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Prime Minister Boris Johnson tells the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs “On a clear road I crashed the car into a ditch” over the Paterson affair.
That’s what happens when you drive drunk.
Either he has some very reflective moments or he's losing the battle with the bottle.
Why would he go all-out to defend a largely indefensible lobbying case against Paterson, and to break long-standing parliamentary conventions to do so? Because he will soon face investigation by those same processes and this was a way to force through helpful changes to those processes while having someone else’s name and face attached to it.
That's the most important point in the article imo. The idea that Johnson stuck his head out to help a friend is, I think, is frankly ridiculous.
What I might be less in agreement with is the amount of damage it might have done to Johnson and the Tories.
Sure it's done damage but the very latest opinion poll only gives Labour a 1% lead and the previous one placed Labour and the Tories in tie position. The next general election is still potentially years away and there is no reason to believe the fallout from something with has been admitted as a mistake will last that long.
In fact I actually think this little saga and how it has backfired so spectacularly might well do Johnson a huge favour.
It has taught him that despite his massive majority and a spectacularly inept opposition there are limitations with what he can get away with. Better to learn that lesson now than in the run-up to a general election.
The only way this particular **** up might cause more lasting damage is if it paves the way for more scrutiny into the shenanigans of Johnson, a man who is clearly dishonest. But that could have been the case even without the **** up handling.
Otherwise I see the badly handled Paterson issue as a minor inconvenience for Johnson and a rather useful lesson to learn.
I expect the polls to quickly swing back in the Tories favour as people see the pandemic tightening its grips in Europe whilst possibly loosening in the UK, whether or not Johnson deserves credit - he is a master at taking credit, see "Boris' bikes and the London Olympics as examples of how he loves to take undeserved credit.
And of course the opposition is still the same. I can't see him losing that much sleep.
Johnson has tarnished himself & as Ernie points out he is brilliant at taking credit where its not due, but he does seem exceptionally bad at handling crises at each one that arises reduces his credibility that bit more.
2 byelections next month will be a test but no chance of overturning a 40% majority in either.
The danger comes from within his own party, especially if he cuts off their 2nd job/consultancy incomes. And if the red wall new intake of MPs feel he is endangering their much smaller majorities
Levelling up? Quite the reverse.
(higher score = greater inequality):
UK Gini index score
2019/20 36.3%
2018/19 34.7%
2017/18 34.4%
2016/17 33.4%
and a rather useful lesson to learn.
Given his history of being investigated and fired from pretty all his other employment and that having precisely zero effect on his his life thus far. I don't expect much reflection from him
fired from pretty all his other employment
Let's not start all this 'Johnson is a moronic halfwit' nonsense again.
Edit : Yes Johnson is noted for his blunders, which have dogged his professional life, but he has a clear ability to come out of the shit smelling of roses.
The man who was humiliatingly sacked from the Tory Front Bench for a stupid mistake ended up becoming Tory Prime Minister.
Dismiss it all as luck if you want and remain in denial but it is precisely that underestimation of Johnson which has served him so well.
Never trust a **** who combs his hair with a balloon.
"Dismiss it all as luck if you want and remain in denial but it is precisely that underestimation of Johnson which has served him so well."
the difference now is that he is on the big stage. its much harder for him to hide now and when he does f-up, a lot more people see it. He cant (keep on) fool(ing) all of the people, all of the time.
Dismiss it all as luck if you want and remain in denial but it is precisely that underestimation of Johnson which has served him so well.
He's sold an image all his life and largely done it well, but sales are dropping off sharply.
It’s Ok everyone we have an anti-corruption Czar as well, his name is John Penrose
And guess how he voted in the Paterson/ Committee on Standards votes?!
the difference now is that he is on the big stage. its much harder for him to hide now and when he does f-up, a lot more people see it.
Sure they do. I wouldn't be dismissive of his talents as a vacillating opportunitist though.
I don't expect the Paterson cockup to be his undoing, but we will see soon enough whether it has a lasting effect.
The sure way of destroying Johnson's political career is through an effective opposition, which really shouldn't be a moon on a stick.
In that respect at least Johnson has been unbelievably lucky.
I also expect some sort of rebound in his fortunes depending on how this winter goes with Covid etc. However, I think his high water mark has now been reached and there will be more setbacks to come. He just can't help himself, then there will inevitably be some not of his own making for a change.
