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Disappointed they haven't gone for the Portal approach yet.
PROTECT CAKE
All the political comedians must have collapsed in tears on hearing that. I mean how can they top that?
That would be the icing on the cake
But what about filthy foreign cake, like Black Forest gâteau and Madeira cake?
Let's face it, he's being desserted by all those around him.
Let’s face it, he’s being desserted by all those around him.
Hahaha, that's briliant 😀
Hopefully he’ll be seeing the custardy sergeant soon
There's a joke about clowns and custard pies in here somewhere... but i'm juggling.
EDIT, i spoke too soon
colp
Full MemberHopefully he’ll be seeing the custardy sergeant soon
Hahaha, that’s briliant
Every dog has their day!😁
On topic though, you can see in the interviews that Johnson is suffering from the constant attacks. His eyes are noticeably glazed over.
His eyes are noticeably glazed over.
After effects of all those parties.
lovely line from ms Hyde
A vast tide of something is flowing out of Downing Street, but it doesn’t smell like history.
^^ Glazed, damn you, glazed!😁
AMBUSHED WITH A CAKE
Damn those dwarves and their bakery munitions.
AMBUSHED WITH A CAKE
Damn those dwarves and their bakery munitions.
Reminds me of the scene with Sean bean and robert denero....
Any gues what Starmer's first question will be at pmq's?
Is there anything else you'd like to tell us Prime minister?
Like Ernie the milkman. Taken down by cake!
I'm glad everyone it's getting a rise out of this.
Taken down by cake!
Pork pie… which is topical as well…
He will claim it was the fairy (cakes) wot did it
Eton Mess cake anyone?
It would mean divorce
and a custardy battle
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Flan B
^^ Jezus, the absolute moral vacuum is astounding.
https://unbound.com/books/the-decade-in-tory/
Someone posted a tweet from the author of the above book a few pages back. Haven't laughed so hard in a long time.
So I've bought an advance copy of his book. Thought I'd share the link if anyone's interested 😊
EDIT - Top of page 214, posted by jam-bo
The fines for breaking lockdown are up to £10 000 - not a speeding ticket in my book.
Where the Mail leads… Kirsty Walk trying to walk the same line with Emily Thornberry & Layla Moran on Newsnight but they keep stopping her and coming back to “one rule for them, another for everyone else”. Surely this is what Johnson is relying on… kick this down the road and hope that “events” take over in the press and his lie upon lie upon lie about these lockdown get togethers start to look less important. Who needs a truthful leader, we just need to move on.
The haunted pencil on saying nothing… we need to wait for… blah blah… just play for time. In the meantime… let’s talk about “more important things”. “We’re talking about a slice of cake”… no we’re talking about a prime minister’s lies, including to parliament, and attempts to cover up his social gatherings that took place when he was telling us we couldn’t do the same.
Haunted pencil aka Steampunk 3CPO needs some lessons on body language How many times did he raise his palm towards Kirsty Wark?
…….and he now believes any new PM constitutionally should call a GE to justify themselves. A convenient concept to scare vulnerable MPs…
Haunted pencil aka Steampunk 3CPO needs some lessons on body language How many times did he raise his palm towards Kirsty Wark
That’s what happens naturally when you’re surrounded by staff but don’t actually have any friends.
What Boris Johnson does is much the same. And Gove. And all the rest of them. I doubt any of them have got anyone that would qualify as what most of us identify with as genuine ‘friends’
You could almost feel sorry for them
If they weren’t such utter ****s
Regarding all this talk about cakes,
nothing has been proved.
That pun didn't rise to the occasion.
We are all now living in an episode of the Thick of It. Truly now beyond parody…
https://twitter.com/conorgogarty/status/1486056947396788235?s=21
You could almost feel sorry for them
Careful Binners you could be goimg soft on them , I would expect better from you
Personally, I'm hoping that Boris rides out this storm and stays PM until the next election.
To be clear (as today's politicians would say), this is not because I have anything other than complete contempt for hin and his party.
My worry is that, if he goes now, that gives two years for his successor (Rishi, Hunt or - God preserve us - Truss) to steady the ship.
Whereas if BJ stays there he'll inevitably lunge from crisis to self-made crisis until even the Great British Electorate have had enough.
