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There were no other mainstream parties standing as it was to replace the MP that got killed. Turnout was (I think) the lowest ever and 1/3 of normal or something.
it was to replace the murdered MP, Kryton, and all of the major parties said they would not field a competing candidate out of respect
Oh gosh, apologies for not reading beyond headline numbers in the circumstances. 🙁
Well this is certainly one interpretation...
https://news.sky.com/story/boris-johnson-minister-claims-four-downing-street-resignations-are-prime-minister-taking-charge-minister-says-12532414
Awesome way to 'take charge' by Johnson 😁.
Supposing for one millisecond that this is true - what calibre of person will take a job working for him in the pretty much certainty you'll be thrown under a (red presumably) bus when it all goes wrong!
Yup, Hands on Radio4 as well, delivered his long piece about “the Prime Minister promised a shake up”. He then refused to “opine” about whether the PM was right to use parliamentary privilege to link Savile to Starmer… because he is too busy as energy minister to have a view on it. Not too busy to spin the “shake up” line about people resigning… but too busy to deliver an answer about Johnson’s dodgy Savile slur (unlike Sunak).
Turnout in Southend was 24%, as has been said there was no candidates from a mainstream party opposing out of respect for Sir David Amess, although a number of fringe parties put up candidates. Interestingly there were over 1000 spoiled ballots, more than any other two candidates put together.
Grauniad are reporting another resignation this morning
On Sky too - Elena Narozanski stating she's left due to "...the PMs conduct."
The first resignation yesterday was clearly a shock. It’s just possible that the other three were people that were for the chop anyway and were brought forward to distract from the first so they could try to claim that it was part of the promised clear out. More today would obviously make it hard to stick to that line though.
all of the major parties said they would not field a competing candidate out of respect
Four different far-right candidates did stand however. It's interesting to note that none of them managed to get anything above the 2.7% vote that UKIP received.
And all the more so when you consider that secure in the knowledge that the Tories were certain to win, any racist bigot could have felt completely comfortable voting for any of the far-right candidates.
More today would obviously make it hard to stick to that line though.
R4 reporting one more name and rumour of more to follow today.
Johnson getting turfed out of No10 & facing criminal charges would make my decade.
I am heartily sick of this fat, privileged, entitled Etonian pr1k.
I wonder if that will trigger more letters to the 1922 commitee.
Heart wraming that the Psychedelic Party in Southend got more votes than most of the right-wingers, but disconcerting how many seemingly RW parties there were, but then thankful there's so many as that splits the vote.
And all the more so when you consider that secure in the knowledge that the Tories were certain to win, any racist bigot could have felt completely comfortable voting for any of the far-right candidates.
I’m not sure that candidates who are further right than UKIP getting 5% of the vote is something to feel brilliant about. The previous MP’s death was a tragedy however not contesting elections doesn’t serve democracy. If you want to make a statement don’t campaign but giving people the choice of a ‘joke’ party (I wasn't thinking of the Tories when I wrote this) and a selection of right wing nutters doesn’t serve anyone.
I give it 6 months before Johnson is so desperate for cash that he's hosting The Side Boob Hour on GBnews
Not sure about all of these advisers that are going…
Is it a “Cunning Plan™” so that when the fallout from the report finally happens Boris can say that he has weeded out all of those responsible for the parties?
Rats deserting a sinking ship or foot soldiers sacrificing themselves to protect the boss?
He doesn't actually want to work for his rightful cash though......
For once, he might actually be so tainted by this as to be toxic. I can only hope.
I’m not sure that candidates who are further right than UKIP getting 5% of the vote is something to feel brilliant about.
So you don't feel that well over 90% of the electorate in Southend West rejecting far-right candidates is something to feel good about? You don't appear easily pleased, just as well that you don't live in certain parts of Europe, assuming that you don't.
The resignations are just that. Resignations.
This is a double edge sword for the sofa. If he tries to spin it as him having the promised clear out then why are they not sackings? Normally, as pointed out earlier, they would be announced with a named replacement. Also by sacking various aides then that could also be seen as they are guilty of wrongdoing as found in the Sue Gray Report Whitewash.
They could be well orchestrated dead cats to throw the dogs off the scent, proving that he’s a political and strategic mastermind.
By “allowing” the resignations it shows he hasn’t got control.
Oh, that’s three edges to the sword, I’m giving him too much credit. The reality is this car crash is out of his control.
