end if I'm being honest - perhaps as with us all, the fault lies not in the stars but in ourselves and he was incapable of being the Prime Minister we wanted or needed.
To paraphrase Dickens, he might have been a good Prime Minister in the best of times but he wasn't suited to the worst of times.
The question now is whether he retreats quietly into the night or whether he remains the king over the water and a thorn in the side of Sunak if not directly then through his "friends" such as Dorries and Rees-Mogg whose political careers have probably also ended tonight.
To the victor, the spoils - it seems unlikely Mordaunt will get the nominations necessary and it's already clear those leaving the Johnson ship are heading more to Sunak. Having looked as though he had thrown away his chance of becoming Prime Minister with indecision in January, Rishi Sunak now finds himself alone on the battlefield in October.
It may yet be the most pyrrhic of victories - I find it hard to see after everything that has happened how the Conservatives can regain any modicum of unity or competence in the eyes of the electorate. Some on here seem to think it'll be easy - I'm far from convinced.
It is a mountain to climb but I expect Labour are disappointed tonight that Boris is not heading for no 10
What now for Boris? Will he creep away from politics, or does he fancy leading a crushed and demoralized Tory party in opposition when Sir Keir prevails?
He would have to find a way to keep a seat. But I always thought it was more plausible that his return would start in opposition.
Labour winning the next GE is highly likely so it will be interesting to see what he does now.
When Con go into Opposition they will be ready to move on from Boris, Rishi and the whole 2010-2023/4 era IMO.
Boris is done. That's it. The curtain has finally come down. In the words of the late great Roy Orbison. It's Over!
It was a classic Not Happening Event but the whole thing got him talked about again. Probably the main point of it. So having trousered the betting win I now resolve to hit him where it hurts by not referring to him for at least a month. This will be quite easy because he bores the shit out of me.
Great comments on some of my FB feeds from seething Cons members. Typical of the genre:
"There is a remainer, globalist coup taking place at the heart of the British government."
Unpick that puppy.
Setting aside the endless "remainer" guff, the "globalist" thing they keep going on about is interesting.
I assume the "globalists" behind this "coup" are the bankers and financiers etc who refused to support their IEA financial shithousery. So domestic and foreign banks and bankers and investors refusing to do whatever the loon right say is a coup. Because England should be able to do what it likes and the rest of the world should just say "thank you".
English exceptionalism at its best. Do they think we are the US?
"And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this."
I am looking forward to hearing what the lying fuckwit was offering Sunak and Mordaunt.
'You can have your old jobs back'?
is this really language you think appropriate to a website like this - honestly getting tired of this type of language which is getting very common and its pretty juvenile and unpleasant to read- i think i have had enough so going to leave the site
Strange evening you are having. You said on PT there was too much discussion of politics on the site, which is like complaining the Racing Post goes on about horses far too much. And I don't remember any betting posts from you nor politics posts with betting implications, more some general broad spectrum anarchism in line with your username.
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
Rain in Edinburgh easing now. Left the family in the hotel to pop to Sainsburys for a tube of toothpaste. Next to which happened to be a rather splendid pub (the Abbotsford Bar) which in most cities would be one of the stars of the show but in Edinburgh is just one of dozens and dozens. And then this is the view on the way back.
I am enjoying being reminded how much I love this place.
Am celebrating recent news with a dram of Highland Park. Edinburgh is a great town, and hard for an American not to like the New Town. OR the Old Town!
And not personally a big barfly, but DO make a wee exception in Edinburgh. And Dublin!
Hard not to be SSI. Most cities have their decent pubs, but in Edinburgh (and Dublin, and York) you are almost falling over them; they are almost irresistible.
Particularly when they are so friendly and easygoing AND engaging. Don't even have to drink (much) if you don't feel like it. Great conversation when not too crowded, and craic-ful about all the time.
Excellent city for walking around IF you've got stout legs & sensible shoes.
Is this the end of the line for Boris Johnson's political career? He's 58 now - if Labour are in for two terms, he'll be 70 by the time the Conservatives next get back to office and he'll surely be yesterday's man.
A somewhat ignominious end if I'm being honest - perhaps as with us all, the fault lies not in the stars but in ourselves and he was incapable of being the Prime Minister we wanted or needed.
To paraphrase Dickens, he might have been a good Prime Minister in the best of times but he wasn't suited to the worst of times.
The question now is whether he retreats quietly into the night or whether he remains the king over the water and a thorn in the side of Sunak if not directly then through his "friends" such as Dorries and Rees-Mogg whose political careers have probably also ended tonight.
