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A challenge would only work if Boris was to step down 'to spend more time with his families / pint' (unlikely).
In any vote amongst the Blue Rinses, Boris would always win.
If the party want rid of him, then his name won't even be on the ballot.
As Ever I'm still not totally convinced we're not witnessing some sort of elaborate 4D-chess attempt.
I mean has Boris simply lobbed multiple dead Cats on the table all at once?
I had assumed that even though Dom had done his little walk of shame with a box of office supplies in front of the cameras, that he was still at least on a retainer of some sort.
I can't help thinking this little spat has all been manufactured and hyped by the press to distract us from something substantially bigger... But I'm not sure what.
My money's on Lil' Richie for PM, No He might not be the right colour for the Tory Core but I'm sure his ethnicity would be used shamelessly to try and accuse Labour of being the more Sexist, Racist party having fielded not just another white man, but a 'Sir' to boot, while the Tories can claim two women and (in this fantasy) a "Non-white" PM.
The angry Retirees will swallow their bile and vote for Richie because they're Tories and the party retaining power matters more than the figurehead. The "Redbricks" would be swayed because he can be framed as having saved the pubs, and they can pat themselves on the back and claim to be "Progressive"...
The only thing is it all feels a little too soon.
Bozza's "Night of the long knives" should probably be scheduled for early 2023 IMO, just to give his replacement enough time to settle in, but not too much time to accumulate gaffs and scandals...
Otherwise they're handing Labour the chance to shout "Look they're still the same old Tories, throwing each other to the wolves, vying and lying for power!" coming so soon after unseating May with Brexie-Bullshine and installing Boris as the "Alternative" to the corrupt Westminster Elites (not that they will)...
It does feel to me like things have changed with the Tory press going for him
I sort of imagine Rupert surrounded by his various minions Gazing upon an image of Boris (that one with him hanging off a zip line waving union flags ideally) sneering, and then turning his thumb down Commodus style...
The signal having been given the minions all scuttle off to carry out his malign will...
Don’t forget we have a Secretary of State for Education who fancies the top job, and has been fired as a minister once before in connection with leaks.
The chances of it being Gavin "Russia should just shut up and go away" Williams are minimal. He's a lot like that sales bloke you avoid at Christmas parties, the one who only has the third largest commission in the team but is convinced that he's one step away from running the entire double-glazing manufacturing business, the archetypal Gareth Cheeseman if you will.
It does feel to me like things have changed with the tory press going for him and the confirmation that he did say pile the bodies up from tories who heard him is unusual
Because they're happy to put the blame for a disastrous pandemic and Brexit on yesterday's man. Even the BBC are briefing against Johnson - not that I've particular beef with the Beeb, but they've been very careful to avoid any criticism. Don't forget too that both the Telegraph/Spectator and News International want their preferred candidate in No 10 and that's not necessarily the same person. If Johnson does go, expect negative briefings about those toadying their way up the ladder to fly back and forth.
So, he did say what he's supposed to have said. Multiple sources were there and heard it and have anonymously confirmed it to various hacks. And, they'd go on the record under oath if pushed to do so.
But they won't unless they're pushed. Which i think says almost as much about them as it does their boss.
And their boss continues to deny it.
Conclusion - someone's a liar and we can't trust any of them.
And they wonder why politicians are vilified.
Thing is Johnson is still pretty popular
He will remain so after this scandal has died down
Summer, vaccine, end of lockdown, will see him safe, still got an 80 seat majority and tory MPs are craven = Johnson is safe
So, he did say what he’s supposed to have said. Multiple sources were there and heard it and have anonymously confirmed it to various hacks. And, they’d go on the record under oath if pushed to do so.
For me this is the more damaging allegation, and perhaps why the funding of decor was leaked into the news. That he actually gave voice to what most of us had already inferred from his actions (or lack thereof) is a bigger issue.
He put getting the masses back out and spending ahead of public health...
To me that's neglegence that led to people's Deaths.
I'm far less concerned about how much He spent on wallpaper and taps, or which method of money laundering was used to fund it.