I still have more "faith" in his party getting rid of him that the electorate though, which is a shameful thing to have to say.
It's fair to say that ITV New at Ten isn't portraying Boris as having a great day.😁
Climbing down on Article 16 I see, even Johnson is self aware enough to realise triggering a trade war right now is not the best plan
Boris was a vote winner at the last election, in the red wall seats in particular. Got Brexit done, high japes, whizzo laugh, few off-colour jokes and job’s a good’un. DomCum sat behind the curtain to keep it vaguely on track. Majority secured and increased, thanks a lot.
Now the curtain’s back, the wizard’s been sacked. And Boris has been revealed as a nasty self-serving, rule adjusting snout in the trough at our expense and he’s laughing at us all because he doesn’t care. And he’s not even good at the job to keep his own people on side.
I feel so sorry for the party – he’s a liability in office, and any of the names lining up would be a more competent leader or PM than him. But would the red wall vote for them? Such a problem, poor tories.
No but we have.
And Boris sent out on to QT tonight … *checks notes*… junior employment minister minister Mims Davies.
Who?
Seems even Kwasi or Grant weren’t up for taking a bullet for the flytipped sofa tonight. Maybe after the last couple of weeks there aren’t too many volunteers
Victoria Derbyshire skewering 2019 intake Tory MP over high speed rail: https://twitter.com/vicderbyshire/status/1461326433847058440
Not lying down in front of that bulldozer seems to have paid off…
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-flew-luxury-freebie-25491998
It's a bit sad that people who's soul responsibility is hitting a ball with a bit of wood are being sacked for things they said or fancy dress decisions they made ten to fifteen years ago (I'm not condoning racism or sexism but teen-agers often say and do stupid things for effect or which they think will impress their mates rather than what they truly believe).
At the same time no-one seems to be able to hold the PM for things he said were promises a few weeks or months ago.
Be interesting to see how Johnson is polling in those red wall seats
https://twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1461599173439111171?t=luA3aI6J2HO2ZXxZXsBDvw&s=19
Johnson's sales pitch in 2019 was that he'd get things done. So far that's Social Care, Brexit, "Levelling Up" all fluffed. Whether that means that the new Tory northern seats will turn back to Labour remains to be seen.
Victoria Derbyshire skewering 2019 intake Tory MP over high speed rail
Slightly OT, but is it common to mute the audio from interviewees? I've not seen that before, but I don't often watch TV news these days.
Assume that Johnson is gone within a year - either because the Tory press are after him or because he wants to spend more time with his money.
Who's going to replace him? The talent in cabinet is not impressive.
What would be the point in it being someone currently in the cabinet?
I think it would be a run off between Sunak and Hunt when it gets to the members.
I think it would be a run off between Sunak and Hunt when it gets to the members.
Hunt has been out of the cabinet throughout the pandemic, and quietly sniping from the Health Committee, so I think he may be the next Tory leader
Whilst I don't like his politics, he is at least vaguely competent and statesmanlike.
Also not tainted by being in this Cabinet
#leastworstoption.
Maybe
Dories
Be interesting to see how Johnson is polling in those red wall seats
Won't make any difference, the "Red Wall" seats voted Tory on account of Brexit and durty asylum-seaking forriners taking are jobs, not because they wanted a fast rail line to London.
not because they wanted a fast rail line to London
It’s not a “fast rail line to London” they were promised, it was new lines linking up major cities in the North with each other so that they could become an alternative economic power house rather than everything being about London and its satellite regions. They have just reversed direction and made new rail infrastructure all about London. Connections between Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield to each other and to cities east, west and north of them have been dumped. Just 2 miles of new track will be laid in Yorkshire now, with investment slashed here while continued investment in areas far away (in journey time) is sold to us as being beneficial to us. Without additional capacity here, industry will have to continue to rely on road freight for expansion, and commuters will be pushed into driving. And when decarbonisation properly kicks in, Yorkshire and the wider north will be at a huge disadvantage to regions across Europe that have a new modern high capacity rail network ready to take the strain.
Red Wall” seats voted Tory on account of Brexit and durty asylum-seaking forriners taking are jobs
Why what happened in 2019 to make "red wall" voters think that when apparently they weren't thinking it in 2017?