To the victor, the spoils - it seems unlikely Mordaunt will get the nominations necessary and it's already clear those leaving the Johnson ship are heading more to Sunak. Having looked as though he had thrown away his chance of becoming Prime Minister with indecision in January, Rishi Sunak now finds himself alone on the battlefield in October.
It may yet be the most pyrrhic of victories - I find it hard to see after everything that has happened how the Conservatives can regain any modicum of unity or competence in the eyes of the electorate. Some on here seem to think it'll be easy - I'm far from convinced.
It is a mountain to climb but I expect Labour are disappointed tonight that Boris is not heading for no 10
I suspect a great number of them will be relieved, as we all should be.
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
All good politicians need luck, but they also need to be able to forge opportunity from adversity. He has both. I'm glad he will be PM because he isn't a moral degenerate like so many of the recent government ministers.
He inherits a horrible mess and will have to do really unpopular things. But he will do it with competence and compassion which will be a major change to recent iterations of the Tory government.
"Compassion" Haha, he'll fuck the poor over royally.
I'm saving this post for 12 months time. Sunak will p1ss over those in need.
He will. But as his chancellor has been saying all week, he will not be happy about it. Whereas the Truss wing of the party literally sneers at the poor and belittles them - "get a better job" and "learn to cook"
Was there ever a man with such extraordinary luck as Sunak? Raised to the top of the Cabinet on the fly because he wasn't anathema to an obnoxious certifiable lunatic with shocking judgement and a raging egomania. Elevated to demigod status by his free money during the pandemic. Able to dodge all sorts of questions about his wealth, his breaches of COVID law and tax status because they were totally overshadowed by the crimes of Johnson and many civil servants who couldn't shop him without destroying themselves. Brings down a PM and as a result looks set to lose the prize, only for the person who beat him to cock up on a truly epic scale a bare month into her premiership and having to resign. And then finally, when even then he might have lost the prize, a totally discredited figure with no support anywhere except among a few of the dimmer Tory members whips up a massive head of steam before imploding again, blocking any serious challenge and handing him the leadership nem con.
That's just amazing.
I do hope his luck hasn't deserted him, because we all need it to last just a bit longer...
And how many men get to marry a billionaire?
Well, I'm open to offers.
So am I. Not sure what my wife's view is though.
I'm not married, so I don't have to worry about that.
I fear the Johnsons are going to call for a general election, Rishi has no mandate and make life impossible for him.
Well we should have an election. I mean not instantly as the markets are still too volatile but clearly there should be an election within the next six months or so (yes I'm aware there doesn't have to be legally, but morally the case for an election soon is compelling)
I’ve backed her back to a small profit, just so I don’t come away with a loss having called everything right so far. But I don’t see it. The party doesn’t want someone without majority support from the MPs, the markets may not like it, and she could have the Mail and Co against her with smear 2.0. She’s much better placed with a top job and ready for LOTO when Sunak loses the majority.
All the same, I'd forgive Penny for wondering what might have been if the Mail had not undermined her last time, and she'd gone forward, rather than Liz Truss, to beat Rishi in the members' vote.
In terms of commons performance, and potential campaigning ability, she is the best candidate. Her leadership and management capability are somewhat unclear, with Frost’s very negative view of her, but then of course he has axes to grind.
But if she gets a top job and demonstrates she can lead a big ministry, she’s well positioned for LOTO 2024.
Still no one on here understands that Boris remains genuinely popular with a certain vote the Tories otherwise won’t get. Not wanting him as PM (I don’t either), or disliking him, shouldn’t stop you from understanding his appeal to others.
Assuming Rishi wins, I'd dump Zahawi but retain Cleverly and possibly Coffey too in Cabinet. I guess Wallaces stays at MoD. Rees-Mogg, Heaton-Harris, Buckland, Sharma and Trevelyan should also all be sent packing. I imagine Dominic Raab (who has kind of redeemed himself recently) will be rewarded, quite conceivably as Home Secretary. Big promotions for Mordaunt and Badenoch.
OK, lets play this scenario out: Penny comfortably gets past 100 as the foamers are desperate and will back anyone to try and stop Rishi.
If you are a Tory member do you vote for the remainer backstabber or the woke trans lover? Do the rules allow for a Boris write-in?
I would say narrow Rishi victory I think, which would legitimise him. I think bypassing the members would be an error.
Agree with you on this, as on desirability (re: politicking/governating) for broad-bottomed cabinet, as opposed to one of cronies & ideological allies.