Not killing the electorate is a more important aspect of his role as PM...
(IMO of course).
Johnson is safe
Probably...
It really all depends on how many cycles the RW Meeja choose to chip away at him with this weeks "Revelations"... If the Sun and DM are calling for his head in a couple of weeks time then maybe the jig is up. Otherwise yep, Bozza can probably ride this one out too...
As Ever I’m still not totally convinced we’re not witnessing some sort of elaborate 4D-chess attempt.
I think you are seriously overrating them and buying into the myth making where a few heroes with only the help of most of the UK press and a large part of the political establishment managed to push through their agenda.
I think the original leak was supposed to be part of a medium term project to both undermine Johnson and line up Sunak as the replacement.
Then though Johnson went after Cummings by mistake (not unreasonably given it was Kuenssberg with the story) and then it kicked off further.
Thing is Johnson is still pretty popular
he really isn't. Look at his personal polling
I think you are seriously overrating them and buying into the myth making where a few heroes with only the help of most of the UK press and a large part of the political establishment managed to push through their agenda.
I think the original leak was supposed to be part of a medium term project to both undermine Johnson and line up Sunak as the replacement.
Then though Johnson went after Cummings by mistake (not unreasonably given it was Kuenssberg with the story) and then it kicked off further.
I'm 50/50 on it TBH.
Dom was always known to be Laura's "Secret Sauce" so the dots do join up, I just don't buy that Cummings was ever really out in the cold, and instead just WFH for the sake of appearances...
Plus, like I said its and Attempt at 4D chess, not necessarily a successful one.
Mulling it over a bit, I think the calculation that makes most sense is simply that if they can push the flat funding up the news agenda, most of us plebs aren't actually that shocked or concerned about it.
Yeah, yeah "Ministerial Standards" an all that matters... To the Westminster bubble dwellers. but A Tory PM fiddling his expenses, while bad, but isn't a shock for most of the public TBH. He'll get away with it.
It's the 3rd lockdown comment that signals an attitude to public health in the midst of a pandemic that is far more damaging, if people were to actually think about it.
The Dyson texts on top of the Greenspan thing, plus Gove's misc VIP vendor mates... All adds to a more concerning picture of "Chumocracy" and Access to decision makers and supply chains for the top 5%ers that again runs counter to national interest...
Yep I've reasoned it out for myself wallpapering the flat is the 'Dead cat' running interference for all the other shit that's come out this fortnight...
and the Beeb are biting on the Flat more than anything else now, you might argue it is already working...
I really think you are giving this bunch of dimwits far too much credit
I really think you are giving this bunch of dimwits far too much credit
The ones in No. 10, or the ones that voted them in there?
Yep I’ve reasoned it out for myself wallpapering the flat is the ‘Dead cat’ running interference for all the other shit that’s come out this fortnight…
I've been thinking much the same thing... ignoring companies who can produce ventilators to focus on our Brexit chums at JCB and Dyson... > shrug < ... allowing an extra 60,000 deaths rather than lock down early enough, against advice of advisors, other ministers and opposition leaders and MPs... > shrug < ... John Lewis furniture is a bit common, and being financially in the pocket of donors to get some proper chi chi interior decorations to keep the current woman in his life distracted ... let's run with that.
So what do we think will bring down Johnson, because if fathering a number (yet to be determined) children irresponsibly, cheating on your wife while she's having cancer treatment, getting sacked from two jobs for lying, doesn't seem to cut it, what will? Shooting some-one on 5th Avenue..?
a phone call from Murdoch
Well, there was the tape recording of him discussing with a mate about beating up a journalist...
That does nto seem to have done him harm, so maybe actually killing someone might.
So what do we think will bring down Johnson, because if fathering a number (yet to be determined) children irresponsibly, cheating on your wife while she’s having cancer treatment, getting sacked from two jobs for lying, doesn’t seem to cut it, what will? Shooting some-one on 5th Avenue..?
No-one (at the moment) wants him to be brought down. He's kind of useful where he is although he's rapidly losing his shine that got the Tories their 80-seat majority.