Or is this simply another example of just how clueless some people are about what motivates voters in the once Labour Heartlands?
And also helps to explain why the Labour Party is equally clueless?
I do wonder exactly what it is going to take to bring this Gov't down. This lot make Maggie & the Major years look like sunlit uplands.
https://twitter.com/mrjamesob/status/1461738343847407623
Some of them are idiots, for example, they think they are doing better under the Torries because there is now three food banks locally where as under labour there was only the one!🤦
the self-pwns keep coming
streissand effect in full effect
https://twitter.com/MikeHolden42/status/1461750929619927040
explained well here
https://twitter.com/TheNewEuropean/status/1461686492754067456
Richie_B
Full MemberIt’s a bit sad that people who’s soul responsibility is hitting a ball with a bit of wood are being sacked for things they said or fancy dress decisions they made ten to fifteen years ago (I’m not condoning racism or sexism but teen-agers often say and do stupid things for effect or which they think will impress their mates rather than what they truly believe).
At the same time no-one seems to be able to hold the PM for things he said were promises a few weeks or months ago.
It's the way of the world now isn't it. Look at the US, where a man who played the president on TV lost his career over sexual assaults but the actual president gained popularity for the same thing.
Why what happened in 2019 to make “red wall” voters think that when apparently they weren’t thinking it in 2017?
Oh, come on. Do you really think that the Tories taking northern seats in 2019 was anything other than a proxy vote on Brexit?
Brexit and "durty asylum-seaking forriners taking are jobs" according to you.
But what you fail to explain is why two years earlier the "red wall" seats didn't go Tory.
I don't think anyone will claim that brexit wasn't an issue in 2017 so are you saying that dirty asylum-seeking foreigners wasn't?
What happened in just two years that made asylum-seeking foreigners such an election issue that people whose families had voted Labour for a hundred years switched to the Tories?
Something hugely monumental must have occurred to make asylum seeking such an issue in just two years.
And why didn't brexit make these people vote Tory in 2017?
Btw I love the way you spell dirty, seeking, and foreigners, as how you imagine thick uneducated working-class voters would spell those words. Very amusing. 🙂
Btw I love the way you spell dirty, seeking, and foreigners, as how you imagine thick uneducated working-class voters would spell those words. Very amusing. 🙂
Let me correct you:
Btw I love the way you spell dirty, seeking, and foreigners, as how you imagine thick uneducated racists would spell those words. Very amusing. 🙂
Whether they're working-class or not has nothing to do with it.
Thank you for your correction.
Now can you explain why over the period of two years the "red wall", according to you, became "racist"?
Bearing in mind that in 2017 the so-called red wall seats returned Labour MPs.
What catastrophic event caused such a sudden change?
Edit : btw I find it reassuring to learn that educated racists know how to spell correctly.
Oh dear, it's not getting any better for bozo the clown; article in tomorrow's observer - it's online but I can't link to it - about Jennifer Arcuri now making her diaries with contemporaneous entries about johnson and his relationship with her available to the GLA ethics committee and agreeing to be interviewed by them but only in the US.
It really couldn't happen to a more deserving bloke; arf arf.
I’m still puzzled as to how someone who used sexual favours to obtain £126000 from a public official has a choice about how, when and even whether she submits evidence which she holds.
I consider anyone who holds racist views to be fundamentally uneducated.
I consider anyone who holds racist views to be fundamentally uneducated.
Nice to see the thread return to Boris.
reluctant - thanks.
I actually hope this doesn't sink him but further damages him such that the next 'revelations' push him, visibly, closer to the edge.
What I want is for him to be seen to fall apart in full view of the public.
On top of that, I have no doubt his current Mrs will thoroughly rinse and humiliate him.
Riks - fair point but the objective and target is johnson, not ths fortunate recipient of undeserved public funds; she tarted herself
so I have no sympathy for either her or him.
So what's her objective?
She got (undeserved) funding; he used her and moved on; he's tried to airbrush her out of his history.
I think she's out to destroy his (current) vision of 'domestic bliss'; humiliate him publicly and see him crash'n'burn.
That gets my 100% support.
