An irrationally large part of my brain is imagining a news programme decal on 4 July at 10pm saying "too close to call - Conservatives 315-330 seats - majority possible".
I have a Labour friend who says lots of people focus on 1992 and 2015 but Labour memories are seared by
1987 - It was a common observation by the media that Labour had the best campaign, on election night the BBC had a poll (not an exit poll) that showed a hung parliament - The result a Tory majority of over 100.
So after 1987 and 1992 even when the 1997 exit poll showed a massive Labour landslide, he was wired up for the worst result, it was only after Portillo lost he realised Labour were about to win.
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
This is getting rather pathetic. There are exit signs everywhere on a plane. Somebody takes a photo on their iphone its now a PR disaster. If Team Sunak was running around trying to cover up every exit sign or man-handling any journo who tries to take a snap, the press would be saying look how thin skinned he is.
The Tories were only too happy to condemn Mr Miliband for eating a bacon sandwich, though, so they can't very well complain now.
Dealing with bad, even unfair, press commentary is part of the job - if you cannot overcome it, you wouldn't be up for the job anyway.
Indeed. Though it was distinctly odd introducing two Tory councillors into a workplace as if they were workers. Would have come out sooner or later, and doesn't help credibility. It does surprise me that they tried that.
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
An irrationally large part of my brain is imagining a news programme decal on 4 July at 10pm saying "too close to call - Conservatives 315-330 seats - majority possible".
I've been suggesting this for months to much consternation and ridicule from @Anabobazina It is the stuff of nightmares but plausible. The BBC are hellbent on at least one daily gotcha against Labour. Sunak on the other hand is allowed to talk nonsense (dare I say downright fibs) with no recourse.
An irrationally large part of my brain is imagining a news programme decal on 4 July at 10pm saying "too close to call - Conservatives 315-330 seats - majority possible".
I have a Labour friend who says lots of people focus on 1992 and 2015 but Labour memories are seared by
1987 - It was a common observation by the media that Labour had the best campaign, on election night the BBC had a poll (not an exit poll) that showed a hung parliament - The result a Tory majority of over 100.
So after 1987 and 1992 even when the 1997 exit poll showed a massive Labour landslide, he was wired up for the worst result, it was only after Portillo lost he realised Labour were about to win.
Perceptions are strange things. I was an ardent Thatcherite in 1987 and knew she was going to win easily. It was a heady moment of total optimism for the UK - and a lot of my friends were going into the City which was just beginning to surge. You could feel London rising from its decades of decline - the long boom was commencing
Probably felt a bit different if you were in a Yorkshire coal town but fuck em
John Sweeney for Liberals in Andrew Mitchell's W Midlands seat may be a fun outing. Seems a bit of a character in trad liberal style. "The Sweeney have arrived" he shouts in town centre:
Hiya gang I’m running against “Thrasher” @AndrewmitchMP in Sutton Coldfield for @LibDems standing up for clean rivers, rich people being taxed effectively and our friends in Ukraine. “Thrasher” has been whitewashing Rwanda: “You’re nicked my son.”
Whitewashing Rwanda sounds like one of the labours of Hercules. Just when you think you've finished another planeload arrives.
Er, assuming they can get them on. But I see the BBC have been "Inside the secret government Rwanda training base" to provide some well-timed credibility:
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
John Sweeney for Liberals in Andrew Mitchell's W Midlands seat may be a fun outing. Seems a bit of a character in trad liberal style. "The Sweeney have arrived" he shouts in town centre:
Hiya gang I’m running against “Thrasher” @AndrewmitchMP in Sutton Coldfield for @LibDems standing up for clean rivers, rich people being taxed effectively and our friends in Ukraine. “Thrasher” has been whitewashing Rwanda: “You’re nicked my son.”
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
A massive Labour lead? Or the Tories making a recovery? Get your predictions in now
Tories within three points.
If Starmer were to blow this, you'd have to wonder what it would take for the Tories to lose outright again.
It won't happen.
This is what we thought in 1992. Under FPTP we are a Conservative nation.
There is a convincing campaign going on between the broadcast media and the Conservatives suggesting the Tories are pretty rum, but Labour are no better.Ben Kentish on LBC was critical of Starmer dropping his tuition fee pledge which was an indicator he claimed that Labour are as disinterested in young people as the Tories are.
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
A massive Labour lead? Or the Tories making a recovery? Get your predictions in now
Big Labour lead seems likely given the other polling so far, depends if 'GE wording' affects things and as DKs drop, the adjustment unwinds. Although there have been no big movements yet........
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
A massive Labour lead? Or the Tories making a recovery? Get your predictions in now
Tories within three points.
If Starmer were to blow this, you'd have to wonder what it would take for the Tories to lose outright again.
It won't happen.
It could blow up for Starmer in more interesting ways. How about another SNP clean sweep with the Lib Dems and Reform winning a combined majority in England and forming a pact to introduce PR?