What the hell is wrong with me?!?
Best thing would be for a membership contest (by semi-sobered members who have have lost some of their starch over past 40+ days) then the loser appoint the winner to a serious, top job. Foreign sec seeming most likely.
AND appoint Boris Johnson as Ambassador Extraordinary FOR Ukraine. Wooleyed put that idea up on PB, and it's damn good one, for a number of reasons.
ADDENDUM - try working as a working team, not a flying flea circus.
I dare say we agree on many points of basic philosophy; we just come at the politics of the day from totally different hinterlands.
Assuming Rishi wins, I'd dump Zahawi but retain Cleverly and possibly Coffey too in Cabinet. I guess Wallaces stays at MoD. Rees-Mogg, Heaton-Harris, Buckland, Sharma and Trevelyan should also all be sent packing. I imagine Dominic Raab (who has kind of redeemed himself recently) will be rewarded, quite conceivably as Home Secretary. Big promotions for Mordaunt and Badenoch.
Shapps to have the shortest tenure ever at the Home Office?
Glad to see my political analysis is still good enough to make a profit every so often. I knew Boris was bullshitting about the 100 MPs. That he's withdrawn shows he never had the numbers because that 102 figure doesn't get tested in an actual vote. He remains the king over the water in case Rishi fucks up before 2024 this way as well and he also gets to cash in for the best year or so on the lecture circuit to repair his balance sheet.
True - if Sunak becomes Truss 2.0 (apologies) and crashes and burns later in the winter or the spring, I presume Johnson will throw his hat back into the ring.
I can't see the Conservative Parliamentary Party having any desire to go through all of this again (let alone the rest of us) and with the "threat of Johnson hanging in the background, Sunak will be safe until the GE. After that, assuming the party is in Opposition, all bets (so to speak) are off.
I note the Conservative-inclined are already beginning to talk up Sunak as some kind of saviour - the truth is the Government of this country has effectively been paralysed since July and everyone will remember this deranged period of paralysis by self-indulgence and remember who was responsible for it, oddly enough, the first Cabinet Minister to break ranks and begin the process of bringing down Boris Johnson.
I fear the Johnsons are going to call for a general election, Rishi has no mandate and make life impossible for him.
The plan I presume is a general election as soon as possible and then Johnson back at LOTO.
Is Boris the LOTO type? Hard work, no power, no big houses. No, I suspect the plan is much the same as it was last week: wait for the incumbent to slip up; move back into Downing Street shortly before the election.
This is, though, I expect, Boris's last hurrah. It has long been my suspicion that he intended to retire at 60, like Harold Wilson, and his forced resignation just got in the way and offended his ego.
That Johnson comeback in full: flew back from a luxury holiday, posed like a twat, begged his rivals, lied about his support, let down his allies and fell on his arse.
Bet he's regretting coming back on the red-eye with kids for this. Serves him right.
Truss imploded far sooner than she was supposed to; the leave vote did better than it was supposed to. Johnson’s cunning plans do have a habit of premature culmination.
Still no one on here understands that Boris remains genuinely popular with a certain vote the Tories otherwise won’t get. Not wanting him as PM (I don’t either), or disliking him, shouldn’t stop you from understanding his appeal to others.
I have regularly stated such. It's true. However. They are a particular segment of loud, opinionated bullshitters. Therefore they appear more numerous than they are.
I’ve backed her back to a small profit, just so I don’t come away with a loss having called everything right so far. But I don’t see it. The party doesn’t want someone without majority support from the MPs, the markets may not like it, and she could have the Mail and Co against her with smear 2.0. She’s much better placed with a top job and ready for LOTO when Sunak loses the majority.
All the same, I'd forgive Penny for wondering what might have been if the Mail had not undermined her last time, and she'd gone forward, rather than Liz Truss, to beat Rishi in the members' vote.
In terms of commons performance, and potential campaigning ability, she is the best candidate. Her leadership and management capability are somewhat unclear, with Frost’s very negative view of her, but then of course he has axes to grind.
But if she gets a top job and demonstrates she can lead a big ministry, she’s well positioned for LOTO 2024.
Commons performance and campaigning ability are secondary if not tertiary considerations to running the country properly. She would have been better than Johnson or Truss, about as good as May. That is, useless.
Is this the end of the line for Boris Johnson's political career? He's 58 now - if Labour are in for two terms, he'll be 70 by the time the Conservatives next get back to office and he'll surely be yesterday's man.
