Boris Johnson - Prime Minister of the UK — Discussion: Now announces UK sanctions against Russia

[James]

Ok so Boris is not quite hanging by a thread yet, but he is definitely in a considerable pile of doo-doo.

 

[Robert]

He sounded angry and a bit rattled at PMQ.

 

[MenInG]

Boris Johnson has insisted he "covered the costs" of the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat as a formal investigation was launched into the revamp.

The Electoral Commission on Wednesday announced it would look into whether any transactions related to the works on the prime minister's flat - above 11 Downing Street - were properly reported.

They said there were "reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred".

Little more than an hour later, Mr Johnson faced a grilling by MPs during Prime Minister's Questions, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer focussing on "sleaze" allegations against the government.

"Dodgy contracts, jobs for their mates and cash for access - and who is at the heart of it? The prime minister, Major Sleaze sitting there," Sir Keir said, as he responded to weeks of Mr Johnson branding him "Captain Hindsight".

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford also joined the attacks on the prime minister, saying Mr Johnson was "up to his neck in a slump of Tory sleaze".

"We've seen contracts for cronies, texts for tax breaks and cash for curtains," he said.

"The prime minister had dodged these questions all week and he has dodged them again today, but these questions simply are not going to go away."

Mr Blackford asked: "Will the prime minister publish these details [of the funding] today, or is he going to wait until the police come knocking at his door?"

But the prime minister hit back, telling MPs: "The answer is that I have covered the costs. I have met the requirements that I've been obliged to meet in full."

The prime minister - who said no "rules or laws" had been broken in relation to the works on his flat - also claimed the "credulity of the public" was being "strained to breaking point" by Sir Keir's focus on the refurbishment.

"He goes on and on about wallpaper when I've told him umpteen times now, I paid for it," Mr Johnson told the Labour leader.

When asked by Sir Keir to answer a "multiple choice" question on who paid the initial invoice for the works - taxpayers, the Conservative Party, a private donor, or himself - Mr Johnson replied: "I have covered the costs."

The prime minister and his fiancée, Carrie Symonds, are said to have wanted an overhaul of the flat in order to replace what has been termed Theresa May's "John Lewis furniture nightmare".

After PMQs, Sir Keir's spokesman disclosed that the Labour leader's wedding list was with John Lewis.

"Unlike the prime minister he doesn't turn his nose down at John Lewis thinking it's down market," he said.

The spokesman also suggested the fiery exchanges in the House of Commons had seen the prime minister suffer a "Kevin Keegan moment", as he referenced the ex-Newcastle United manager's famous rant during the 1996 Premier League title race.

The Electoral Commission investigation comes amid growing questions about how Mr Johnson's flat refurbishment was paid for.

In leaked emails, it recently emerged that Tory donor Lord Brownlow offered the Conservative Party a £58,000 donation last year.

The money, according to emails seen by the Daily Mail, was to "cover the payments the party has already made on behalf of the soon to be formed 'Downing Street Trust'".

In the emails to Conservative Party officials from October, the Tory peer was also reported to have mentioned a £15,000 donation.

However, only the £15,000 donation has been listed on Electoral Commission records, with mystery surrounding the other £58,000 sum.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "We believe all reportable donations have been transparently and correctly declared and published by the Electoral Commission.

"We will continue to work constructively with the Electoral Commission on this matter. While an investigation is ongoing we will not be commenting further."

It has been confirmed that the government has, since last spring, been looking into whether a trust could be established to help fund upgrades of the prime minister's residence in Downing Street, with Lord Brownlow having agreed to be its chair.

But no such trust currently exists and Mr Johnson is now said to have "personally" paid for the costs of a "wider refurbishment" of the flat he shares with Ms Symonds.

Yet both Number 10 and the Conservative Party have not denied reports that Conservative Campaign Headquarters paid the Cabinet Office to cover initial costs of the works.

Meanwhile, Sky News has reported Downing Street approached former Labour chancellor Lord Alistair Darling to ask for help setting up a trust to oversee the refurbishment of Boris Johnson's private flat.

Officials wanted Lord Darling to sit on a trust which would cover any renovation costs of the Downing Street estate.

Lord Darling, who lived above Downing Street when he was Gordon Brown's chancellor, turned down the role.

He is thought to have argued that the government, rather than a trust, should maintain government buildings, and that the project could attract the unwanted attention from donors who might want favours from the prime minister or a peerage.

Announcing their formal investigation on Wednesday, an Electoral Commission spokesperson said: "We have been in contact with the Conservative Party since late March and have conducted an assessment of the information they have provided to us.

