Forum menu
haggis - I think you're being very fair in your assessment of johnson snr; definitely a sound chap who has, undoubtedly, done great service for the UK.
How did I miss the extensive reporting of his public service?
Just off to doff my cap to him as you've convinced me that's what he deserves.
Gawd bless 'im.
😆 🤣
Nominates his own disgusting father for a knighthood, what a repulsive cretin! There are no depths to which he won't stoop.
Everything he does is entirely consistent with being a narcissistic clown.
Nothing surprises about any of this latest set of jolly japes to be made public, be that the nominating his father for a knighthood or with any of the content of the covid article.
here must be a list of highly commendable contributions that Mr Stanley Johnson has given to the United Kingdom.
Apart from siring the greatest politician in living memory? You want more? Well, he was on Celebrity Gogglebox a while back.
Also, why is Rachel Johnson not on the honours list? Will be shit at Christmas if you're the only Johnson with no peerage or knighthood.
I have mixed feelings on this..
On one hand he clearly doesn’t deserve a knighthood
But on the other hand I think the entire honours system is ridiculous, and if this goes through it’ll just further highlight that fact
Either way, in the unlikely event I ever met him he’ll get a similar level of respect that I’d give him now…ie none
Every newspaper front page tells you all you need to know about how far we’ve sunk as a nation. Sunak like May and Patel and Bravermann before targeting the most vulnerable; while simultaneously Johnson indulges in yet more cronyism and corruption worthy of any banana republic
I am a tad surprised that Stanley Johnson doesn't enjoy more support on here. As a French national and staunch Remainer he is still tirelessly fighting Brexit:
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-bill-stanley-johnson-eu-wildlife-b2263562.html
And he doesn't seem to like Jacob Rees-Mogg very much.
"When Jacob Rees-Mogg first introduced the Bill, over 79 environmental organisations warned that this could put legal protections for 600 Areas of Special Conservation at risk. They create uncertainty for businesses, shatter long-term sustainability of our economy and unleash environmental losses that could reduce the quality of life for millions of people here in the UK."
I suppose this is more likely another misdirection from Johnson, something he excels at. Puts his old man up for a knighthood knowing it will grab the headlines, meanwhile down at the bottom of the list gongs for those who supplied wallpaper, villas in Italy, NY apartments, private jets etc etc
I can't stand Johnson - thought he did an ok job as London mayor (as I don't live inside the m25), but generally I see him as a failed journalist rather than a politician.
I've a colleague who says she'd still vote for him over anyone else, regardless of past or future policy, performance or party.
thought he did an ok job as London mayor
What do you think his achievements were as London mayor?
I’ve a colleague who says she’d still vote for him over anyone else, regardless of past or future policy, performance or party.
Do you also question her ability at work?
Genuine question BTW.
Im not sure whats madder, that he wants to Knight his dad, his sister or his current wife?!?!
Not to mention Dories, Mogg, Dacre
Honestly I really hope he does the backlash will only hasten the end of our ridiculous peerages system & the HOL
The more detail that comes out, the lazier and more reckless Johnson looks.
That's why he didn't study science or anything else that needed hard facts or proof at tertiary level. PPE at Oxford the breeding ground of fundamental terrorists. Maybe they should be reported to PREVENT?
@Sandwich You could probably try that and it might get some traction, assuming they had any budget for doing anything.
What do you think his achievements were as London mayor?
Somehow managing to get a bike share scheme that had very little to do with him, named after him.
Managing to use taxpayer money to take his mistress (Jennifer Arcuri) on "business trips" while she taught him networking and IT...
Spaffing a shedload of TfL cash on fictional bridges and airports.
Hanging from a zip wire looking like a **** but somehow still making it a good publicity shot.
Poncing around at the London Olympics like it was all his idea.
On the plus side, his little extra curricular activities did at least allow some competent people like Will Norman in to do some genuinely good work.
……..Sounds bizarre to imagine that Stanley Johnson would get a knighthood just for an ejaculation...…...
I maybe stuck in an echo chamber but has anyone come out to stick up for this Knighthood for Stanley?