Depressing though it is,I can't see the Tories losing other than by a protest vote.
let’s talk about “more important things”. “We’re talking about a slice of cake”… no we’re talking about a prime minister’s lies, including to parliament, and attempts to cover up his social gatherings that took place when he was telling us we couldn’t do the same.
Indeed - the issue is only really one of 'getting caught' now - now that the height of the pandemic, in terms of mortality, is behind us.If you're desperate to try and trivialise it you can try and make sound like muck-raking to be picking through it all now. But imagine if the story of any of these parties and broken in the days after they took place - the government's grip of a public health emergency has always been pretty tenuous - they've been pulled along, for the most part, by the public rather than lead. But if these stories had broken at the time then the government - and I don't mean No 10, or the cabinet, or parliament - but government in terms of all public the public agencies seeking to insure the nation's safety - would have lost all authority and all ability to manage and communicate during a global crisis. And people would have died - lots more of them.
There were 'Important things' then too and a cowardly and careless leader ****ing them up - lets not kid ourselves distractions are a problem now for Boris 'doesnt turn up for briefings' Johnson or any of his enablers.
140,000 excess deaths - laid end to end the coffins would stretch from London to Birmingham. There were definitely 'important things'.
That’s what happens naturally when you’re surrounded by staff but don’t actually have any friends.
What Boris Johnson does is much the same. And Gove. And all the rest of them. I doubt any of them have got anyone that would qualify as what most of us identify with as genuine ‘friends’
You could almost feel sorry for them
If they weren’t such utter ****s
I think that is true for most politicians. To get on in that kind of environment you don't bother with making "friends" of people who cannot further your career, and you do make "friends" of those who can. They may have a few genuine friends who are not other politicians, possibly.
My concern remains that when we've rightly been looking at lies around parties, we've not been looking at the Police and Crime, the Immigration bill, the Electoral changes bill....
Well, with >>> all this <<< mess going on around the government, it has been easier for the HoL to slow the progress of those bills, and point out the problems with them.... and it will be harder to push them through the HoC.
Careful Binners you could be goimg soft
Surely that would make Binners a biscuit 🤔🤔
My concern remains that when we’ve rightly been looking at lies around parties, we’ve not been looking at the Police and Crime, the Immigration bill, the Electoral changes bill….
This ^^
Nationality Bill
Indeed – the issue is only really one of ‘getting caught’ now – now that the height of the pandemic, in terms of mortality, is behind us.If you’re desperate to try and trivialise it you can try and make sound like muck-raking to be picking through it all now.
"It was only ten minutes" avoids the thorny problem of why these restrictions existed: to stop people dying.
Jim’ll nails it
I don't know why anyone is surprised, after all it's called the Conservative Party. It would be a different story if the Labour Buzzkill were in power.
So, is today the day, Sue Gray day?
It has to be bad doesn't it? First the Tories wanted it delayed until the Police had looked into it, but Gray said No, then they wanted it released, pretty much as the PM stood to answer it, when he'd no doubt claim complete innocence and hope no one bothered to check? But the Speaker of the House said no. No it looks like after first saying it would be redacted, then that it wouldn't be, now it looks like Johnson is going to stop most of it becoming public. Of course it will be leaked within moments, but No10 / Johnson seem to be in a complete panic now.
However it is released, what realdactions are in place and how long everyone has to digest it before he has to answer questions on it there will be chaos.
My guess is it's released after PMQ's and with lots of redactions. They will then announce something different (possibly about Russia) shortly after to try and dictate the morning headlines. I have a real fear that what should be Johnson being forced out will end up with us at war with Putin!
It has to be bad doesn’t it?
I dont know. I mean how often has an inquiry gone against the person who ordered it? The only time you allow a properly independent inquiry is when you know it wont hurt you so normally historical.
I know he isnt exactly details focussed but surely he would have got that detail right?
Once again I hope that the opposition actually ramp up in PMQ's, not only to challenge this situation, but to pull the debate around to the 'real' issues that are heading our way...
If it's released after PMQs, he can deflect and defer questions.
If its released before, well, he's not had time to study and review the findings.
He'll wriggle and squeal like the little pig he is either way.