A somewhat ignominious end if I'm being honest - perhaps as with us all, the fault lies not in the stars but in ourselves and he was incapable of being the Prime Minister we wanted or needed.
To paraphrase Dickens, he might have been a good Prime Minister in the best of times but he wasn't suited to the worst of times.
The question now is whether he retreats quietly into the night or whether he remains the king over the water and a thorn in the side of Sunak if not directly then through his "friends" such as Dorries and Rees-Mogg whose political careers have probably also ended tonight.
To the victor, the spoils - it seems unlikely Mordaunt will get the nominations necessary and it's already clear those leaving the Johnson ship are heading more to Sunak. Having looked as though he had thrown away his chance of becoming Prime Minister with indecision in January, Rishi Sunak now finds himself alone on the battlefield in October.
It may yet be the most pyrrhic of victories - I find it hard to see after everything that has happened how the Conservatives can regain any modicum of unity or competence in the eyes of the electorate. Some on here seem to think it'll be easy - I'm far from convinced.
It is a mountain to climb but I expect Labour are disappointed tonight that Boris is not heading for no 10
I have it on good authority that the Labour leadership are quite prepared to take on any of them.
Assuming Rishi wins, I'd dump Zahawi but retain Cleverly and possibly Coffey too in Cabinet. I guess Wallaces stays at MoD. Rees-Mogg, Heaton-Harris, Buckland, Sharma and Trevelyan should also all be sent packing. I imagine Dominic Raab (who has kind of redeemed himself recently) will be rewarded, quite conceivably as Home Secretary. Big promotions for Mordaunt and Badenoch.
I think Javid will get a big job - possibly Foreign Secretary.
The problem now is going to be whether Sunak can do anything about Hunt - presumably the market reaction (I note some are already claiming some form of market "approval" for Sunak in the morning) if Hunt is replaced predicates against such a move but when you have a former Chancellor at No.10 it's often hard for them not to want to continue running the economy.
The smart political move would actually be for Rishi Sunak to retain James Cleverly and Nadhim Zahawi in the cabinet. Send a clear signal he's moving behind the division and petty tribalism of his predecessors. https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1584278091689754626
Like many, I'm not at all surprised by tonight's outcome, including the confirmation that Nadhim Zahawi is indeed a complete tosser.
I'm not as confident as some that Sunak will presage an era of more stable government, though. In the summer leadership campaign, it was noticeable how quickly he tacked to the right to try to ward off the challenges of Truss and Badenoch, engaging in quite a bit of culture wars and pro-Rwanda policy stuff. Not really Mr Reasonable.
I have a suspicion that Sunak's main ideology centres around the promotion of the Sunak brand, albeit with a touch more subtlety than Johnson.
Still no one on here understands that Boris remains genuinely popular with a certain vote the Tories otherwise won’t get. Not wanting him as PM (I don’t either), or disliking him, shouldn’t stop you from understanding his appeal to others.
If Boris wants people to vote for him, fine. Let him start his own party or join with Farage and Tice.
Comments
https://twitter.com/Anna_Soubry/status/1584280317044850689
"why if he 'forgot' about his Green Card while CoE we should trust his probity?"
"how he can call for people in this country to accept pain and sacrifice when his wife was using non-dom rules to avoid paying tax?"
"what he says to people who are being affected by Government cuts pushed through by a PM who is personally very wealthy and has never experienced a day's poverty in his life"
Now, where's that tape when he said he didn't mix with working class people?
I wish Farage et al do go through on their threat and start up a new party to take away the populist part of the Conservative party. Sunak is representative of all that's wrong with politics *
(* no, not because he is 'brown' but because he's glided to the top without any care or consideration for how most people in this country live"
Rishi has gained five - Zahawi, Morris, Firth, Argar, Vara
Penny has gained one - Fabricant
He inherits a horrible mess and will have to do really unpopular things. But he will do it with competence and compassion which will be a major change to recent iterations of the Tory government.
https://twitter.com/IanDunt/status/1584288955599450112
The social democrat has crashed to third and the run off is between the SDS candidate, the former Foreign Minister, Anze Logar and the Independent Natasa Pirc Musar, the President of the Slovenian Red Cross and supported by the Pirates and the Greens.
The gap is seven points - 34-27 - so a lot of other votes to be fought for in round two on November 13th.
Whilst I want to see a Labour victory at the next GE I'd love it if MPs could suspend party politicking for a few months to focus on getting the county reset. It's simply more important given the multiple crises facing us.
