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The economic historian Adam Tooze claims in the US in 2020-1 unit labour costs made a 7.9 percent contribution to price increases, non‑labour costs 38.3 percent and corporate profits 53.9 percent. I should think not too different over here with brexit contributing 10-15%. Choices innit.
Teflon Boris
Of course he will get away with it. Nobody who remains in any position of power in the Tory Party cares. And that will stay that way until they see chances of election victory disappearing down the toilet.
And that is the size of the UK's problem.
The collective character of the Tory Party has been on full view for some time now. It will stay that way until Labour pose a credible threat. Or by some inexplicable and confusing circumstance or accident, the Lib Dems appear out of nowhere.
In another branch of the multiverse, we have a functional electoral system, not this two party FPTP rubbish, and disasters like Boris do not get anywhere near the top job. My own rather glum prediction is that things will get worse not better. When Labour lost Scotland, what uneasy balance existed between Tory and Labour was lost and the Tory Party is now accountable to no one but themselves.
I wholly endorse Sam Coates (Sky News) continuing to shout awkward 'questions' at politicians. OK it's a bit childish and sort of like Dennis Pennis used to be with celebs back in the day but given politicians never provide any meaningful/true/straight answers I'm all for reporters just shouting veiled insults at them for our entertainment until they change...
Of course he will get away with it. Nobody who remains in any position of power in the Tory Party cares.
The problem is that all the key players in the Tory Party are there because of their belief in Brexit, not because of any competence.
And Boris is only there because the already flaky and unworkable Brexit is only a possibility while he remains there to ignore international law as and when he feels like it.
The Tories, and Boris, got where they are because of Brexit so the Tories need Boris to stay there. He knows this which is why he's still so gung ho about it all.
In another branch of the multiverse, we have a functional electoral system, not this two party FPTP rubbish, and disasters like Boris do not get anywhere near the top job. My own rather glum prediction is that things will get worse not better. When Labour lost Scotland, what uneasy balance existed between Tory and Labour was lost and the Tory Party is now accountable to no one but themselves.
It's not just FPTP, in fact I would suggest that FPTP is a secondary problem compared to political funding. Parties only offer the electorate policies that allow them to be funded by a small group of rich people. Western democracy is card trick, we only get to vote on what the magician offers us.
Nice of the RMT to come out today, of all days, to announce rail strikes, writing tomorrows Daily Mail and Express front pages for them
****ing morons!
So, here we go again then!
I see we've covered all the saliant points, so let's try to have a little bit of fun with it.
Best guesses on:
1) Time, in hours between Sue Gray's report landing on the desks of every news agency in the UK and Sunak announcing he's found some spare billions down the back of the sofa.
2) How many Millions / Billions will have been found gathering dust.
3) Will they Tax the Oil / Energy companies? Best of all, which method of 'fairness' with they use to work out which pays what? EDF is owned by the French state isn't it, whilst BP and Shell are usually happy to throw a couple of Board Seats at Tories when they leave office..
4) Which wildly popular 'flags for orphans' measures will they use to save us all from the mess they largely made for us? The Poorest need the most help, but it's Middle Class Tories they need to please...
5) Will Johnson survive?
1) 1/2
2) a lot
3) no
4) who knows, but anything that results in less funding than is currently available
5) yes
yes, that's another whole kettle of worms right there
In another branch of the multiverse, we have a functional electoral system
In Scotland and wales we do have something closer to democracy.
On a more positive note, it looks like the senior civil servants rightly suspect that they're about to be thrown under the bus in the usual Johnson style, and aren't having any of it.
https://twitter.com/MirrorPolitics/status/1529382367177080834?s=20&t=SxyaxG703Gn_Dcke1FQ5aA
Surely he can't sack Simon Case then not resign himself?
Actually... its Boris Johnson... of course he can
That's what he's going to do, isn't it?
I suspect he knows the location of multiple bodies and is unwilling to carry the can for parties he did not attend and for which he wasn't fined.
PMQ's should be interesting
I'm saying its going be a nailed on dead cert that Ian Blackford is evicted from the chamber for calling Johnson a liar again.
It'd be good if Starmer did the same, followed by many other MP's, highlighting the ridiculous situation where Johnson is allowed to lie and lie and lie at the despatch box, While Lindsay Hoyle acts as his human shield, but nobody is allowed to call him a liar
The BBC are reporting the Sue Grey report has now been delivered to number 10. Apparently it's 37 pages, complete with lots of photos.