So far, while many think he's untrustworthy, a lot still see him as a twinkly-eyed jack the lad - getting a sneaky shag on the side, bunging his mates a few quid to "sort something out", telling the nasty EU to do one.
However... you start with the drip drip drip of negative news stories, some of them probably true, some no doubt a bit embellished, many of them very confused where it's difficult to see exactly where the facts might be and if/when the facts are found, the story has moved on anyway. This is the groundwork of sowing the seeds before you come out all guns blazing and say that he needs to go. But right now, it's an ideal opportunity to cover up a lot of bad news by talking about flat redecoration costs. You can do it in a negative way or and or, if you want to give him some credit you can say "yes, he might have overspent a tad on the flat or got the money via a slightly circuitous route but he must have been so stressed with sorting our amazing vaccine rollout..."
I think it’s easier for them (Tory voters) to project onto Starmer and Labour rather than admit to themselves that they voted in a charlatan like Johnson.
Deserves reemphasis.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/27/decor-home-economics-johnson-no-10-flat-refurb
Labour outright saying he lied, so they must have something?
Labour outright saying he lied, so they must have something?
They might well have something but they may as well have said "water is wet".
Boris lies the way that normal people breathe. So far, it's not caused him any issues - I mean he lied to the Queen in order to illegally prorogue Parliament and didn't even get a slap on the wrist for it.
No chance. Want a bet?
They might well have something but they may as well have said “water is wet”.
Yeah but I think when someone literally says the word 'liar' they have to mean it. Has anyone accused him kn parliament of actually 'lying'?
As an aside, watching news with wife who's family traditionally votes Tory, and she's disgusted that the sleaze is even being reported on as "they're all at it"... 🙄
You cannnot call someone a liar in parliament - even if they are
I would not be surprised if he resigned - we all know he is not enjoying being PM and needs more money.
I'll give him a fiver to go away and never come back
Could we get the Tory party banned please?
If only.
But the way of things today is they would reform as another party and peddle their corruption on from there.
Over the last ten years, the one thing that's kept the public rooting for the Tory incumbent is the justifiable fear of who might take their place. We're all at the point of thinking that we're exhausted at the cumulative Tory shithousery and along comes Michael Gove...
Poetry by Michael Gove, aged Seventeen.
Yep, we've an incoming PM with an inferiority complex because he couldn't get laid at Sixth Form.
They're coming from all angles. They've also named the donor who paid for the renovations.
This would be magnificent if it wasn't for the shower of bastards in the running to take over from Fatso.
Yep, we’ve an incoming PM with an inferiority complex because he couldn’t get laid at Sixth Form.
I couldn't bring myself to look at Gove's 'poetry'. 🤮
How does this work then. No 11 Downing St is owned by the Taxpayer and has been provided as accommodation linked to the post of Prime Minister. We the taxpayer have had the flat renovated by apparently a Tory donor for free. You are allowed a certain amount for renovations if you own the property or rent it.
Boris is just a squatter really, I presume he’s not renting or buying it.
“We the tax payer” had a budget of £30,000. It wasn’t free. It also wasn’t enough to buy the pointlessly expensive stuff that the King of the World and his most recent Queen wanted in their pad, and so they took a bribe kind donation/loan from a donor to top up the budget so they could spend big.
Sunak could be a good play with Starmer having alienated a lot of ethnic minority support for Labour. It shows the vacuous nature of identity politics. The Tories do indeed support women and minorities, they have a more diverse front bench than Labour and they promoted Priti.
they have a more diverse front bench than Labour and they promoted Priti.
Posted 2 minutes ago
One of our lizard overlords in a glitchy human suit doesn't count.
This would be magnificent if it wasn’t for the shower of bastards in the running to take over from Fatso.
That’s unfortunately what you want, some Alan Bstard, that people won’t vote for. Boris is a ‘celebrity’ politician with curb appeal not sure the others have. Sunaks liked as he lobbed the money over, when he starts clawing it back thou.