The issue is
corrupt/questionable behaviour by bozo and using public funds to buy sexual favours. Sure, Arcuri is 'guilty' of procuring favours but this is all on johnson.
I really hope his end is slow, painful and humiliating (for him), very public and final - not bothered if it's literal or metaphorical but the former is much preferred.
I hope the Arcuri thing puts him in ****ing prison. Stealing public money ffs
I consider anyone who holds racist views to be fundamentally uneducated.
And just to be clear you consider that voters in the so-called red wall seats suddenly, and apparently inexplicably, became racists in a matter of a few months because of brexit?
All was good in the red wall seats in 2017 because they weren't Tory voting racists, and they were still voting
Labour.
Despite actually supporting brexit.
I only come here to marvel at the astonishing logic of the educated classes.
I only come here to marvel at the astonishing logic of the educated classes.
Are you marvelling or feeling immensely superior?
I’m still puzzled as to how someone who used sexual favours to obtain £126000 from a public official has a choice about how, when and even whether she submits evidence which she holds.
It's probably in her own legal interests to stay in the states, but in her financial interests if the media interest in her London sexploits picks up, there might be some appearance/interview fees on offer.
Plus let's be honest anyone persuing this is after Boris for abusing his position, not the blousy 'merican "business woman" who he fixated on and started splashing London's money at...
I think all that the last few weeks (well years really) have proven is just how far political conduct in the UK has regressed.
As for "red brick" voters, they were sold various promises, they were told they'd be "leveling up" and yes Brexit would be "getting done"... But I think it was as much a backlash against what probably seemed as much like a disconnected Westminster bubble focussed Labour getting hung up on the 'wrong' issues as it was Boris's clearly insincere promises.
Maybe we shouldn't get hung up on who voted which way or why in 2019, what's done is done now. Perhaps we just wait till 2024, highlight the actions of this government between then and the next election and ask those voters;
"have you gotten what you were promised? Is your region/community/family materially better off having backed the Tory party? Do you still think you can trust them?"...
If People can change their mind once, they can change it again. And I'm not sure Boris ever intended to be more than a single term PM, the point of any smash and grab operation is to be in and out quickly...
cookeaa put things very eloquently.
Mildly amused would probably be the best description RB.
As someone who is working-class, with very basic education, and strongly dislikes the EU, it amuses me that I should be dismissed as an uneducated racist by someone who appears unable to explain why according to them traditional Labour voters suddenly became racist in 2019.
To be fair I don't expect that Flaperon thought for a minute that the claim "Red Wall seats voted Tory on account of Brexit and durty asylum-seaking forriners taking are jobs" would need explaining.
Showing total contempt towards people who don't vote correctly, calling them racists, and mocking the way that arrogant people with a sense of superiority feel they probably spell words, generally goes unchallenged on STW.
If People can change their mind once, they can change it again. And I’m not sure Boris ever intended to be more than a single term PM
Yep I wouldn't be surprised to see him slink off if he keeps ballsing things up, on present polling his own constituency isn't even safe.
A 2nd term is by no means guaranteed, even as mayor he only scraped it against livingston by a few % and livingston was a liability by then
It's worth realising that without Covid he'd be well into the program of deregulation and national asset stripping he was originally installed for.
Showing total contempt towards people who don’t vote correctly, calling them racists, and mocking the way that arrogant people with a sense of superiority feel they probably spell words, generally goes unchallenged on STW.
That is almost certainly part of what motivated people to vote Boris in, right?
The term "London elite" was being chucked about at the time along with some others, and could be applied to almost anyone to frame them as looking down on Brexit supporters, or just economically/politically disadvantaged people not living in the SE. Basically playing on people's (quite justified) sense of disenfranchisement.
TBH 2019 was a triumph for vague promises, political smearing, and heavyweight sloganeering. Pushing out lots of messages, yes some a bit racist, but many others more focussed on using those huge social and economic gaps between different regions that did exist (and still do). Lots of dog whistles were being played by Dom on Bozza's behalf.
Well the Brexiteers have had their Brexit now and it's going swimmingly, how's that "leveling up" going for the rest of you?