"We are now satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred. We will therefore continue this work as a formal investigation to establish whether this is the case.

"The investigation will determine whether any transactions relating to the works at 11 Downing Street fall within the regime regulated by the Commission and whether such funding was reported as required.

"We will provide an update once the investigation is complete. We will not be commenting further until that point."

The Electoral Commission can issue fines of between £200 to a maximum of £20,000 for breaches of electoral law.

Meanwhile, the prime minister has announced that crossbench peer Lord Geidt - a former private secretary to the Queen - has been appointed as the new independent adviser on ministers' interests.

The position has been vacant since November after Lord Geidt's predecessor, Sir Alex Allan, quit the role.

Sir Alex resigned after Mr Johnson overruled his conclusions about Home Secretary Priti Patel's "bullying" of civil servants.

 

[Robert]

Starmer stripped away the mask of bumbling, funny Boris yesterday to reveal the fury of a man-child who has always felt the rules do not apply to him and has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Roll on the Electoral Commission investigation.

Even the Mail and Express have turned on him, a week before the election.

Sunak or Gove to be PM by late summer.

 

[Technics 1210]

Latest polls show Tories hold lead.

A clear indication that the majority do not care about some dodgy flat renovation because there are more important matters, like the success of Brexit, which thus far has proven all remainers wrong.

Liberals will never come into power again, certainly not in our life time, and Labour won't win kak while a pro-Zionist mouth piece is at the helm.

It's blue all the way into 2030s.

 

[Technics 1210]

Perhaps, but if an EU citizen or business can buy something within the EU for 80% of the price of the same something imported from the U.K., what does it make business sense to choose?

Is this a hypothetical?

Can you name any product that could be bought at 80% discount within the EU? Even if this were true, businesses could import the said product, with added tarrifs, and still make a tidy profit.

 

[Robert]

Is this a hypothetical?

Can you name any product that could be bought at 80% discount within the EU? Even if this were true, businesses could import the said product, with added tarrifs, and still make a tidy profit.

Didn’t say 80% discount, said 80% of price.

I mean many British goods and services are now subject to tariffs to go on sale in the EU, so an EU citizen has an incentive to buy from within the EU rather than from Britain. Where the goods are wholly made in the U.K. there are zero tariffs, but the clothing industry has been hit because imported textiles cannot be sold without tariffs going on. Debenhams no longer exports to Ireland, for example, as tariffs go on.

 

[Technics 1210]

Didn’t say 80% discount, said 80% of price.

I mean many British goods and services are now subject to tariffs to go on sale in the EU, so an EU citizen has an incentive to buy from within the EU rather than from Britain. Where the goods are wholly made in the U.K. there are zero tariffs, but the clothing industry has been hit because imported textiles cannot be sold without tariffs going on. Debenhams no longer exports to Ireland, for example, as tariffs go on.

British goods are subject to tariffs yet goods wholly made in the UK have zero tariffs? What’s the difference?

Debenhams is a bad example. It went bust twice, once after being taken over by private investment group, and then during C19. It went bust because it did not embrace online shopping. Also Debenhams was part of the Arcadia group - Sir Philip Green’s lost empire.

However in your example above, where is the EU citizen residing? If in EU then of course it makes sense to buy in the EU. The same citizen wouldn’t buy the same product from UK but if the Resident wanted to buy British goods, made in Britain, there are no tariffs. I don’t see the problem?

Plus not all goods are subject to tariffs, and key point, tariffs are 2 way. If EU imposes tariffs, UK would too.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/uks-raab-no-idea-if-donor-was-asked-pay-johnsons-childcare-2021-05-02/

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced more allegations on Sunday about his expenditure on the refurbishment of his apartment and on childcare for his young son, which his foreign minister dismissed as baseless gossip.

Johnson has repeatedly weathered gaffes, crises over Brexit and disclosures of his adultery, but the revelation that he and his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, spent lavishly to redecorate their residence with a designer feted by royalty has touched a nerve.

One of the leaders of the 2016 campaign to leave the European Union, Johnson is grappling with a stream of allegations about both his expenditure and the management of his core team at the centre of the British government that opponents say show he is unfit for office.

Johnson has repeatedly said that he paid for the refurbishment of his Downing Street apartment, but the Electoral Commission says it has grounds to suspect an offence has been committed in the funding of the work.

The Sunday Times said the total cost of the work was around 200,000 pounds ($276,000) and that one invoice was settled by a Conservative Party donor directly - a benefit-in-kind that would need to be declared to tax authorities.

The newspaper also reported that a Conservative Party donor had been asked to pay for a nanny for Johnson's young son, Wilfred.