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
A massive Labour lead? Or the Tories making a recovery? Get your predictions in now
Tories within three points.
If Starmer were to blow this, you'd have to wonder what it would take for the Tories to lose outright again.
It won't happen.
It could blow up for Starmer in more interesting ways. How about another SNP clean sweep with the Lib Dems and Reform winning a combined majority in England and forming a pact to introduce PR?
You really shouldn't post on PB whilst taking acid.
John Sweeney for Liberals in Andrew Mitchell's W Midlands seat may be a fun outing. Seems a bit of a character in trad liberal style. "The Sweeney have arrived" he shouts in town centre:
Hiya gang I’m running against “Thrasher” @AndrewmitchMP in Sutton Coldfield for @LibDems standing up for clean rivers, rich people being taxed effectively and our friends in Ukraine. “Thrasher” has been whitewashing Rwanda: “You’re nicked my son.”
Whitewashing Rwanda sounds like one of the labours of Hercules. Just when you think you've finished another planeload arrives.
Er, assuming they can get them on. But I see the BBC have been "Inside the secret government Rwanda training base" to provide some well-timed credibility:
Why doesn't Sunak just pay the £1000 to a refugee charity? This is baffling logic.
Just yet another example of how poor Sunak is at politics. You get ahead of it, pay it, but you can spin it as if you elect me it will happen, Starmer has no plan. Although as we said yesterday, it has always been a sideshow when you are 1.3 million people coming legally every year.
Even better, promise to make the donation, but challenge moron to do the same on the grounds that the outcome is ambiguous enough to have been decided either way. Moron has to pay up so that’s £2000 for charity.
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
I wonder where the Biden speech was going. Sounds like a rhetorical build up to encouraging voting, but the clip is foreshortened.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump:
John O’Donnell, former president of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, quoted Trump’s criticism of a Black accountant: “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day. … I think that the guy is lazy. And it’s probably not his fault, because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that. It’s not anything they can control.” Trump later said in a 1997 Playboy interview that “the stuff O’Donnell wrote about me is probably true.”
There are countless other examples of Trump's racism which are not hard to find. Clearly saying the the right things in that clip, you know and I know that Trump doesn't mean them. He's a dyed-in-the-wool racist and always has been.
Why doesn't Sunak just pay the £1000 to a refugee charity? This is baffling logic.
Just yet another example of how poor Sunak is at politics. You get ahead of it, pay it, but you can spin it as if you elect me it will happen, Starmer has no plan. Although as we said yesterday, it has always been a sideshow when you are 1.3 million people coming legally every year.
Even better, promise to make the donation, but challenge moron to do the same on the grounds that the outcome is ambiguous enough to have been decided either way. Moron has to pay up so that’s £2000 for charity.
Or Sunak has realised he will get a landslide if he stiffs Piers Moron as if there is something more unpopular than the Tories it’s that rubber faced nincompoop lying former editor.
Boris Johnson reprises his attacks on Starmer's DPP record in his new Mail column:
"He takes responsibility for everything that took place on his watch - except of course for the failure to prosecute the paedophile, necrophiliac and BBC superstar Jimmy Savile."
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
This is getting rather pathetic. There are exit signs everywhere on a plane. Somebody takes a photo on their iphone its now a PR disaster. If Team Sunak was running around trying to cover up every exit sign or man-handling any journo who tries to take a snap, the press would be saying look how thin skinned he is.
Yes. It's less a sign of how rubbish Sunak or his campaign team are, but if how deeply unpopular he is that journos are scrabbling around to find/invent examples of him being crap.
Unless there comes to be a bit more substance to it I think it will be a game they will tire of pretty soon.
I think we can rely on Sunak to supply the substance. He is genuinely the guy in the video bragging about how he knew some working, well actually lower middle, class chaps at Oxford, huzzah. There's a lot of rich comedy to come.
With all due respect, Sunak doesn't really come from money. His parents owned a pharmacy and worked - one might imagine - 18 hour days to pay for their son to go to Winchester.
He went from there to Oxford to a Hedge Fund to Parliament. And I'm sure the connections he made on the way helped, but he isn't from some uber wealthy family or from old or new money.
Speaking to the PA news agency afterwards, Ms Hughes said she did not feel satisfied with Mr Sunak’s answer.
She said: “We are very much the forgotten sector. I’ve had this nursery for two years and it’s a constant battle, funding doesn’t cover costs.”
She added: “There’s no pay incentive, we work horrendous hours and it’s just desperately trying to get any government to acknowledge us.”
Asked whether she saw any offer for childcare from Labour, she said she had not looked into it fully but added: “I would be inclined to vote Labour after that answer.”