@Harry_the_Spider - At least two have given scathing resignation letters. I'm not sure it matters if they were pushed or jumped; the distrust is such that the opticas are bad and might push more tory MPs to submit letters
Deary me, those hypodermics are prominent, I can't imagine what the message is there. Nice thing about the resignations is that it begs a question of those who, at the moment at least, have not yet resigned. Whether some of those who resigned were going to get the boot anyway it doesn't matter, it creates a welcome air of chaos and insecurity.
Please please please don’t let him go before the local elections 😀
So you don’t feel that well over 90% of the electorate in Southend West rejecting far-right candidates is something to feel good about?
With the current state of the Tory party I’m not sure you can assert that
I assumed syringes were to do with his obsession with Jaaabs and Boooosters
With the current state of the Tory party I’m not sure you can assert that
So you are claiming that the Labour Party, the LibDems, and the Greens, all refused to stand a candidate against a far-right candidate? Interesting.
I'm beginning to think Boris may be so toxic after all this that he won't have a career when he leaves office, other than as a washed up circus freak show.
Though if he is also thinking this, I'm a little concerned what last ditch desperate measures he may attempt to save himself
Did anyone hear the tory MP who was ostensibly on Today this morning to discuss road pricing in the face of falling petrol and car tax revenue? Forgotten his name sorry. Gave a not so subtle **** off to Johnson, I'd wager he has a VONC letter in. Seemed pretty chummy with Sunak.
be nice to see him going the way of Gerald Ratner..
Please please please don’t let him go before the local elections 😀
I get the distinct feeling he's not planning on going anywhere. Who was it who said that they'd need a screwdriver to physically prize his fingers off the Downing Street door? I think they're right. He thinks occupying number 10 is his birthright. He'll have to be dragged out, kicking and screaming.
Watching them try and get rid of him should be entertaining. There's no way on earth he's going to go quietly
be nice to see him going the way of Gerald Ratner..
You mean becoming a fanatical road cyclist?
I see the tories have given Johnson another ultimatum. How many is that now? Spineless f***tards! 😄
tthew I think you are talking about my MP Huw Merriman, chair of the Transport Select Committee. I’ve certainly left him with no doubt on my thoughts!
Daily Fail leader is suggesting there might be ministerial resignations coming...
who do we think, kwasi kwarteng ? on promise of the Chancellors job ?
Greyspoke - No, more a toxic pariah that damaged his brand irreparably through his own vanity and stupidity
apparently kuenssberg has reported an Tory Mp saying Johnson will give JRM the boot?
The real VONC procedure.
apparently kuenssberg has reported an Tory Mp saying Johnson will give JRM the boot?
🙏
https://twitter.com/CountBinface/status/1489545918366068737?t=wQFfErdD4Gx6OMlXd3nadQ&s=19
“Jacob - can I pretend to sack you, if I give you and some mates some dodgy contracts & insider info for your hedge fund”
Another Pie rant
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opinion/boris-johnson-party-scandal.html?smid=url-share
apparently kuenssberg has reported an Tory Mp saying Johnson will give JRM the boot?
The boot from what? He's not a minister AFAIK.
The boot from what? He’s not a minister AFAIK.
He's Leader of the House of Commons. Ministerial position.
https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/leader-of-the-house-of-commons
Eton: Hogwarts for ****ers. Not sure that the evidence allows me to disagree with that.
Chris Patten, tory grandee personified, completely on R4 just now.
Describing johnson as a moral vacuum; parts of tory party have turned into english nationalist johnsonian cult; liz truss would not be a '...frightfully good choice' to replace johnson.
Questioning the existence of a tory party.
It certainly isn’t the party is was 10 years ago.
Chris Patten, tory grandee personified, completely on R4 just now.
Describing johnson as a moral vacuum; parts of tory party have turned into english nationalist johnsonian cult; liz truss would not be a ‘…frightfully good choice’ to replace johnson.
Questioning the existence of a tory party.
Never fails to piss me off that Patten, Major and some of the other Tory grandees turn out to be relatively sane and rational when not in power.
It certainly isn’t the party is was 10 years ago.
Brexit changed everything, allowing the complete takeover of the party by what had previously been a fringe element of complete fruitcakes. The most tragic thing about it is that this complete transformation was enabled by a man who believes in absolutely nothing other than himself.
If you look at present Tory policy its pretty much the UKIP manifesto from about 10 years ago. Everything they do is just Faragism
https://twitter.com/newsthump/status/1489566844184846341?s=20&t=ZRRsspNrhw6xenWuLMD8kA
Turnout in Southend was 24%, as has been said there was no candidates from a mainstream party opposing out of respect for Sir David Amess, although a number of fringe parties put up candidates. Interestingly there were over 1000 spoiled ballots, more than any other two candidates put together.