I'm relaxed about Sunak being at the helm. Assuming he makes sensible ministerial appointments he's not likely to get me particularly agitated about anything very much, which will be a blessed relief after the last 3 years.
I just hope the losers out on the right of the party zip it and let him get on with the job. We all owe him that.
"There is a remainer, globalist coup taking place at the heart of the British government."
Unpick that puppy.
A moderately competent couple of years of Rishi will be useful for Keir and Labour. Good opportunity to hone their policies and see what does/doesn’t work in this strange new world.
What the hell is wrong with me?!?
Best thing would be for a membership contest (by semi-sobered members who have have lost some of their starch over past 40+ days) then the loser appoint the winner to a serious, top job. Foreign sec seeming most likely.
AND appoint Boris Johnson as Ambassador Extraordinary FOR Ukraine. Wooleyed put that idea up on PB, and it's damn good one, for a number of reasons.
ADDENDUM - try working as a working team, not a flying flea circus.
There is some real snowflakery on here tonight. I know the crashing end of libertarian hard right Toryism is hard to take, but it's *over*.
Maybe.
A possible 8 by-elections from his resignation honours list is a bomb that hadn't gone off yet.
What about Liz's?
I'm saving this post for 12 months time. Sunak will p1ss over those in need.
The plan I presume is a general election as soon as possible and then Johnson back at LOTO.
Bust is it then Jacob.
It's almost certainly more public sector cutbacks with the current crisis as an excuse. I can't believe I'm defending Boris, but his desperation to be liked meant he was never as cruel as he could have been.
Boris is done. That's it. The curtain has finally come down. In the words of the late great Roy Orbison. It's Over!
“There is a God after all”, one tells me.
“I was genuinely too depressed to talk
But now!!!!! What a relief. Sanity wins the day”, says another.
https://twitter.com/PaulBrandITV/status/1584290912737579008
I assume the "globalists" behind this "coup" are the bankers and financiers etc who refused to support their IEA financial shithousery. So domestic and foreign banks and bankers and investors refusing to do whatever the loon right say is a coup. Because England should be able to do what it likes and the rest of the world should just say "thank you".
English exceptionalism at its best. Do they think we are the US?
He is after all the biggest tit in politics, so must be a massive bust.
Excellent city for walking around IF you've got stout legs & sensible shoes.
https://twitter.com/JamesDuddridge/status/1584291203935502336
But if she gets a top job and demonstrates she can lead a big ministry, she’s well positioned for LOTO 2024.
I learnt a lot from doing that.
It's easier to be objective when you realise it's your own hard-earned money at stake if you're not.
Oh dear, how sad. Never mind.
I can't see the Conservative Parliamentary Party having any desire to go through all of this again (let alone the rest of us) and with the "threat of Johnson hanging in the background, Sunak will be safe until the GE. After that, assuming the party is in Opposition, all bets (so to speak) are off.
I note the Conservative-inclined are already beginning to talk up Sunak as some kind of saviour - the truth is the Government of this country has effectively been paralysed since July and everyone will remember this deranged period of paralysis by self-indulgence and remember who was responsible for it, oddly enough, the first Cabinet Minister to break ranks and begin the process of bringing down Boris Johnson.
Anyone who wants the UK to not be a laughing stock and see its reputation trashed can breathe a sigh of relief tonight .
This is, though, I expect, Boris's last hurrah. It has long been my suspicion that he intended to retire at 60, like Harold Wilson, and his forced resignation just got in the way and offended his ego.
However. They are a particular segment of loud, opinionated bullshitters. Therefore they appear more numerous than they are.
Not before time.
The problem now is going to be whether Sunak can do anything about Hunt - presumably the market reaction (I note some are already claiming some form of market "approval" for Sunak in the morning) if Hunt is replaced predicates against such a move but when you have a former Chancellor at No.10 it's often hard for them not to want to continue running the economy.
I'm not as confident as some that Sunak will presage an era of more stable government, though. In the summer leadership campaign, it was noticeable how quickly he tacked to the right to try to ward off the challenges of Truss and Badenoch, engaging in quite a bit of culture wars and pro-Rwanda policy stuff. Not really Mr Reasonable.
I have a suspicion that Sunak's main ideology centres around the promotion of the Sunak brand, albeit with a touch more subtlety than Johnson.
At the time I backed it because it was good value, not because I wanted it to happen.
And not well before time either.
https://order-order.com/2022/10/22/whos-backing-who-weekend-updates-2/ https://twitter.com/GuidoFawkes/status/1584292976888807424/photo/1