Shall we see what excuses they come up with not to publish it
I think I'll listen this week. Though it will only make me angry. Still there's some joy to be had in listening to blackford ripping into him again.
well that was a waste of time
Certainly having a read through it is clear that the whole building appeared to be quite happy to be avoiding playing by the rules of law...also seems rather worrying about how much socialising they all do - how and when does any work actually get done???
it's no scott report for sure and if it were there's no Robin Cook to skewer Johnson with it.
There was excessive alcohol consumption
by some individuals. One individual was sick. There was a minor altercation
between two other individuals. 🤦
I suppose we get 290 photos to be slowly leaked out now
Does that tell us anything we didn't know already?
To whit.
1 Plastered people at parties were in particular physically proximity.
2 At a time when it was, literally illegal to do so.
3 Nobody has received a fine of any magnitude.
4 Oh look, Ukraine / Free Money / Coleen Rooney in Court / Are You Not Entertained?
There was excessive alcohol consumption
by some individuals. One individual was sick. There was a minor altercation
between two other individuals.
Is it just me who thinks it all sounds a bit...
Spring break?
Boris clearly thinks he's Chad Hogan
It's good that the report (or rather the writer) makes it clear that this all happened within Johnson's team, but not in the wider civil service. Johnson created the "rules don't apply to us" regime, it was not how civil servants operated beyond his immediate day to day sphere of influence. It is vital that we are on guard to this being turned into an "anti-civil-servants" news story by those out to deflect from Johnson's obvious unsuitability for high office in the press and elsewhere.
Johnson created the “rules don’t apply to us” regime
Rules don't apply to Johnson. When the chips are down, the rules might turn out to apply to all those other people at the party, who were in Johnson's team, and who Johnson didn't have any control over, even if he actually did, which he wouldn't, because they were breaking the rules, which don't apply to him, even if they did, at the time, which isn't the time you're talking about.
See also, being thrown under a bus.
And, doublethink.
Meanwhile, has he actually done anything useful, like prevent Ireland returning to a situation of not quite boiling over civil war and scotching any relationship such as it is that still exists with US and EU?
No, of course he hasn't. He's been preparing his excuses for this shitshow instead.
the whatsapp messages seem the most damning
I’m saying its going be a nailed on dead cert that Ian Blackford is evicted from the chamber for calling Johnson a liar again.
Blackford needs to up the ante and not just call him a liar, but a lying see you next Tuesday. If you're going to get evicted anyway, he might as well go balls-deep.
PMQ’s should be interesting
I’m saying its going be a nailed on dead cert that Ian Blackford is evicted from the chamber for calling Johnson a liar again.
It’d be good if Starmer did the same, followed by many other MP’s, highlighting the ridiculous situation where Johnson is allowed to lie and lie and lie at the despatch box, While Lindsay Hoyle acts as his human shield, but nobody is allowed to call him a liar
This - let's see Hoyle send out every right thinking MP for stating the bleeding obvious to demonstrate how utterly shit the government are.
"I'm Spartacus Ian Blackford!"
Full House.
Brexit, Covid, Ukraine in one answer. He's learned his lines.
Before we start having a pop at the unions who are prepared to fight back and benefit all of us, it's not a wage-price spiral, it's a profits-price spiral.
Ian has started !!
Tuning into PMQ's - you can't make this up.
You can - he does!! Makes it up as he goes along.
I see we've got the usual level of contrition from our glorious leader.
Its obvious that every day he's managed to remain in office, when he should have been long gone, he's grown more arrogant and entitled
I still don't honestly don't think he gives a toss about people who obeyed the rules, lost loved ones and suffered hardship under covid restrictions. As he's never obeyed rules in his life, Its obvious he regards those who does as mugs
He's the dictionary definition of a sociopath. He's utterly devoid of compassion or empathy and absolutely everything is about him. His only ever concern is for himself,
He's just going to brazen this out, same as he's brazened everything else out, and those behind him will just let him do it. Again.
I can't watch this shite. Did he just throw his team under the bus?
So... "everything" happened after his attendance. He knew nothing. He wasn't even aware that his staff has employed a Boris Johnson impersonator for the drinking session photos.