"I don't mind paying for leaflets but I resent being asked to pay to literally wipe the prime minister's baby's bottom," the unidentified donor was quoted as saying.

Johnson's Downing Street office did not address the reported refurbishment costs, but said in a statement: "The Prime Minister has covered the costs of all childcare."

The Conservative Party declined to comment on the report. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab declined to answer directly who initially paid for the work and said he had "no idea" if a donor had been asked to pay for Johnson's childcare.

"The last issue you asked about is an example of tittle tattle," Raab told Sky TV. He said Johnson had been "crystal clear" about the expenditure on the refurbishment of the apartment.

Before local elections on Thursday across most of Britain, some opinion surveys show Johnson's ratings have dipped. His party also faces a parliamentary by-election in Hartlepool, northern England, which the opposition Labour Party has controlled for decades.

Such is uproar over the cost of the Downing Street refurbishment that Johnson last week even expressed his "love" for John Lewis, a retailer adored by millions of British voters.

Tatler magazine had cited an unidentified source as saying the work had improved the apartment after the "John Lewis furniture nightmare" inherited from former Prime Minister Theresa May.

 

[Markhor]

Local elections tomorrow.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X-jjxvohPZs" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I'm interested to see how this chap Tiger Patel fares. Above is from his back catalogue of campaigning

 

[MenInG]

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has married his fiancee Carrie Symonds in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral, it has been reported.

The wedding was held in front of close friends and family on Saturday, according to several newspapers.

Downing Street has declined to comment.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster also wished them a "huge congratulations" on Twitter.

The Mail on Sunday reported that 30 guests were invited to the ceremony at short notice - the maximum number of attendees allowed under Covid restrictions in England.

A small number of church officials were involved in preparations for the Catholic ceremony, which was officiated by Father Daniel Humphreys, it said.

The Sun said senior Downing Street aides did not know about the wedding.

Members of the public were asked to leave Westminster Cathedral just after 13:30 BST, it added.

Ms Symonds, 33, who wore a white dress to exchange vows with the prime minister, is reported to have arrived in a limo about half an hour later.

Musicians were pictured leaving No 10 on Saturday night.

Ms Symonds was first romantically linked to Mr Johnson, 56, by the media in early 2019.

They revealed that they were engaged and that she was pregnant in February 2020.

Their son, Wilfred, was born last April.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Boris Johnson's former chief aide has shared a WhatsApp message in which the prime minister appears to call Health Secretary Matt Hancock's efforts "totally f****** hopeless".

Dominic Cummings, who has been engaged in a weeks-long feud with Downing Street, published a lengthy blogpost that he claimed showed details of how "Number10/Hancock have repeatedly lied about the failures last year".

Amid his more than 7,000 words, Mr Cummings also included a series of screenshots from what he said were his WhatsApp exchanges while working in Downing Street during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

In one exchange, which Mr Cummings said was part of late-night messages on 26 March 2020, he and Mr Johnson are shown to be discussing actions from "MH" in boosting the UK's COVID testing capacity.

The screenshot shows a reply, purportedly from the prime minister, stating: "Totally f****** hopeless".

Mr Cummings added, shortly after receiving that message from the prime minister, he had a series of missed calls from Mr Johnson who was calling to say he'd tested positive for coronavirus.


In another exchange, said to be from 27 April last year, Mr Johnson is said to have openly wondered about taking responsibility for procuring Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) away from Mr Hancock and giving it to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.

The prime minister is claimed to have written: "On ppe it's a disaster. I can't think of anything except taking Hancock off and putting Gove on."

Mr Cummings, who left his role as Mr Johnson's chief adviser last November amid a Number 10 power struggle, last month gave seven hours of evidence to MPs on the government's response to the COVID crisis.

He used that appearance to claim Mr Hancock should have been sacked for "15 to 20 things" including "lying" to people "on multiple occasions".

In how own evidence to MPs on the government's COVID response, Mr Hancock last week said it was "telling that no evidence has been provided" about some of the claims Mr Cummings made.

And now, in what he said was his response to Mr Hancock's testimony, Mr Cummings has published what he said were "just a few things to support what I told MPs and show that No10/Hancock have repeatedly lied about the failures last year".

His explosive claims also include his depiction of contrasting styles in the handling of key COVID meetings between Mr Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who deputised for the prime minister after Mr Johnson fell seriously ill with COVID.

The prime minister's former adviser wrote that meetings under Mr Raab were "less pleasant for everybody but much more productive".

"Raab can chair meetings properly instead of telling rambling stories and jokes," Mr Cummings added.

"He let good officials actually question people so we started to get to the truth.