Daily Heil? The Express? The Spectator?
That’s why he didn’t study science or anything else that needed hard facts or proof at tertiary level. PPE at Oxford the breeding ground of fundamental terrorists. Maybe they should be reported to PREVENT?
He studied classics (Literae Humaniores to give it its official poncy name). Latin + Greek + other stuff.
Hanging from a zip wire looking like a **** but somehow still making it a good publicity shot.
Whilst taking credit for the London Olympics which he wasn't responsible for.
You forgot to mention the Routemaster buses btw, an election pledge by him and another pointless vanity project which needlessly cost Londoners millions.
You forgot to mention the Routemaster buses btw,
Bendy buses, water cannons that couldn't be used and were stored at vast cost for years before finally being pretty much given away...
I didn't forget as just sort of run out of the will to type much more. It gets depressing.
Yep his greatest achievement as a London mayor was creating an image of a successful mayor , as opposed to the reality.
A successful marketing of brand BJ.
He did repeat the bridge thing again,wasn’t it a tad under a million for the Scotland to Ireland one to be er investigated.
TBH it would be cheaper to buy him a little island somewhere and feed him free daiquiris all day.
I think he was having a little informal competition with Chris Grayling to see who could spaff the most public money on one go and end up with absolutely nothing to show for it
He’s winning
Just!
That would certainly help create sufficient lift - to send him to the other side of the moon!
Bendy buses
Bendy buses wasnt him. Indeed it was part of his initial campaign to promise to get rid of them.
Sadly though he went with the moronic new routemasters to replace them.
The 'greased piglet' has done everything possible to avoid it and then block it, discredit it and refuse to cooperate with it, but on Wednesday he's finally going to have to face the music and answer the charges everyone knows he's guilty of... misleading parliament
https://twitter.com/andrewrawnsley/status/1637400048446107654?s=20
I expect that, even by the standard of a man who lies like he breathes, we're going to see the depiction of some kind of alternative reality, where he's the wronged victim being needlessly persecuted by 'the establishment'
Exactly that, 4/7's of the panel are conservative. Likely he'll get £several 00000's of compensation too
Doesn't really matter what happens with the outcome, everyone knows he misled parliament, thinks he's above the rules and is 'special' compared to us commoners. The only point of interest is how easily he gets away with it and if he is found guilty (50/50 at best thanks to the balance of Tories in control of it all despite the overwhelming evidence against him) how light the punishment is. Either way he'll come out of it somehow richer and smelling of roses.
From what I understand the tories on the committee are the sort with a bit of decency and morals mainly. Unlikely to have a lot of love for Johnson. I doubt they will do a republican / Trump thing and find him not guilty in the face of the evidence
My guess will be they will censure him but less than 10 days suspension so there is no chance of a recall and a byelection
On what basis could johnson receive ANY compensation - several £00000's?
It was a tongue in cheek comment, but I doubt anyone would be surprised if it happened.
He'll make more than that just by charging gullible people to listen to his story about the whole saga on the After Dinner Speech circuit.
Kryton57
Full MemberExactly that, 4/7’s of the panel are conservative
While that's true, apparently at least a couple of them are absolutely livid at the way he's both tried to dodge it all, and also constantly slated the members as being part of a witch hunt. IIRC all 4 have already signed the interim report, which was pretty damning. And tbf at this point there are plenty of Tories who would be very happy to have him just go away.
And the thing is, we know 100% that he misled parliament, that's a matter of record. The only question is if he did it deliberately. So his defence is essentially going to be that he's deaf dumb blind and braindamaged, just being negligent and careless isn't going to cut it, to genuinely have not known he'd have to have had a railroad spike or two driven through his head.