I think the issue with Boris is that the bodies ‘did’ pile up with his dithering and this is slowly starting to dawn and the cashing in on covid probably won’t look good post covid.
Cue distraction and cat tossing.
Sunak could be a good play with Starmer having alienated a lot of ethnic minority support for Labour. It shows the vacuous nature of identity politics. The Tories do indeed support women and minorities, they have a more diverse front bench than Labour and they promoted Priti.
That doesn't absolve all the awful things that they and Boris have said and done. We don't need to pull up old quote but we all know what hes said.
they have a more diverse front bench than Labour
I’m worried that your dislike of Starmer means you can’t see the make up of the Labour front bench he selected…
https://diversityuk.org/keir-starmer-appoints-the-most-ethnic-shadow-cabinet-ever/
The Tories do indeed support women and minorities
It shouldn’t need pointing out, but…
Trouble is politicians are really cheap, get a good return for f’all outlay.
Still… passing lucrative contracts to mates who are “helpful” to you with bribes handouts and loans is affordable right now… not least because we’re stopping funding (checks notes) immunisation programmes…
https://twitter.com/haynesdeborah/status/1387163753075073025?s=21
Boris is a ‘celebrity’ politician with curb appeal not sure the others have.
And I have no doubt that referring to Johnson as "Boris" helps his whole showman/media packaging.
I'm sure that the cuddly affable bounder greatly appreciates his detractors calling him by his stage name.
So today I'm sure Johnson would rather have been banging on about he he got brexit done
Instead...
https://twitter.com/Peston/status/1387348414178996224?s=19
"Take back control" is still being deployed at PMQs as if it's a shield of steel... and it still is... let's repeat it again several times in answer to a question that has nothing to do with Brexit...
If Starmer's plan is simply to induce Johnson into a rage-induced heart attack at PMQs by asking simple questions about his dodgy finances, he's doing a cracking job.
He wasn't happy with Ian Blackford.
The current speaker is so far in Johnson's pocket I'm surprised he can see out.
If Starmer’s plan is simply to induce Johnson into a rage-induced heart attack at PMQs by asking simple questions about his dodgy finances, he’s doing a cracking job.
it was actually unreal you could see the anger in his face! The blokes had a tough week (all his doing) and then he has to deal with Keirs questions. Something im sure he didnt fancy.
Starmer got Johnson to directly lie to parliament today
Peston says 3 people + Cummings willing to swear under oath about the bodies comment
You can see why he's avoided any "hard questions" media interviews ever since becoming party leader. He can't answer questions, for fear of tripping up... his format is the very carefully prepared talk to camera/audience, dressed up as if being made up on the hoof.
it was actually unreal you could see the anger in his face!
Johnsons enormous sense of entitlement means he doesn't think he should be held to account by anybody, least of all an oik like Starmer. The rage is genuine that anybody thinks he should justify his actions. He's world king after all. How dare anyone expect him to answer for anything
The current speaker is so far in Johnson’s pocket I’m surprised he can see out.
Its absolutely ludicrous that he's consistently allowed to completely ignore whatever he's been asked and simply deliver pre-prepared soundbites that don't even remotely relate to the question. Its getting to the point where PMQ's might as well just be a Tory Party Political Broadcast
I doubt Bercow would have stood for this
He can’t answer questions, for fear of tripping up… his format is the very carefully prepared talk to camera/audience, dressed up as if being made up on the hoof.
Which is why it's all the more surprising when he goes to PMQs that he doesn't seem to have done ANY preparation! He sits there, waits for the question and is than caught on the hop - it's like neither he nor any of his advisors have sat down and thought "we can make an educated guess of what KS is going to ask so here's some prepared answers and they can be tuned a bit to fit".
So instead of something that might pass muster, you end up with the repetition of some trite soundbite or an attempt to deflect it back to Labour.
Mind you, Theresa May used to do something similar:
"PM, what does Brexit mean?"
"As I have been very clear to the House on many occasions, Brexit means Brexit."
Great, thanks for nothing...
Johnsons enormous sense of entitlement means he doesn’t think he should be held to account by anybody, least of all an oik like Starmer.