"Unlike the PM who as soon as things get 'a bit embarrassing' does the whole 'let's take it offline' shtick before shouting 'forward to victory', doing a thumbs-up and pegging it out of the room before anybody can disagree."

Mr Cummmings also claimed Mr Johnson has a "clear plan" to leave Downing Street "at the latest a couple of years after the next election", which is scheduled for 2024.

"He wants to make money and have fun not 'go on and on'," Mr Cummings wrote.

At the end of his blogpost, Mr Cummings listed a "few simple questions" to ask Mr Johnson.

This included asking why the prime minister kept Mr Hancock in post "given his failures on testing, care homes and PPE" and "how many more people died as a result of your failure to remove him?".

Mr Cummings also wrote: "Why is No10 lying, including to Parliament, about the fact that the original plan was 'herd immunity by September' and had to be abandoned?"

And he also suggested Mr Johnson be asked whether he now agrees "with Hancock that there was no shortage of PPE or do you agree with yourself in April 2020 that PPE supply was 'a disaster' that required moving Hancock?".

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner branded the accusations from Mr Cummings as "absolutely damning".

She said a promised public inquiry into the government's handling of the COVID crisis "can't wait" until next year, adding: "We can't allow history to be rewritten. In order to get to the truth that public inquiry must begin now.

"Any minister who has been found to have broken the ministerial code and lied should and must resign."

Mr Johnson declined the opportunity to comment on Mr Cummings's claims when asked about them during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday afternoon.

SKY

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/aug/06/boris-johnson-will-not-isolate-after-staffer-tests-positive-for-covid

A member of Boris Johnson’s team who was with the prime minister during his trip to Scotland has tested positive for Covid, but Johnson will not isolate.

The Guardian was told the prime minister did not come into close contact with the Downing Street staffer, but a source insisted the pair were “side-by-side” on several occasions.

The source also said Johnson and the civil servant flew in the same small aircraft between Glasgow and Aberdeen.

After the staffer tested positive, he isolated in Scotland – and all those identified as close contacts were told to do the same.

Downing Street could not say whether Johnson had been tested for Covid since the member of his delegation began isolating, though he is understood to have been tested before the trip and at some point during it.

Johnson, who only recently came out of isolation after coming into close contact with a cabinet minister who tested positive for the virus – the health secretary, Sajid Javid – is currently at Chequers.

After being approached by the Guardian, a No 10 spokesperson said: “The prime minister regularly visits communities across the UK and all aspects of visits are carried out in line with covid guidance.

“The prime minister has not come into close contact with anyone who has tested positive.”

If Johnson is later identified as a close contact of the staffer, he will have to isolate.

Though he is fully vaccinated, everyone contacted by test and trace must still quarantine. The rules will change on 16 August to allow those who are fully vaccinated to avoid isolation.

Johnson and the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, initially tried to avoid isolating last month when they came into close contact with Javid, by saying they would join a pilot of daily contact testing instead. However, they U-turned in the face of mounting public pressure and later agreed to spend the necessary 10 days at home.

Johnson spent the time at his countryside residence Chequers.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My condolences to Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BorisJohnson</a> on the sad demise of his mother. In this difficult moment my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.</p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1437842657842110470?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[James]

Big cabinet reshuffle today from Boris….

Night of the Blonde Knives Mark II.

 

[Robert]

Big cabinet reshuffle today from Boris….

Night of the Blonde Knives Mark II.

It doesn’t matter who he gets in. The competent Tories are all Remainers so he can only promote from a second-rate talent pool of ideologues. Though that may be the idea. None have the brains and skills to challenge him. He rewards loyalty not ability, like Trump.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://news.sky.com/story/cop26-boris-johnson-faces-backlash-for-failing-to-wear-mask-while-sitting-next-to-sir-david-attenborough-12458494?dcmp=snt-sf-twitter

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing a backlash after he was pictured not wearing a face covering while sitting next to 95-year-old broadcaster Sir David Attenborough at COP26.

Some photos also show Mr Johnson sitting maskless next to 72-year-old UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres during the opening of the crucial climate summit on Monday.

Although Mr Johnson is seen wearing a mask in other photos taken at the same event.

Shadow trade minister Bill Esterson tweeted: "Boris Johnson chose not to wear a mask sat next to David Attenborough at #COP26 Attenborough is 95 and is at a very high risk from COVID.

"Wearing a mask protects other people yet Johnson couldn't be bothered to protect Attenborough from COVID. Says it all about Johnson."

Labour MP Anna McMorrin also tweeted: "It's one thing to show how little you care but quite another [to] sit next to 95 year old David Attenborough and NOT wear a MASK."