Of course, spin is different, he'll trumpet anything short of expulsion from parliament as being a total victory, and people will lap it up. He's already claimed the interim report exonerated him in exactly this way, which also must have pissed off those 4 tories that were taking their careers in their hands signing it off. (though his mates have also used that interim report as a surreal attack point- apparently it proves they've already decided he's guilty and makes it all a sham, while also exonerating him... )
The opposition need to be ready to go in hard to counter that. By which I mean Angus Robertson and Gary Linekar obviously. If he does manage to waffle and "I don't know" and "I don't remember" and "yes I was there drinking champagne but I didn't think it was a party" and "no I didn't read any of the dozens of messages from my old staff specifically saying it was breaking the rules" and "the police are leftie conspirators", they need to be ready to say over and over "if his defence was true, he would be admitting he's an absolute vegetable that you wouldn't let watch a pot of soup".
Apparently Allegra Stratton, who had to resign after being filmed laughing about Downing Street parties, is up for an honour in Boris' list. Couldn't be any more transparently corrupt, really.
Harriet Harman, as interim chair of the standards committee,should make it clear to johnson he is there to answer questions - not ask them.
Additionally, attempts to deflect by questioning the definition of 'a party' or challenging the integrity of the committee or resorting to random greek or latin quotes or cheap jokes should be firmly slapped down - as they would be if this was a court.
Harman is very capable and can be a firebrand. I am a bit disappointed in her how much she moved to the right over the years but I do respect her abilities. she is exactly the sort of woman Johnson cannot cope with. I expect and hope she takes him to pieces. I cannot see her standing for any bullshine
Double popcorn for Wednesday afternoon!
Oh yes. Its going to be fun.
From what I understand the tories on the committee are the sort with a bit of decency and morals mainly.
But a Venn diagram of Tories who support Johnson (who to all but a handful of die hards is now a busted flush) and Tories who've volunteered to be on the parliamentary ethics committee is at best resembling a 60's spy film binocular vignette. In fact I'd put weight behind the idea that the party might want shot of him completely before the election.
In fact I’d put weight behind the idea that the party might want shot of him completely before the election.
Would be nice, but he still garners a lot of support within the general population who feel he was stitched up, as demonstrated by the absolute walloper of a caller to LBC yesterday who called him "a man of integrity".
in the words of the great Bullet Tooth Tony...."You should never underestimate the predictability of stupidity."
My tory family members still think he is great and should be PM
Would be nice, but he still garners a lot of support within the general population who feel he was stitched up, as demonstrated by the absolute walloper of a caller to LBC yesterday who called him “a man of integrity”.
True, but when was the last time a level headed caller was put through the LBC switchboard 🤣
My tory family members still think he is great and should be PM
My Tory parents admit they knew he was an absolute lying, corrupt, idle imbecile, but at least he wasn't Corbyn 🤦♂️
They're saying that this hearing could last for 5 hours
Given that Johnson feels he has to answer to absolutely nobody and it is an afront to have to be questioned by mere mortals, how long are we going to get in before the mask slips and he gets really nasty with someone?
I'm going for just over the hour mark when he loses it and goes ballistic at Harriet Harman, because she's both female and clearly a lot cleverer than he is
I’m going for just over the hour mark when he loses it and goes ballistic at Harriet Harman, because she’s both female and clearly a lot cleverer than he is
I'm going for postponed due to him having Covid..... nice bit of ironing to delay procedures
How about...johnson's opening comment is 'I don't recognise this committee' followed by a flounce.
Its when he tells them the hourly rate for his "speeches" that its going to go downhill.
A gaffaw, a slouch, a couple of hesitances, a couple of "look here's" an "off the cuff" semi correct quote about Themistocles, and it's away for a pint in the Lobby Bar. Get a couple of your chums to write a piece tomorrow about how wronged and misunderstood you are.
Trebles all round and off the next speaking jolly.
How about…johnson’s opening comment is ‘I don’t recognise this committee’ followed by a flounce.
He's pretty much said that already, hasn't he? If he hasn't its been implied for about a year.
Unfortunately the tinfoil-helmet brigade that make up his remaining fanbase will all gleefully buy into his ridiculous conspiracy-theory nonsense
He really is a Poundshop Trump, and I expect he'll borrow all his moves on Wednesday. I'm sure the 'liberal elite' will be putting in quite a few appearances as our hero looks for scapegoats and set himself in the role of the victim
If they nail him down, then it’ll all be a “deep state conspiracy” with plenty of talk of “he should only have to answer to the electorate, this is anti-democratic” on the side. If he wriggles through on double speak and technicalities it’ll be “exonerated by a panel of his peers” and “a rigorous process has cleared him”.