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
I wonder where the Biden speech was going. Sounds like a rhetorical build up to encouraging voting, but the clip is foreshortened.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump:
John O’Donnell, former president of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, quoted Trump’s criticism of a Black accountant: “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day. … I think that the guy is lazy. And it’s probably not his fault, because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that. It’s not anything they can control.” Trump later said in a 1997 Playboy interview that “the stuff O’Donnell wrote about me is probably true.”
There are countless other examples of Trump's racism which are not hard to find. Clearly saying the the right things in that clip, you know and I know that Trump doesn't mean them. He's a dyed-in-the-wool racist and always has been.
Trump has a better message and a better record in government on inflation and immigration. Biden could be in trouble. The Democrats better hope one of these trials works out for them.
Cathedrals and nutcrackers and Sunak on a plane. It's image central in here tonight.
You're not allowed to Google, it ruins it for everyone else
But if you didn't google it, well done
That is a gold and bronze nutcracker from Taranto from the 4th century BC, when Taranto was possibly the richest city in the world (outside China anyway). It is hinged at the top
Imagine being that wealthy that you make an exquisite NUTCRACKER out of gold, and with marvelous craftsmanship, too. I would love to time travel to Ancient Greece/Magna Graecia, it was one of humanity's peak moments
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
This is getting rather pathetic. There are exit signs everywhere on a plane. Somebody takes a photo on their iphone its now a PR disaster. If Team Sunak was running around trying to cover up every exit sign or man-handling any journo who tries to take a snap, the press would be saying look how thin skinned he is.
Yes. It's less a sign of how rubbish Sunak or his campaign team are, but if how deeply unpopular he is that journos are scrabbling around to find/invent examples of him being crap.
Unless there comes to be a bit more substance to it I think it will be a game they will tire of pretty soon.
I think we can rely on Sunak to supply the substance. He is genuinely the guy in the video bragging about how he knew some working, well actually lower middle, class chaps at Oxford, huzzah. There's a lot of rich comedy to come.
With all due respect, Sunak doesn't really come from money. His parents owned a pharmacy and worked - one might imagine - 18 hour days to pay for their son to go to Winchester.
He went from there to Oxford to a Hedge Fund to Parliament. And I'm sure the connections he made on the way helped, but he isn't from some uber wealthy family or from old or new money.
Sunak strikes me as the typical upper middle class kid trying to fit in at a school full of poshos and being a chronic overachiever yet also carrying a chip on his shoulder the rest of his life, about those who had it all handed it all to them on a plate. And God knows, I know, because I'm from the same background.
The awkwardness, the sense of displacement, never quite leaves you. Existing in their world but never quite being one of them.
I have it on good authority from his neighbours he was laughed at when he showed up at his constituency in brand new wellies and barbour and Landie, but looking like all the gear and no idea. We all know the type. It took me years to feel comfortable with myself - Sunak strikes me as the sort who's 40-odd years old and has *still* not learned to feel comfortable with himself.
John Sweeney for Liberals in Andrew Mitchell's W Midlands seat may be a fun outing. Seems a bit of a character in trad liberal style. "The Sweeney have arrived" he shouts in town centre:
Hiya gang I’m running against “Thrasher” @AndrewmitchMP in Sutton Coldfield for @LibDems standing up for clean rivers, rich people being taxed effectively and our friends in Ukraine. “Thrasher” has been whitewashing Rwanda: “You’re nicked my son.”
Whitewashing Rwanda sounds like one of the labours of Hercules. Just when you think you've finished another planeload arrives.
Er, assuming they can get them on. But I see the BBC have been "Inside the secret government Rwanda training base" to provide some well-timed credibility:
PS. Aeroplane pics but I refrained from posting them. They're in the linky. Very odd aeroplanes specially for Rwanda training.
PPS: Isn't this a breach of purdah?
Purdah won't have begun yet, I imagine.
Begins tonight in local Government - very strict rules over what Councillors can do and absolutely no party political promotion using Council resources.
Spent the afternoon with the Woolie collective, and I can reveal the Woolie family reaction to the election is as follows! Pa Woolie (Norwich South) - occasional Tory, mainly at local level, was a Cameron supporter, big Thatcher fan in the 80s. Not voting, wants the Tories in opposition for at least a term, thinks Labour will screw up but recognises it's their turn and theyve probably 'earned the right', but cant bring himself to vote Starmer/Labour.
Big Sis Woolie (and bro in law) (Broadland and Fakenham) both voted Major 92, Blair 97 but have been back Tory ever since and are on the Francois/Jenkyns wing. Utterly depressed at everything and the mess we are in, but vehemently anti Labour. Resigned to opposition but voting Tory as don't want fo see a bloodbath
Wooliedyed (Norwich South) - they can all kiss my arse, kick out as many of the big 4 out as we can. We have been utterly let down by these arseholes on all benches. Popcorn and enjoy the fireworks.