I think the friends thing would vary politician to politician. Years ago when I lived in London I went running with people who were MP's, mostly conservative, and they were pretty normal people generally. I've also met junior ministers, and usually ditto but some were not. I can imagine Gove having friends, Boris... hmmm.... people he's known a long time , but acquaintances rather than friends. I have a friend of a friend who was at school with Boris, but I haven't spoken to him for the best part of 20 years, and he was pretty similar to Boris - nice to go drinking with, but interested in selling you shares in his tech startup at the time...
It has to be bad doesn’t it?
I dont know. I mean how often has an inquiry gone against the person who ordered it? The only time you allow a properly independent inquiry is when you know it wont hurt you so normally historical.
I know he isnt exactly details focussed but surely he would have got that detail right?
I don't know either. This really is a Tory Civil war though. Johnson has been forced into a lot of things he didn't want to do by his backbenchers, not the Opposition, the Press or even us Commoners.
As with most things, he's managed to act badly too late and Cummings is waaaay better as these sorts of dirty tricks, trapping him into lie after lie, I can't remember the timeline but the story is bigger now and when Johnson first ordered the enquiry, Simon Case, Sue's Boss was supposed to do it, but it turned out he'd held a party too, so Johnson ended up with Sue Gray who is an odd one.
Politically they're supposed to be impartial, but I don't think anyone really is. Simon Case, seemed to have only ever worked for Tories. Public School and then Cambridge, doesn't sound like he has many centre-left leanings. Sue Gray on the other hand no one really knows much about her, other than she's been a Civil Servant since the 70s, well, at least when she wasn't running a Pub in a dodgy part of Belfast during The Troubles, on one hand she investigated Damian Green which resulted in his sacking and Gordon Brown thought highly of her when she worked for him, but on the other, she's known for being good in a crisis and an expert on not leaving a paper trail (aka destroying evidence).
Wonder how many lines Johnson will be snorting to get through PMQs today? He was off his face last week, this week I wouldn't be surprised if he has a sudden nosebleed or heart attack at the dispatch box. 😄
Meanwhile all the tories think he's Jeremy Corbyn in disguise..
https://twitter.com/DavidGHFrost/status/1486097452780376064?s=20
but on the other, she’s known for being good in a crisis and an expert on not leaving a paper trail (aka destroying evidence).
Lady Gray 🙂
wbo
Free Member
I think the friends thing would vary politician to politician. Years ago when I lived in London I went running with people who were MP’s, mostly conservative, and they were pretty normal people generally. I’ve also met junior ministers, and usually ditto but some were not. I can imagine Gove having friends, Boris… hmmm…. people he’s known a long time , but acquaintances rather than friends. I have a friend of a friend who was at school with Boris, but I haven’t spoken to him for the best part of 20 years, and he was pretty similar to Boris – nice to go drinking with, but interested in selling you shares in his tech startup at the time…
This - it varies. I've met Boris and have friends who worked for him while he was Mayor. None of them have anything good to say about him (and all know of a lot of stories that he has managed to keep out of the press).
Other MPs and even ministers are genuinely good people, doing it for the right reasons. My MP is Ben Wallace and, even though I didn't vote for him, I'm impressed. I've never seen him playing politics, he's a decent local MP, he seems to be doing a decent job of defence and, having met him a few times, he's a nice guy.
However there is also the old adage ” Never interrupt your enemy when he is
making a mistakebeing ambushed by cake.”
Stolen shamelessly from Twitter.
Edit: Sue Gray is known for doing everything by phone not destroying evidence. She should be disciplined for failing to document her decisions and processes as every other civil servant has to.
I’ve met Boris and have friends who worked for him while he was Mayor. None of them have anything good to say about him (and all know of a lot of stories that he has managed to keep out of the press).
Wasn't it one of his former aides when he was mayor who famously said:
"Everyone loves Boris...
apart from those who know him"?
Meanwhile all the tories think he’s Jeremy Corbyn in disguise..
Well... there are plenty of Conservative MPs now calling for this year's tax (NI) tax rise to be changed to reduce the impact on the lower paid. They don't think he's a Jeremy Corbyn, they think he's increasing taxes on the less well off just when they can afford it least. I think it's fair to say that, right now, there's very little that "all the tories" agree about as regards Johnson & Sunak's leadership. Some MPs are waiting for their constituents to see some levelling up, and their lives improved in some financial way... and the exact opposite is coming down the tracks at them.
She should be disciplined for failing to document her decisions and processes as every other civil servant has to.