In no particular order Boris and chums have raided the PPE budget, offered derisory pay increases to NHS staff, had a jolly good crack at installing sympathetic individuals in regulatory roles, tried changing parliamentary rules so one of their own didn't have to suffer a (deserved) 1 month suspension (FFS), fiddled the books for the PMs wallpaper, thrown out lots of mixed messages in the management of the pandemic (and IMO cost lives), and now they're cancelling the bit of HS2 that would have benefitted Northern cities with improved rail capacity helping grow the regional economy.
I'll grant you they gave the nation Furlough (which the opposition backed) but the alternative was massive unemployment.
(Assuming you turned Tory) You voted for an old Etonian, Bullingdon Boy (the walking definition of privileged entitlement) on the promise that he'd smash the elites and level up the disadvantaged, He was never going to do that. Which was kind of obvious to some people. You must appreciate why they hold a bit of contempt for those that lent the Tory party their votes...
At the end of the day people are going to disagree with you, that's life, and in the absence of any discernable logic for your actions, they're going to ascribe (negative) motives, and yes mock you...
If you don't mind me asking why did you vote Tory?
Very telling headline from The Express. It's been his main cheerleader for sometime now. It's actually seeking to reassure it's readership that he is still their man. Very telling.
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To highlight his parties problems (one of many) Boris just can't help himself... Genuinely, he can't stop being what he is, hence all the self inflicted damage.
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It wont be any one story that sinks Boris and his party. It'll be a constant drip,drip of Boris stupidity and negative revelations about the Tories around him.
It's going to be a very long winter for Boris and the tories. If it weren't for the fact that the country and its people are already paying the price for these corrupt c***s id be in a pretty positive mood due to both Boris and his party being in real trouble.
It's hard to feel "happy" given the scenario though.
In no particular order Boris and chums have raided the PPE budget, offered derisory pay increases to NHS staff, had a jolly good crack at installing sympathetic individuals in regulatory roles, tried changing parliamentary rules so one of their own didn’t have to suffer a (deserved) 1 month suspension (FFS), fiddled the books for the PMs wallpaper, thrown out lots of mixed messages in the management of the pandemic (and IMO cost lives), and now they’re cancelling the bit of HS2 that would have benefitted Northern cities with improved rail capacity helping grow the regional economy.
I’ll grant you they gave the nation Furlough (which the opposition backed) but the alternative was massive unemployment.
You have obviously given a bit of thought and that is a fairly reasonable synopsis, I am assuming that you have focused on what you consider to be the negative aspects of Johnson's premiership.
When it is summed up like that it increases my amazement even more how some people, who claim to be to the left of the Tory Party, consider that Thatcher, Major, and Cameron premierships to have been more desirable than Johnson's.
Nothing in what you have listed compares with the magnitude of nasty Tory policies pursued by Thatcher, Major, and Cameron. You even had to resort to refering to Downing Street wallpaper ffs.
Can you imagine the misery that Britain would have been spared if criticism of Thatcher, Major, and Cameron, had focused on issues such as what wallpaper they chose during their Downing Street stay?
The charges against those three include trebling unemployment, complete breakdown of law and order/rioting in our cities, war, flogging off the nation's assets at knockdown prices, destroying communities, poll tax, inequality, homophobic legislation, cuts and austerity causing misery, poverty, and death, and huge increases in crime and the prison population.
Btw do I sound like someone who likes Tory governments?
Well the Brexiteers have had their Brexit now and it’s going swimmingly, how’s that “leveling up” going for the rest of you?
Process of change can't happen over night. At least we are out of the tentacles of another silly system (Benny hill music in the background). Life is not perfect but at least it is less headache (one less). Take back control? Yes, why not? That is precisely it - take back control. It is not easy because the inner rot is extensive while external pressure keeps coming from a system that wants to set an example of Brexit.
If you don’t mind me asking why did you vote Tory?
Seriously? Tory might be a party of clowns but the alternatives make a clown out of the people. I rather be entertained than to entertain like a circus animals for the elites.
I rather be entertained than to entertain like a circus animal for the elites.
Considering you are talking about politics and Tory politics in particular?
Wow.
Considering you are talking about politics and Tory politics in particular?
Wow.
Yes, you need to choose.
I don't trust politicians regardless but there are some less damaging than others. I just choose those that are less damaging to me.
Can't find the article now, but next week's embarrassing u-turn looks to be over watering down of social care costs cap, which would disadvantage pensioners with low value houses in the North far more than those in the south where property prices are higher.