John Sweeney for Liberals in Andrew Mitchell's W Midlands seat may be a fun outing. Seems a bit of a character in trad liberal style. "The Sweeney have arrived" he shouts in town centre:
Hiya gang I’m running against “Thrasher” @AndrewmitchMP in Sutton Coldfield for @LibDems standing up for clean rivers, rich people being taxed effectively and our friends in Ukraine. “Thrasher” has been whitewashing Rwanda: “You’re nicked my son.”
Whitewashing Rwanda sounds like one of the labours of Hercules. Just when you think you've finished another planeload arrives.
Er, assuming they can get them on. But I see the BBC have been "Inside the secret government Rwanda training base" to provide some well-timed credibility:
PS. Aeroplane pics but I refrained from posting them. They're in the linky. Very odd aeroplanes specially for Rwanda training.
PPS: Isn't this a breach of purdah?
Purdah won't have begun yet, I imagine.
Purdah begins when the election is announced. This BBC report on Rwanda is borderline but a wise editor would not have run it. I expect complaints have already been made by the other parties.
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
It's getting fucking tedious already
It's also making me feel sorry for Sunak. He's doing his best, he's not very good at basic politics, he got publicly humiliated during his stupid Downing St speech. Enough. He's going to lose. It really does begin to feel like bullying, especially as his such a tiny tot of a man
The Conservative party have clung on to power for the last 3 years with little purpose and have caused chaos. If they survive as the main opposition party it will be by accident and a bit of good luck.
Recycling cement by using it as flux in the giant electric arc furnaces that we'll be using anyway to make zero-carbon steel.
It just needs electricity - and lots of it.
Really big furnaces are kept going 24/7 - they are significantly damaged by thermal cycling.
So using intermittent sources of electricity isn’t the best option.
The real fun will begin when solar+batteries drops low enough. And keeps on falling. The ultimate floor for that is probably a fraction of the cheapest fossil fuels.
Only three years ago, after the Torys had captured Hartlepool in a by election, the most likely outcome in the GE, would be the Tories increasing their majority, now the polls are predicting a near wipe out. I don't see it, Labour may win, but I don't think big, the Tories are the nearest there is to cockroaches, you can never get rid of them totally, with all the money and their friends in the media, write them off at your peril
What is this and where is it from and what is it for?
I saw it in puglia last week
The Infinity Gauntlet that Thanos used in Infinity Wars and Endgame.
Close but no cohiba
Its 2400 years old
The answer is honestly a little bit WTF
400BC is before the Caesars. The blackness implies (I assume) Africa. The jewellery implies wealth and ornamentation, so I'm going to assume a woman? Too early for Cleopatra. So an early female Pharoah or concubine?
(if it's a fat-arsed bearded Celt from Cornwall, I apologise)
An irrationally large part of my brain is imagining a news programme decal on 4 July at 10pm saying "too close to call - Conservatives 315-330 seats - majority possible".
I have a Labour friend who says lots of people focus on 1992 and 2015 but Labour memories are seared by
1987 - It was a common observation by the media that Labour had the best campaign, on election night the BBC had a poll (not an exit poll) that showed a hung parliament - The result a Tory majority of over 100.
So after 1987 and 1992 even when the 1997 exit poll showed a massive Labour landslide, he was wired up for the worst result, it was only after Portillo lost he realised Labour were about to win.
Perceptions are strange things. I was an ardent Thatcherite in 1987 and knew she was going to win easily. It was a heady moment of total optimism for the UK - and a lot of my friends were going into the City which was just beginning to surge. You could feel London rising from its decades of decline - the long boom was commencing
Probably felt a bit different if you were in a Yorkshire coal town but fuck em
I was the Agent in a strong Conservative seat for the Alliance. We went through the motions concentrating our effort on the stronger Council wards but we were buried by over 20,000.
Apart from nearly decapitating the candidate's wife, it was a good learning experience.
The Conservative party have clung on to power for the last 3 years with little purpose and have caused chaos. If they survive as the main opposition party it will be by accident and a bit of good luck.
Three million ex-patriot voters shoehorned into marginal seats can't be wrong.
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
One of the political podcasts was recently talking about the care normally taken by campaigns to avoid pictures like this. Maybe Rishi's team was not listening.
What is this and where is it from and what is it for?
I saw it in puglia last week
Jewellers to display rings on
No, @Farooq got it (with suspicious ease, but I will cut him some slack and presume he's seen it before). It's a set of hinged, gold and bronze nutcrackers from the 4th century BC, from Taranto, Puglia
Boris Johnson reprises his attacks on Starmer's DPP record in his new Mail column:
"He takes responsibility for everything that took place on his watch - except of course for the failure to prosecute the paedophile, necrophiliac and BBC superstar Jimmy Savile."
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
It's getting fucking tedious already
It's also making me feel sorry for Sunak. He's doing his best, he's not very good at basic politics, he got publicly humiliated during his stupid Downing St speech. Enough. He's going to lose. It really does begin to feel like bullying, especially as his such a tiny tot of a man
If he's messed his country and party and colleagues around in the interest of making his CV look good he deserves it.