What a farking liar. Not my responsibility, I was only there a short time.
He is "humbled"... he really sounds it, doesn't he.
This is excruciating
Did anyone honestly expect this to play out any differently?
He will never resign and never ever show a single shred of genuine remorse or contrition
It’s time to move on 🙂
Takes full responsibility and will therefore be blaming his whole team
Accusing the LotO of "Sniping from the sidelines"... ie. opposing the government when it makes mistakes, or ignores advice, or wrecks lives, or breaks its own laws. Same lines as he always uses. The LotO is not a position from which to only nod though everything the government says or does. "Sniping" where it falls short, or makes poor decisions, or frames laws poorly, or funnels contracts and money to its donors and friends and families, or lies, or breaks the law and seeks for months to cover up those lies and law breaking... is exactly what the opposition should do if we're to have a democracy. This is not Russia. This is not China.
Listening to Kier Starmers response - he is such a wet lettuce. He could have torn the PM a new ****hole but instead he stands at the dispatches box like he's reading a story to his children. Neither of them have my vote.
Even by Johnsons previous standards the sheer front on display here is quite something
I think it's pointless watching any of this. It's just a recipe for anger.
Ian Blackford is way better at this than Starmer...
I think it’s pointless watching any of this. It’s just a recipe for anger.
Yup, largely amongst people that won't vote for them anyway.
Excellent speeches by starmer and blackford. It's a shame they will effectively count for nothing.
So the answers have changed from...
"I can't answer that, we must wait for the Police Enquiry and Sue Gray's report"
...to...
"I have no need to answer that, we have had a Policy Enquiry and Sue Gray's report"
Greased piglet indeed.
Ian Blackford is way better at this than Starmer…
I tend to get the feeling they leech off each other with the questions, as the opposition leader he has a fine line to respond, as of now, the lower level MPs can ask more direct questions, but every question is getting the same response.
They are a good pairing. And they may have to work closely together in a more constructive capacity one day... when/if the Conservatives are on the opposition benches.
What concerns me most is why is there only 1 picture of Sue Gray?
What concerns me is that prior to this report coming out, the last week has seen more serious claims suddenly appear, so no longer talking about 'was it a party', but security staff and cleaning staff being ridiculed and ignored when trying to stop, or complain about what was going on.
Boris talks about those who did this 'apologising', he's basically just stated that an apology is good enough to cover what was clearly bullying and harassment, in a parliamentary speech.
I was walking through town whilst listened to Boris' reply to Starmer. I may have shouted out loud that Boris is a see you next tuesday.
Time to double dose on my blood pressure meds
I may have shouted out loud that Boris is a see you next tuesday.
I may have also let slip a few choice words. Had to retreat to the garage to change some brake pads and tune my gears.
It’s time to move on 🙂
It certainly is. It's a non-story. Who even cares.
Mrs Binners has just got really upset while watching that absolutely shameless charade
At the same time these parties were going on, her dad was seriously ill in hospital, but she couldn't go and visit him even though there was a very good chance he might not make it out. It was incredibly distressing for the whole family
I say she's upset. She is absolutely *ing livid!! As am I, an no doubt everybody else who went through similar experiences
I think she summed up the feelings of most when she sumamrised thus:
"He really doesn't give a shit, does he?"
No... he really doesn't
If the Tory party continue to back him after all this, then they really are utterly morally bankrupt. I don't doubt they all will continue to back him, because that's just what they do
Utter *ing *s, the *ing lot of them
I'd happily see lampposts adorned with the ****ing lot of them, the way I'm feeling after watching that
If the Tory party continue to back him after all this, then they really are utterly morally bankrupt
I think needs to be Starmers line from now yo any election.
Alastair Campbell has put it succinctly in a clip I saw earlier.
Boris talks about those who did this ‘apologising’, he’s basically just stated that an apology is good enough to cover what was clearly bullying and harassment, in a parliamentary speech.
I can't see why anyone is surprised at this. Boris neither does details nor takes responsibility for anything. Literally the diametric opposite of what is required in a PM. He'll go nowhere until pushed.
PM to hold news conference at 15:30 BST
We thought it was likely to come, but we have now had it confirmed - Boris Johnson will hold a news conference in Downing Street at 15:30 BST, following the publication of Sue Gray’s report.