As famously pointed out by his headmaster many years ago, of course.
Which is why it’s all the more surprising when he goes to PMQs that he doesn’t seem to have done ANY preparation!
He's fully prepared, and his responses are well worked out... that they look made up on the hoof is all an act... and that they don't relate to the difficult questions asked isn't a slip up, it's his modus operandi.
The thing I love the most about this story is that Johnson tried to get other people to pay for it, got found out so had to stump up the sixty grand himself, and he's still in the shit...
got found out so had to stump up the sixty grand himself, and he’s still in the shit…
Even better there is a suggestion he could still be hit with Benefit in Kind for the unsuccessful attempt. If he gets too many bills he will have to resign and go back to being a overpaid columnist.
As famously pointed out by his headmaster many years ago, of course.
Yes. It does seem rather accurate still.
"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 which binds everyone else"
From some of the things I've read, the total bill was nearer £200k - knock-off the £30k allowance and it's a mere £170k. £58k was probably just for the carpets, curtains and wallpaper 😳. As lots on Twitter have pointed out, they didn't like the previous decor as it was a bit too John Lewis.
I did visit Downing Street once for a reception and what was so remarkable was how "low rent" it was, in comparison to somewhere like the UK Ambassador's residence in Paris.
Isn't £30k is the annual limit ?
He’s fully prepared, and his responses are well worked out… that they look made up on the hoof is all an act… and that they don’t relate to the difficult questions asked isn’t a slip up, it’s his modus operandi.
You reckon?
I genuinely think he simply regards it as a bit of an embuggerance which he has to endure for reasons that he can't quite work out and does literally no prep at all for them. He's famous for not knowing / not being bothered with details and that part isn't an act. He knows it'll be 30 minutes of bluster; PMQs has never been about answering questions anyway, it's always been a bit of an act and he seemed to quite enjoy it when there was a cheering crowd of MPs behind him giving it the old "HERE HERE!!" or asking a friendly question from his own backbench.
Now all that's been stripped out, the showmanship element has gone, the questions are beginning to hit home because it's no longer some airy-fairy bollocks about rural buses or making random assurances... But my conviction is that he just goes in there, sighs and waffles then heads home to Carrie.
Boris' bluster at PMQs (sound on, one for the football fans.)
https://twitter.com/AustraliaToon1/status/1387392202456788995
I did visit Downing Street once for a reception and what was so remarkable was how “low rent” it was, in comparison to somewhere like the UK Ambassador’s residence in Paris.
Humble brag 😎
Johnson sounds like this has really rattled him and he knows he is in a real bind over it with probable illegal activity and also tax implications.
As embarrassing as it all is the truth is nobody, especially johnson himself will never face any real charges. Its an old boys network.
They call it 'sleaze' but the actual word they all skirt around is also known as corruption. They avoid using the term and thats telling in itself.
There are legal reasons some people have to avoid the allegation of “corruption”… you’d have to prove an advantage was gained as a direct result of the money changing hands… but we little folk don’t have to worry about such matters… and I’ll keep calling it corruption, and so can you. The PM taking bribes money for his personal pointlessly expensive nicknaks opens him up to charges of “owing” a favour to whoever bungs lends him the money.
You reckon?
Yes if you listened to him today it was pretty much all prepared campaigning material.
Carefully memorised and either semi matched to a question or just thrown out anyway.
The speaker really should try getting him to answer the questions.
Isn’t £30k is the annual limit ?
It seems to be yup. Can you imagine burning through that each year?
Something he added today was the claim of paying for the refurbishment personally with no mention of the taxpayers contribution. Indeed he implied by use of a comment about Blair spending x thousand of taxpayers money that he took none at all.
So either he decided to pick up the full bill to save the taxpayer some money or he just lied. I wonder which.
It’s all just money, isn’t it… why should the public care. Well… judgement…
The owl lamp, the curtains, the USA style briefing room… spaffing away all that money… he’s been trusted with the running of a country… you wouldn’t trust him to do your weekly shop… he’a bankrupt you.