I thought exit signs had to be green because panicking people think red means prohibited
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
It's getting fucking tedious already
It's also making me feel sorry for Sunak. He's doing his best, he's not very good at basic politics, he got publicly humiliated during his stupid Downing St speech. Enough. He's going to lose. It really does begin to feel like bullying, especially as his such a tiny tot of a man
The press will overreach like they did with Brown's handwritten letters. They can't help themselves. It's rather pathetic. The non partisans will be non plussed
Starmer would be the most dangerous PM since the 1970s - says Boris Johnson
Showing that Johnson would have run a much more effective campaign than Sunak.
Nah, the campaign would have been about Boris Johnson's parties.
Oh and lying about putting about known sexual predator in a position of authority.
There's a reason why Boris Johnson's ratings at the end were as bad as Corbyn's at his worst.
Do you really think that Boris Johnson would have made a worse fist of this GE than Sunak?
Turnout would have been higher, motivated to get rid of him, and the imperative to see him buried by voting tactically would be even stronger. It’s probably now the only thing that would get me voting Labour in my seat.
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
It's getting fucking tedious already
It's also making me feel sorry for Sunak. He's doing his best, he's not very good at basic politics, he got publicly humiliated during his stupid Downing St speech. Enough. He's going to lose. It really does begin to feel like bullying, especially as his such a tiny tot of a man
If he's messed his country and party and colleagues around in the interest of making his CV look good he deserves it.
I thought exit signs had to be green because panicking people think red means prohibited
It's not so much that he doesn't deserve it, maybe he does, it's more that it is ALREADY boring
It would be nice if either party would announce some actual and exciting policies. The country needs some optimism and a sense of direction, not endless gotchas and gaffes, like the whole thing is panto
We complain that our politics is infantile and that our politicians are feeble, but then we treat it like it is meaningless farce, so we have only ourselves to blame
John Sweeney for Liberals in Andrew Mitchell's W Midlands seat may be a fun outing. Seems a bit of a character in trad liberal style. "The Sweeney have arrived" he shouts in town centre:
Hiya gang I’m running against “Thrasher” @AndrewmitchMP in Sutton Coldfield for @LibDems standing up for clean rivers, rich people being taxed effectively and our friends in Ukraine. “Thrasher” has been whitewashing Rwanda: “You’re nicked my son.”
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
It's getting fucking tedious already
It's also making me feel sorry for Sunak. He's doing his best, he's not very good at basic politics, he got publicly humiliated during his stupid Downing St speech. Enough. He's going to lose. It really does begin to feel like bullying, especially as his such a tiny tot of a man
Rishi does not plan his own campaign tours. We have to question the competence of the CCHQ campaign team. They are the ones making these unforced errors, and we are only two days in.
John Sweeney for Liberals in Andrew Mitchell's W Midlands seat may be a fun outing. Seems a bit of a character in trad liberal style. "The Sweeney have arrived" he shouts in town centre:
Hiya gang I’m running against “Thrasher” @AndrewmitchMP in Sutton Coldfield for @LibDems standing up for clean rivers, rich people being taxed effectively and our friends in Ukraine. “Thrasher” has been whitewashing Rwanda: “You’re nicked my son.”
The Tories may be breathing a sigh of relief because Labour have been threatening their position in Sutton Coldfield for the first time, (it used to be the safest Tory seat in the country), but a strong LD challenge would mean the opposition to them is split.
Hasn't Johnson just committed libel in the Mail re Jimmy Saville and SKS?
He always brags about his time as head of Crown Prosecution Service, and how he takes responsibility for everything that took place on his watch – except of course for the failure to prosecute the paedophile, necrophiliac and BBC superstar, Jimmy Savile. Just, as they say, sayin'...
That looks to be arguably just the safe side of the line, and obfuscated enough, to be technically defensible as a description.
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
This is getting rather pathetic. There are exit signs everywhere on a plane. Somebody takes a photo on their iphone its now a PR disaster. If Team Sunak was running around trying to cover up every exit sign or man-handling any journo who tries to take a snap, the press would be saying look how thin skinned he is.
The Tories were only too happy to condemn Mr Miliband for eating a bacon sandwich, though, so they can't very well complain now.
One difference with that was Team Miliband actually set that PR shot up to show how much of a normal bloke he was and he flopped it. But yes it the criticism was OTT. It is a sign of how unserious our media have become. As we found out during COVID most of them can't even add 2 + 2, but spend their lives on the tw@tter machine reposting total nonsense. It just gets worse and worse, that literally all they talk about.
As I said previous thread, the ICJ ruling on Israel, Israel's response, there are serious questions to ask Sunak and Starmer, what you going to do, still send arms?
The ICJ ruling is a bloody disgrace, especially when it's not tied to a release of the hostages.