Come to think of it, both of those will happen at once, no matter what the outcome, to see what people will swallow.
Shreaded Wheat head has published his defence which appears to be, somewhat predictably "I may have been at all these parties 'work events' but nobody told me that the rules were being broken, so how could I possibly have known?! Specifically, it was Dominic Cummings fault!
He's continued with his efforts to undermine the committee
What time does it kick off tomorrow? Might WFH to enjoy some background noise
liar or idiot.
or possibly both
It's meant to be 2 o clock, but I'm sure he'll continue his tradition of being tardy with his timekeeping fashionably late
I misled parliament as a jolly wheeze.
I misled parliament as a jolly wheeze
I did not intend to mislead Parliament but they are clearly too stupid to follow my brilliant speeches, laced as they are with sparkling wit and Latin phrases.
Reading in the Grauniad what Johnson is claiming its a very thin defense.
It seems to be as expected " I didn't know it was wrong" "no one told me" so he is going for - I'm too thick to understand the rules I made / told everyone
e" />
edit: i hate image hosting... 🙁
"My brain insisted in telling me the gathering I attended was not a gathering, over-ruling the evidence of my senses, so it is clear, ipso facto, that I did not knowingly mislead when my mouth stated that there were no gatherings. Mortuum flagellum etc."
Telling someone you totally lied to their face in “good faith” is a new one fo’shure
Privileges Committee have said that johnson's defence statement contains '...no new documentary
evidence' and the delay in making it public was due to '...errors and typos'.
As reported by BBC.
Not an auspicious start for the odious lying moptop.
I hope that Harman takes him apart. a nice quiet dignified sticking of the knife in like lady Hale did over the prorogation of parliament. that was a thing of beauty
The Piglet will need to dig deep into the family tub of (special edition) escape grease.
What can actually happen tomorrow if it all goes against him?
Small fine,slap on the wrist,told to apologise to the whole country,or mounted in a pillory outside Westminster and pelted with old fruit and potatoes.
If it was the pillory option,I would get the train down for the day.
the committee can find him guilty. IIRC punishment is a matter for the whole house. They can order a suspension from parliament. A suspension of more than 10 days makes him possibly subject to a recall petition forcing a by election which he would lose.
I don't know if I have that quite right
I think the committee can save time by simply recycling his school report and changing the odd word.
Boris really has adopted a disgracefully cavalier attitude to his classical studies. He sometimes seems affronted when criticised for what amounts to a gross failure of responsibility (and surprised at the same time that he was not appointed Captain of the school for the next half).
I think he honestly believes that it is churlish of us not to regard him as an exception, one who should be free of the network of obligation that binds everyone else.
IIRC punishment is a matter for the whole house.
That appears to be the case. Any punishment must be voted on. Sunak has already said it will be a free vote. He's probably done that as a useful ticklist for his own reference, more than anything else
You could probably write a list now of all the delusional idiots MP's who won't vote for any sanction on the flytipped sofa
He's spent £100,000 on legal fees apparently.
Like plenty of other things these days - we are all aware of how bad this is and that he should be getting suitably punished...but as seems to be the way, he is going to be walking away the winner, isn't he? Same with Trump...a real shame as a lot of sensible people are aware they have done wrong, but when it comes down to the decision it seems to be the complete opposite.
I’m as bad as his supporters in that I’ve already made my mind up - he is a lying bastard of the highest order.
Tuning in could be bad for my demeanour.
frankconway
Full Member
Poops – he isn’t paying his own legal fees.
Yeah, sorry, lazy sentence from me. He doesn't pay for anything in any sense of the word.
He’s spent £100,000 on legal fees apparently.
For some inexplicable reason it's us mugs who are paying his legal fees
According to todays Guardian they're presently standing at just shy of quarter of a million quid