R4 news said 1100. To put it another way, ballot papers with cock and balls drawn on them (I like to think) came second 🙂
Another letter in…….. Come on Tories - I want a minister!!!
So that's about 12 we know about?
Only a matter of time now.
To put it another way, ballot papers with cock and balls drawn on them (I like to think) came second 🙂
I love shit like this from Twitter, but apparently the Coup is underway and you've got to admire the way Rich Tories network with their old friends.
Munira Mirza, whose resignation letter was so damming and so well timed (unless you're Boris) is married to Dougie Smith, who ran Swingers Parties in London before joining the Tory Party. Smith is one of those shady non-elected Tories that doesn't really have a title other than "Strategist" but he worked for Cummings, he's also good friends with Sunak.
Anyway, Mirza resigns, leaks the story and resignation letter to James Forsyth at the Spector, who also good Friends with Sunak, in fact Sunak was his Best Man.
Same people are saying Johnson will either go, or face a VONC by Monday.
So, all hail our new PM Rishi Sunak, a former Hedge Fund Manager who's only been in Politics for 8 years, who came from nowhere to been given one of the safest Tory seats in the Country as his first job in Politics that almost no one had ever heard, he didn't even hold a Cabinet Position until he was given the Treasury position 2 years go.
I know he's got his fan, even amongst people who don't vote Tory, but I'd bet he's indebted to some seriously rich and powerful people, his rise from Hedge Fund Manager to, probably PM in a few short years... iffy to say the least.
Interesting P-Jay! Makes you think.....
The Tory party never usually gives the top job to the person who wields the knife, but they made an exception with Boris, which has worked out really well
Well, it has. Lots of money has been made. Oh, you mean outside the circle of supporters and sponsors…
Sunak may think he's a dead cert, but its the members that choose so I'm not sure
While I'm enjoying the carnage, I'd rather Boris than Sunak to be honest - I've read quite a bit that sugests he's ruthless and doesn't give two hoots for average people. While I know Boris doesn't either, its pretty obvious that's more because Boris doesnt give two hoots about anyone not born Alexander de Peffel Johnson rather than any ideaology
He can’t even say anything meaningful to his MPs. He’s absolutely useless.
Anyway, Mirza resigns, leaks the story and resignation letter to James Forsyth at the Spector, who also good Friends with Sunak, in fact Sunak was his Best Man.
You missed the final link in the chain:
Forsyth has been married to the journalist Allegra Stratton since 2011. She was appointed as the Downing Street Press Secretary under Prime Minister Boris Johnson in November 2020.[1] They live in Canonbury in Islington with their two children.[12][13] He is close friends with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak; they were contemporaries at Winchester College and are godparents to each other's children.[4]
You missed the final link in the chain:
Not quite the final link. Remember that Dominic Cummings' wife Mary Wakefield also works for The Spectator.
What's jonsons end game here? As in what does he want to achieve?
It's an interesting question I think.
His end game is only ever tomorrow .
The idea that he now cares what backbenchers think is for the birds!
As in what does he want to achieve?
A plaque on the wall at Eton with the dates of his premiership being longer than Cameron.
Nothing else.
Committees = additional paying jobs for those backbenchers who support Boris.
Bribery, on a very simple level.
In the light of Munira Mirza's husband's previous occupation, shall we call it "the daisy chain?"
I’d rather Boris than Sunak to be honest – I’ve read quite a bit that sugests he’s ruthless and doesn’t give two hoots for average people. While I know Boris doesn’t either
But he does. All showmen yearn to be loved by the general public.
I agree that all the alternatives are even less attractive than Johnson though.
R4 news said 1100. To put it another way, ballot papers with cock and balls drawn on them (I like to think) came second 🙂
They actually got more than any three right wing party candidates combined😁
What’s jonsons end game here?
Bunker. Revolver. Body burnt in garden.
https://twitter.com/PippaCrerar/status/1489696594576486405
ambushed by a cake , now mugged by a beer
ambushed by a cake , now mugged by a beer
and hopefully 'sacked for stupidity' to be added to that
Kind of irrelevant without the picture though.
Pippa Crerar has done Stirling work with this te past few weeks though
Conor Burns on Any Questions; excruciating listening to him attempt to defend johnson.
No applause;response was silence from most and jeering from the rest.
Did he volunteer for the gig or was he told to get his fat arse out there and lie, lie and lie again?
I think it just might have been the latter.
From Twitter comments:
“Boris Johnson will be the third PM in a row to be brought down by Boris Johnson”
A picture has emerged of Carrie and Alexander at the party.
Another letter in…
https://twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1489717909589004293?s=21
Please let it be a can of Stella…