Israel, who are not a party to the ICJ, are well within their rights to give an Arkell v Pressdram response to the ruling.
It might be, but it does raise tricky questions for the likes of US and UK politicians. Its a serious question to ask them, Israel has signalled already they will continue on, what is your position, why, do you have your own redlines, etc. Its grown up proper stuff that needs addressing.
The US quite rightly is not a party to the ICJ, like Israel.
After today's despicable ruling, I would support us quitting such a twisted institution too.
My personal red line would be the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages taken last year, the unconditional surrender and disarmament of Hamas, and for Hamas to face justice for what they have done.
When that happens, then I would support the war ending. Until then, Israel has the right to self defence and if Hamas are in Rafah then they should be targeted there until they surrender unconditionally. Anyone who denies Israel the right to self defence is wrong, and that includes it seems the ICJ.
As Nelson Mandela who understood apartheid better than anyone said in 1977
"We Know Too well That Our Freedom Is Incomplete Without the Freedom of the Palestinians"
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
Can you provide some comment if you're just going to copy and paste Tweets? I know I do it but I also provide a question or some thought on it. You are just a Twitter feed and it's starting to grate.
(If PB would prefer I didn't post Tweets with comment I will happily stop - but I like to reference what I am talking about.)
Reposting tweets can be interesting if they provide new information or a story e.g. I think this story over Sunak appearing to mislead the campaigner over the Manchester bombing is interesting. What we don't need then is 20 more tweets that are basically saying the same thing, what a knobhead, liar, etc, same as 20 more tweets from journalists all circle jerking about Sunak photoed near an exit sign on a plane (of all places). GE campaigns are busy and fast moving, there is already plenty of signal and ridiculous amount of noise.
Those who post tweets should also post the link to the original so those of us who care can see it with the photo and in context.
It's such a great image I'm going to use my quota to day to post it:
It is an amazing image - what were the chances of managing to get a photo of someone on a plane with an exit sign. Must be terrible planning by the Tories to use a plane with exit signs. Madness.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
It's getting fucking tedious already
It's also making me feel sorry for Sunak. He's doing his best, he's not very good at basic politics, he got publicly humiliated during his stupid Downing St speech. Enough. He's going to lose. It really does begin to feel like bullying, especially as his such a tiny tot of a man
Just seen the results of our first poll of the campaign! 👀
Follow @OpiniumResearch and @ObserverUK for the first of (at least) 7 polls we'll be conducting throughout the campaign - tables released tomorrow evening. #GE24
The local election results showed the polling to largely be true.
That, plus a bit of tactical voting, is what I expect to happen.
Indeed, the 1995 and 1996 local election results were indicative of what would happen at the 1997 GE. I remember reading after the 1995 round the Telegraph doing its "analysis" claiming the numbers would give Labour over 400 seats and the Conservatives between 150 and 160 seats. Slightly low on the Conservative number but not by much.
This time, the Conservatives might take some comfort from the performances of Hall and Houchen as well as Street but the London GLA results were very poor for the Conservatives and I suspect are more indicative of how London will vote in the GE than the Mayoral contest.
To be honest, I think all of this stuff about the plane sign or the Titanic is all fairly pointless and self-defeating.
I wouldn't call Sunak "alright", I don't despise him in the way I do Johnson but he seems a decent chap at heart if that's what you mean. Terrible PM though with very poor political judgment.
Seriously, though. His handlers really, *really* hate him, don’t they?
(picture goes here)
This is getting rather pathetic. There are exit signs everywhere on a plane. Somebody takes a photo on their iphone its now a PR disaster. If Team Sunak was running around trying to cover up every exit sign or man-handling any journo who tries to take a snap, the press would be saying look how thin skinned he is.
Yes. It's less a sign of how rubbish Sunak or his campaign team are, but if how deeply unpopular he is that journos are scrabbling around to find/invent examples of him being crap.
Unless there comes to be a bit more substance to it I think it will be a game they will tire of pretty soon.
I think we can rely on Sunak to supply the substance. He is genuinely the guy in the video bragging about how he knew some working, well actually lower middle, class chaps at Oxford, huzzah. There's a lot of rich comedy to come.
With all due respect, Sunak doesn't really come from money. His parents owned a pharmacy and worked - one might imagine - 18 hour days to pay for their son to go to Winchester.
He went from there to Oxford to a Hedge Fund to Parliament. And I'm sure the connections he made on the way helped, but he isn't from some uber wealthy family or from old or new money.
Sunak strikes me as the typical upper middle class kid trying to fit in at a school full of poshos and being a chronic overachiever yet also carrying a chip on his shoulder the rest of his life, about those who had it all handed it all to them on a plate. And God knows, I know, because I'm from the same background.
The awkwardness, the sense of displacement, never quite leaves you. Existing in their world but never quite being one of them.