The other thing that occurs; Just how bad must it be? The Tories and Johnson have been mincing about the edges of this story for days now, desperate to avoid giving a straight answer but trying at the same time not to tell ouright lies about it.
The Tories and Johnson have been mincing about the edges of this story for days now,
I'm not sure if there's a plan beyond daily firefighting?
But letting revelations drip out, surely doesn't make it go away.
I really don't think it will effect May 6 elections that much, but if he just fessed up now, it will be old news in 2 weeks time.
Instead it'll keep being the story, when they really want to be talking about vaccines etc
This has got all the hallmarks of their being much more to it than we presently know, hence them being so absolutely desperate for it to go away, and the incredibly careful phraseology everyone is using. I wonder who it actually was who agreed to stump up the cash, laundered via central office. Somebody Russian perhaps?
Rumours are that the costs presently published are waaaaaaaay short of the mark and that you could buy a fairly decent house for what they've just spent on gaudy, overpriced tat
Twitter has come up trumps today with whoever started the hastag #CarrieAntoinette 😀
I wonder who it actually was who agreed to stump up the cash, laundered via central office. Somebody Russian perhaps?
Johnson sounds like this has really rattled him and he knows he is in a real bind over it with probable illegal activity and also tax implications.
Be ironic if he was brought down by scatter cushions and not PPE or the Covid death toll
Not sure why the "tin foil hat" post, when Johnson is already so close to the Lebedevs.
The thing that makes this apart from the many PPE procurement scandals, even though they involve more corruption and misdirection of public money, is the lack of a "doing it in the national interest, at a time of crisis" defence. This one is all about spending far too much money, and exposing himself to accusations of being bought, all to make his pad feel fit for a princess.
Indeed. Given his past connections and the somewhat opaque funding of both the Brexit campaign, his leadership campaign and the last GE, Russian money surely has to be the number one contender for Mr Johnsons kindly benefactor?
Or perhaps it was Len McClusky?
Indeed. Given his past connections and the somewhat opaque funding of both the Brexit campaign, his leadership campaign and the last GE, Russian money surely has to be the number one contender for Mr Johnsons kindly benefactor?
Or perhaps it was Len McClusky?
You have a wildly over-active imagination: this will turn out to be as intriguing as the vast majority of politicians' expenses fiddles, i.e. not at all.
this will turn out to be as intriguing as the vast majority of politicians’ expenses fiddles, i.e. not at all.
There's a difference between In the Public Interest and what's interesting to the public
It's not an "expenses fiddle", it is a "disguised income scandal"... and it's the cover up that'll end up being a mark against him. As PM, he should work for us, and his other 'earnings' should all be declared and above board. When measures have been used to keep the money hidden... it's the hiding that's the problem, no matter who the source of the money was.
You have a wildly over-active imagination: this will turn out to be as intriguing as the vast majority of politicians’ expenses fiddles, i.e. not at all.
Do I indeed? Well it seems like they're going to an awful lot of trouble to make sure the identity of the benefactor doesn't become public knowledge. It's pretty clear that Boris had tapped somebody specific up. Or do you think its all entirely innocent and the membership subs from the blue-rinses of Bournmouth payed for all that tasteless chintz?
And while the vast majority of expenses claims were extremely boring, everyone remembers the duck houses and moat-cleaning. After the sacrifices a lot of people have made over the last year, Carries £900-a-roll wallpaper might well be the same. Especially if it turns out to have been paid for by one of Vlads mates
There’s a difference between In the Public Interest and what’s interesting to the public
I don't disagree, but that doesn't seem to be relevant to what I said.
It’s not an “expenses fiddle”, it is a “disguised income scandal”… and it’s the cover up that’ll end up being a mark against him. As PM, he should work for us, and his other ‘earnings’ should all be declared and above board. When measures have been used to keep the money hidden… it’s the hiding that’s the problem, no matter who the source of the money was.
I didn't say that it is an expenses fiddle - I said it would be as intriguing - so you can spare me the lecture.
So far, it's looking pretty similar to the first Mandleson scandal.