This is certainly the view of civil servants I work with. I miss my old Perm Sec, but he got the sack a year or so ago because he was decent and principled.
It's already clear what Johnson's tactics are for PMQs... "obviously I can't say anything about that". And lots of "Captain Hindsight" comments.
"But imagine if the story of any of these parties and broken in the days after they took place"
Theres never a drone when you need one!
I've seen a few visceral shudders from civil servants when Truss or Gove are mentioned. The closer they are to the action the more difficult it is to get a story.
Watching PMQs again. Same old shite from Johnson again.
The man is a total ****.
It’s already clear what Johnson’s tactics are for PMQs… “obviously I can’t say anything about that”. And lots of “Captain Hindsight” comments.
Is anyone else of the view that the reason that the no10 parties are now a criminal investigation is probably so BJ can carry on for another few weeks?
Some potential criminality, leaked by civil servants on Sue Grey's team to the MET?
His pmq reference to KS lawyer so "he knows I can't say anything", and "criminal investigation so I can't say anything", tactical politics if ever I saw it.
I'd expect the out come will be minimal fines for some poor civil servants and a sacking of quite a few and that'll be about it.
It's interesting how many conservative voters I've spoken too now have a heavy dislike of BJ - not enough to change their political following though.
I do think that Kier misses a trick by focusing on one area, he should ask 4 different questions to highlight their incompetence, e.g. Police investigation, plan for Ukraine, COVID, Brext, cost of living, energy crisis, levelling up... thus disarming any of BoJo's typical diversionary responses
Not as good as last week from Starmer but what a shambolic performance from Johnson. Not as coked up as last week but looked shifty and mendacious
It's very hard to get anything to escape parliament and reach the public. PMQs is a rare chance... and if you want one thing to escape the bubble of Westminster, then repeatedly hammer it home at PMQs... Johnson lied to parliament. Johnson lies to the public.
I agree @pieface
more lies surfaceing though:
https://twitter.com/jessicaelgot/status/1486314413040844812
Not as coked up as last week but looked shifty and mendacious
https://twitter.com/BBCLauraKT/status/1486316686055772164?t=ylyYeom9MzVQrxcpRm6pzA&s=19
I’ve seen a few visceral shudders from civil servants when Truss or Gove are mentioned. The closer they are to the action the more difficult it is to get a story.
Same goes for those working under Priti Patel...
Is anyone else of the view that the reason that the no10 parties are now a criminal investigation is probably so BJ can carry on for another few weeks?
Some potential criminality, leaked by civil servants on Sue Grey’s team to the MET?
I think that is probably the case, let the Met know just enough to make sure they have to investigate then claim that the report cannot be released. It seems to have backfired though now that the Met have said the report can still be released.
I thought Kirsty Wark missed a trick last night when JRM used a word to describe the situation that I'd never even heard or new existed. He was obviously using it to show how clever he was and using it as a put down to the rest of us.
She should of asked him what the word meant. He would have undoubtedly explained it.
She should of then put it to him that he was using it in the wrong context, to which he would have replied he wasn't. At which point Kirsty Yoing should have said she was talking about the context of people actually understanding what he was saying.
She probably knew what the word in question meant so thus fell into the trap of not wanting to appear ignorant in front of JRM. That's not doing her job, her job is to communicate information to the public. She let her ego get in the way and thus made herself look like one of the elite, an insider, not one of us. It would have been better for her if she 'pretended' not to know what the word meant.
Peston wouldn't have let him get away with it. Newsnight really isn't very good.
What was the word inkster?
Was it ambuscade, or something? In place of ambush?
ambuscade
Yes. He was just making pointless noise to distract and to help fill the time to avoid answering any questions.
Now caught out about lying RE prioritising the evacuation of animals from Afghanistan. He said at the time 'Complete nonsense.' Email released today says otherwise...
I'm still awaiting a reply from my local MP, James Daly, on the whole Partygate thing. He, like Boris, goes to ground at times like this.
However, he's covered himself in glory today. He has just publicly invited a colleague to visit Bury Magistrates court! Absolutely unbelievable! The problem for Mr Daly is that Bury’s court was closed in 2017 by the Tory government as part of their cuts!
As a solicitor of 16 years, and a member of the Justice Committee you'd like to expect he might have known this
It probably tells you all you need to know about how much time he actually spends in his constituency
We are governed by utter ****ing morons!🙄