The announcement I want is far too much to hope for, isn't it?
What a ****.
The announcement I want is far too much to hope for, isn’t it?
Telling us, once again, that it's time to move on?
He is indeed an utter ****!
I've asked my Tory MP for his view now they no longer hide behind the 'wait for Met, wait for Grey' excuse.
I've told him that whilst it was unlikely he can expect my vote, it's a nailed on certainty so long as the Tories allow people with such flawed characteristics to hold high office.
Ok, so the UK collectively made the largest easily avoidable mistake in modern history, and Johnson is essentially the figurehead of the shitshow.
Where are we - country as a whole that is - on the seven stages?
1. Shock
2. Denial
3. Anger
4. Bargaining
5. advanced stage, not here
6. definitely not here
7. not on your life
I don't know that we're even in #1, properly. "Cost of Living Crisis" hasn't hit. Troubles in NI haven't (yet and hopefully not at all) erupted although that doesn't look great. Scotland still part of union. All those large companies leaving the country didn't seem to register as far as I can tell.
Boris Johnson will hold a news conference in Downing Street at 15:30 BST,
The announcement I want is far too much to hope for, isn’t it?
He said yesterday that he would have a presser post-Sue Grey, before he even saw the report, so I wouldn't get your hopes up too much.
Hopefully the press will goad him enough that the mask will slip, though.
"The Nasty Party" behaving exactly as you would expect them to act, and exactly how they have always acted. Unless you've been living in a cave for the last 10 years or so, you can't possibly be surprised by anything that has happened recently.
Their "reason for existing" is for the betterment of themselves and their own. That's it, full-stop.
When’s the revolution?
it happened. We got Boris.
This cannot be overemphasised.
This is all a direct result of that ****ing referendum. The arseholes and liars pushed it, the cretins voted for it...
And as a result?
We have a government of arseholes and liars with the biggest arsehole and liar as PM.
Well done Leavers.
👏
Blackford is a grandstanding twerp. I have no time for him.
“The Nasty Party” behaving exactly as you would expect them to act, and exactly how they have always acted. Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last 10 years or so, you can’t possibly be surprised by anything that has happened recently.
Their “reason for existing” is for the betterment of themselves and their own. That’s it, full-stop.
And you'd have to be a total mug to believe that all the nationalist posturing meant that "they've changed and now there's something there for me" - if you were so inclined.
It's a masterful piece of deceit and now they play fully on the Stockholm Syndrome of those who voted for it - "Well, you were stupid enough to vote for something fundamentally stupid, and no one likes to look stupid, so you'd better keep banging that drum".
It would be hilarious if it wasn't so...
Oh what's the ****ing point?
The Greased Piglet will stay.
Slippier than a shaved seal in an olive oil dressing.
Well done Leavers.
Sorry, I am not sure I agree with en-masse blame for a few lying and cheating individuals.
Increasingly my frustration is with an opposition and the system we have. A combination of which means we cannot hold these charlatans to account.
If the Tory party continue to back him after all this, then they really are utterly morally bankrupt
I think needs to be Starmers line from now yo any election.
I'd include the newspapers in this if I was SKS. Take the ****ers on.
I'd say the system doesn't allow the opposition to hold the government to account when they have a majority. A minority government 'gets less done' but what does get done seems to be more palatable because it must be a bi-partisan agreement to get it through.
We're really not helped by the wet lettuce in the speaker's chair. Hoyle is enabling Johnson's shitbaggery by not holding him to account
Just listening to the press conference - the mask slipped for just a second, when Beth Rigby asked a second question...
Sorry, I am not sure I agree with en-masse blame for a few lying and cheating individuals.
Would Boris Johnson be Prime Minister if the UK had voted Remain?
🤷♂️
Hopefully the press will goad him enough that the mask will slip
And push for actual answers to questions
That press conference was an absolute disgrace.
It’s obvious that as far as he’s concerned, he doesn’t have to justify himself to anybody and we should all be eternally grateful that he bothers to pretend that he does
Yeah the current speaker of the house is just a johnson enabler...
Bercow was brilliant, he had alligations of bullying, but he didn't take any crap from anyone when sat in that chair, maybe that's why he was accused of bullying by the tories in the first place, seeing as he was technically a tory.