I have it on good authority from his neighbours he was laughed at when he showed up at his constituency in brand new wellies and barbour and Landie, but looking like all the gear and no idea. We all know the type. It took me years to feel comfortable with myself - Sunak strikes me as the sort who's 40-odd years old and has *still* not learned to feel comfortable with himself.
This is the George Osborne story too, isn't it? Looked down on, bullied to the point of having to change his name, always a bit self-conscious about it, found success in his 20s and headed for the top.
But Osborne recognised the problem. He knew in 2005 that he'd not be the next Tory PM. And, sure, there was a point in the middle of the last decade where probably he began to think "maybe, just maybe...", but he'd had the chance to grow in to himself a bit more by then - and, besides, Brexit scuppered it.
It can't be that uncommon, certainly not in Tory circles - but what sets Rishi apart is, as you say, that he hasn't learned to overcome it. Why not?
The most obvious answer is simply that he was promoted too far, too soon.
If he'd stayed Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Boris, and then became Chancellor under whoever happened to succeed him, he'd now be in pole position to become leader after the election. And he would almost certainly have done a better job of it than he's made of being PM.
So... it's the Dom Cummings / Sajid Javid spat that we should blame for how things have ended up?
Comments
1987 - It was a common observation by the media that Labour had the best campaign, on election night the BBC had a poll (not an exit poll) that showed a hung parliament - The result a Tory majority of over 100.
So after 1987 and 1992 even when the 1997 exit poll showed a massive Labour landslide, he was wired up for the worst result, it was only after Portillo lost he realised Labour were about to win.
It won't happen.
It is the stuff of nightmares but plausible. The BBC are hellbent on at least one daily gotcha against Labour. Sunak on the other hand is allowed to talk nonsense (dare I say downright fibs) with no recourse.
Probably felt a bit different if you were in a Yorkshire coal town but fuck em
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2qq6qexvzpo
PS. Aeroplane pics but I refrained from posting them. They're in the linky. Very odd aeroplanes specially for Rwanda training.
PPS: Isn't this a breach of purdah?
https://x.com/greg_price11/status/1794007114395922804
There is a convincing campaign going on between the broadcast media and the Conservatives suggesting the Tories are pretty rum, but Labour are no better.Ben Kentish on LBC was critical of Starmer dropping his tuition fee pledge which was an indicator he claimed that Labour are as disinterested in young people as the Tories are.
Although there have been no big movements yet........
"Terribly inefficient," they harrumph, "look at all that excess capacity going to waste!"
But we're going to find plenty of things to do when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing. Like this, for example: https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/cement-recycling
Recycling cement by using it as flux in the giant electric arc furnaces that we'll be using anyway to make zero-carbon steel.
It just needs electricity - and lots of it.
PICTURE QUIZ
What is this and where is it from and what is it for?
I saw it in puglia last week
Meanwhile, Donald Trump:
John O’Donnell, former president of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, quoted Trump’s criticism of a Black accountant: “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day. … I think that the guy is lazy. And it’s probably not his fault, because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that. It’s not anything they can control.” Trump later said in a 1997 Playboy interview that “the stuff O’Donnell wrote about me is probably true.”
There are countless other examples of Trump's racism which are not hard to find. Clearly saying the the right things in that clip, you know and I know that Trump doesn't mean them. He's a dyed-in-the-wool racist and always has been.
Its 2400 years old
The answer is honestly a little bit WTF
"He takes responsibility for everything that took place on his watch - except of course for the failure to prosecute the paedophile, necrophiliac and BBC superstar Jimmy Savile."
https://x.com/JAHeale/status/1794050918817857622
What an absolute wanker Johnson is.
He went from there to Oxford to a Hedge Fund to Parliament. And I'm sure the connections he made on the way helped, but he isn't from some uber wealthy family or from old or new money.
Speaking to the PA news agency afterwards, Ms Hughes said she did not feel satisfied with Mr Sunak’s answer.
She said: “We are very much the forgotten sector. I’ve had this nursery for two years and it’s a constant battle, funding doesn’t cover costs.”
She added: “There’s no pay incentive, we work horrendous hours and it’s just desperately trying to get any government to acknowledge us.”
Asked whether she saw any offer for childcare from Labour, she said she had not looked into it fully but added: “I would be inclined to vote Labour after that answer.”
It's happened, I feel sorry for Rishi.
Next some genius journo will manage to get a photo of Rishi somewhere where there is a sign for loos and we can giggle about him going down the pan.
Luckily Sir Keir avoids such places with exits and bogs because his genius campaign team.
Manchester United decide to sack Erik ten Hag regardless of Cup final outcome
Move is most significant made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his allies
United’s eighth-placed league finish their lowest since 1990
https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/may/24/manchester-united-decide-to-sack-erik-ten-hag-regardless-of-cup-final-outcome
Starmer would be the most dangerous PM since the 1970s - says Boris Johnson
Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock dies at 53
Sad news, I really enjoyed Super Size Me as a youngster.