New northern tory MP's up in arms and threatening vote against apparently.
I can see a u-turn on scrapping the rail upgrades he promised too
Showing total contempt towards people who don’t vote correctly, calling them racists, and mocking the way that arrogant people with a sense of superiority feel they probably spell words, generally goes unchallenged on STW.
Seems to me that you have this rose-tinted view of what the "working class" is, and sit safely and comfortably outside it while feigning outrage that anyone suggests that someone can be working class and racist.
Can’t find the article now, but next week’s embarrassing u-turn looks to be over watering down of social care costs cap,
Accepting its a valid issue to rebel on, but let's hope it doesn’t become a reason to kick care costs onto the long grass again
When I wrote to failing grayling , moaning about how shit brexit was and how he shouldn’t support the wife beating, lying to the queen , crook that’s in number 10 all I got back was a letter supporting brexit.
Can we all take 10 minutes to stop moaning on here and moan to your Tory mp instead.
They all supported Cummings and got burnt , remind them of that.
I obviously get filtered into the 'ignore' folder by my local MP now, after having has a similar pro brexit waffle from mine, he now just ignores me
I got blocked from all the social media of my new Tory MP/Brexit rubber stamp last year for politely asking him what his opinion was on Mr Cummings Covid castle tour.
His social media is entirely full of toadying posts saying how wonderful he is, as anything else is immediately deleted and the perpetrator blocked. I know loads of people who this has happened to.
And we’re not talking about being abusive here. Far from it. We’re talking about his constituents politely asking perfectly legitimate questions about government policy that directly effects them
I’ve emailed him on a couple of occasions and you get a reply from a lackey asking you for a postcode to confirm you are one of his constituents, then nothing. This is apparently standard.
In short, he’s behaving exactly as we thought he would
I've had just as poor feedback from writing to my Labor MP, not that it excuses anything.
As for the U turns, many of the new (vocal) Tories I speak to see them as a good thing, it shows that's Boris is sticking it to the London elite and listening to the people... Blind faith / idiocy is hard to argue with.
There’s a good piece by Andrew Rawnsley in the Observer this morning on the patience of Tory MPs wearing very thin with Johnson now
Boris Johnson has united every Tory faction – in anger at him
So what will Tyne next U-turn be?
Social Care
Trains
Covid restrictions
?
Unfortunately the end of Boris isn't likely to be the end of this government.
Seems to me that you have this rose-tinted view of what the “working class” is, and sit safely and comfortably outside it while feigning outrage that anyone suggests that someone can be working class and racist.
I rarely feel "outrage", I have no idea why you feel that I might be feigning it.
Nor do I have any idea what you mean by "comfortably outside" and rose-tinted view. My view is very much from the inside.
What you perceive as outrage was simply an observation of the contempt you clearly feel towards those that you personally consider to be uneducated and racist. I really couldn't give a monkeys how much you hate them, any particular reason why I should?
Anyway all this very conveniently detracts from the question that you persistently refuse to answer. You made the bold statement that in 2019 the "red wall" voted Tory because the voters are (uneducated) racists. Explain why you think these racists were voting Labour previously, or did they become racist just for that election? I am assuming you understand why it is referred to as Labour's red wall.
Care cap examples here
https://twitter.com/ChrisGiles_/status/1461296491079872513?t=lZ9Iw7ruuxt_TwMpdSTbXA&s=19
My parents live in a not particularly nice part of the South (Dunstable)
My wife's mum lives in a nicer part of the North (Wirral)
But the price difference on similar houses is huge, the new cap could mean a difference of nearly 200k
Leveling up my arse
and strongly dislikes the EU
Why is that? And how is the alternative shaping up for you personally?
From my point of view it's not going well for me nor the country as I don't have a vast amount of money in my bank account. If one was a pro-brexit voter without a large pot of money one was at best a fool. (My working history includes time as a TGWU Steward in food manufacturing, it wasn't hard to see what was being aimed at by the monied classes if one did some basic research).
EDIT A vast amount of money would be an integer with at least 6 zeros before the decimal point.
I think we need to be wary of reports of Tory support waning for their economic policies. While they aren't left wing enough for many if us, to many Tories they are already neo-Communist. They aren't complaining the policies are too right wing.