A f*****' "PICTURE QUIZ"?
But if you didn't google it, well done
That is a gold and bronze nutcracker from Taranto from the 4th century BC, when Taranto was possibly the richest city in the world (outside China anyway). It is hinged at the top
Imagine being that wealthy that you make an exquisite NUTCRACKER out of gold, and with marvelous craftsmanship, too. I would love to time travel to Ancient Greece/Magna Graecia, it was one of humanity's peak moments
Or, more prosaically, ornamental pliers? Or some sort of corkscrew?
The awkwardness, the sense of displacement, never quite leaves you. Existing in their world but never quite being one of them.
I have it on good authority from his neighbours he was laughed at when he showed up at his constituency in brand new wellies and barbour and Landie, but looking like all the gear and no idea. We all know the type. It took me years to feel comfortable with myself - Sunak strikes me as the sort who's 40-odd years old and has *still* not learned to feel comfortable with himself.
Oh and lying about putting about known sexual predator in a position of authority.
There's a reason why Boris Johnson's ratings at the end were as bad as Corbyn's at his worst.
Pa Woolie (Norwich South) - occasional Tory, mainly at local level, was a Cameron supporter, big Thatcher fan in the 80s. Not voting, wants the Tories in opposition for at least a term, thinks Labour will screw up but recognises it's their turn and theyve probably 'earned the right', but cant bring himself to vote Starmer/Labour.
Big Sis Woolie (and bro in law) (Broadland and Fakenham) both voted Major 92, Blair 97 but have been back Tory ever since and are on the Francois/Jenkyns wing. Utterly depressed at everything and the mess we are in, but vehemently anti Labour. Resigned to opposition but voting Tory as don't want fo see a bloodbath
Wooliedyed (Norwich South) - they can all kiss my arse, kick out as many of the big 4 out as we can. We have been utterly let down by these arseholes on all benches. Popcorn and enjoy the fireworks.
Thus concludes the votes from the Woolie jury.
It's also making me feel sorry for Sunak. He's doing his best, he's not very good at basic politics, he got publicly humiliated during his stupid Downing St speech. Enough. He's going to lose. It really does begin to feel like bullying, especially as his such a tiny tot of a man
So using intermittent sources of electricity isn’t the best option.
The real fun will begin when solar+batteries drops low enough. And keeps on falling. The ultimate floor for that is probably a fraction of the cheapest fossil fuels.
(if it's a fat-arsed bearded Celt from Cornwall, I apologise)
Apart from nearly decapitating the candidate's wife, it was a good learning experience.
He used to be important, I think.
I thought exit signs had to be green because panicking people think red means prohibited
The Tories would have been polling in the single digits.
It would be nice if either party would announce some actual and exciting policies. The country needs some optimism and a sense of direction, not endless gotchas and gaffes, like the whole thing is panto
We complain that our politics is infantile and that our politicians are feeble, but then we treat it like it is meaningless farce, so we have only ourselves to blame
If I hadn't taken the photo myself in Taranto's amazing little museum, I would find it hard to believe. But it is the case
That, plus a bit of tactical voting, is what I expect to happen.
If he gets off his arse.
That looks to be arguably just the safe side of the line, and obfuscated enough, to be technically defensible as a description.
https://fullfact.org/online/keir-starmer-prosecute-jimmy-savile/
Joey Barton, not so much:
Joey Barton calling Jeremy Vine 'bike nonce' had defamatory meaning, judge rules
https://pressgazette.co.uk/media_law/jeremy-vine-joey-barton-defamatory/
https://x.com/pressgazette/status/1793992455022395473
"We Know Too well That Our Freedom Is Incomplete Without the Freedom of the Palestinians"
The guy's alright.
This time, the Conservatives might take some comfort from the performances of Hall and Houchen as well as Street but the London GLA results were very poor for the Conservatives and I suspect are more indicative of how London will vote in the GE than the Mayoral contest.
I wouldn't call Sunak "alright", I don't despise him in the way I do Johnson but he seems a decent chap at heart if that's what you mean. Terrible PM though with very poor political judgment.
But Osborne recognised the problem. He knew in 2005 that he'd not be the next Tory PM. And, sure, there was a point in the middle of the last decade where probably he began to think "maybe, just maybe...", but he'd had the chance to grow in to himself a bit more by then - and, besides, Brexit scuppered it.
It can't be that uncommon, certainly not in Tory circles - but what sets Rishi apart is, as you say, that he hasn't learned to overcome it. Why not?
The most obvious answer is simply that he was promoted too far, too soon.
If he'd stayed Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Boris, and then became Chancellor under whoever happened to succeed him, he'd now be in pole position to become leader after the election. And he would almost certainly have done a better job of it than he's made of being PM.
So... it's the Dom Cummings / Sajid Javid spat that we should blame for how things have ended up?