Mr Johnson and other senior Tories have received criticism for not wearing face masks in the House of Commons in recent weeks, despite high COVID cases in the UK.

Asked about the controversy by CNN, Mr Johnson fluffed his answer before saying: "I've been wearing masks in confined spaces with people I don't normally talk to... it's up to people to take a judgment whether they're at a reasonable distance from someone... that's the approach we take."

A Downing Street spokesman told the Daily Mirror: "The prime minister has abided by the COVID guidance at COP throughout.

"As you know attendees and delegates are not required to wear face masks when they are seated as per the guidance and he will continue to abide by all the rules that are in place while he's up in Glasgow."

Earlier, Mr Johnson said he was "cautiously optimistic" about the prospects for a deal to curb global warming at the talks.

On the second day of the COP26 summit, he welcomed a series of announcements by the assembled leaders on deforestation and emissions.

But he stressed there was still a long way to go if they were to get an agreement that would keep alive the prospect set out in the Paris Agreement of restricting world temperature rises to 1.5C.

Ahead of the summit, Mr Johnson suggested that humanity was 5-1 down at half-time in the battle against climate change.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, he said: "We've pulled back a goal, or perhaps even two, and I think we are going to be able to take this thing to extra-time, because there's no doubt that some progress has been made."

He added that while the "doomsday clock is still ticking", they now had a bomb disposal team on site and "they're starting to snip the wires - I hope some of the right wires".

 

[Robert]

I hate these football and Bond analogies. He sounds puerile and inane. People like UvdL will see right through him.

 

[James]

I hate these football and Bond analogies. He sounds puerile and inane. People like UvdL will see right through him.

Sounds like her and Boris would get on.

"Consultants affair"
Since 2018 an investigative committee organized by Germany's Federal Audit Office is looking into how contracts worth tens of millions of euros were awarded to external consultancy firms.[95][96][62] The auditing office has found several irregularities in how the contracts were awarded. During the investigation, two of von der Leyen's phones were confiscated, but data from both phones has been deleted before being returned to the defense ministry.[97] In turn, opposition lawmaker Tobias Linder has filed a criminal complaint against von der Leyen suspecting deliberate destruction of evidence relevant for the case.[98][99]

 

[Robert]

Sounds like her and Boris would get on.

"Consultants affair"
Since 2018 an investigative committee organized by Germany's Federal Audit Office is looking into how contracts worth tens of millions of euros were awarded to external consultancy firms.[95][96][62] The auditing office has found several irregularities in how the contracts were awarded. During the investigation, two of von der Leyen's phones were confiscated, but data from both phones has been deleted before being returned to the defense ministry.[97] In turn, opposition lawmaker Tobias Linder has filed a criminal complaint against von der Leyen suspecting deliberate destruction of evidence relevant for the case.[98][99]

Interesting. What’s your source for that?

 

[James]

Interesting. What’s your source for that?

It’s on her wiki page and all the numbers are the sources. These include the Financial Times, Reuters, and Deutsche Welle. It’s a well known scandal story in Germany and is still unresolved. I’m sure she will be protected in the end — because the EU, like all political institutions and governments, is riddled with systemic corruption.

 

[Robert]

It’s on her wiki page and all the numbers are the sources. These include the Financial Times, Reuters, and Deutsche Welle. It’s a well known scandal story in Germany and is still unresolved. I’m sure she will be protected in the end — because the EU, like all political institutions and governments, is riddled with systemic corruption.

There are anti corruption system though. EuroParl forced seventeen of the twenty Commissioners to resign over corruption allegations in 1997. (Our own Neil Kinnock was one of the three who remained in post.)

 

[James]

https://euobserver.com/institutional/150832

EU parliament snubs anti-corruption researchers

The European Parliament refused to cooperate with an EU institutional-wide study on integrity and ethics by Transparency International, one of the world's most prestigious anti-corruption NGOs.
"The European Parliament, despite its publicly-stated support for greater transparency was, in fact, the only institution that refused to cooperate," said Michiel van Hulten, who heads Transparency International's EU office in Brussels.

The parliament did the same in 2014, when the NGO launched a similar probe.

———

Doesn’t exactly fill one with confidence does it.

 

[Robert]

https://euobserver.com/institutional/150832

EU parliament snubs anti-corruption researchers

The European Parliament refused to cooperate with an EU institutional-wide study on integrity and ethics by Transparency International, one of the world's most prestigious anti-corruption NGOs.
"The European Parliament, despite its publicly-stated support for greater transparency was, in fact, the only institution that refused to cooperate," said Michiel van Hulten, who heads Transparency International's EU office in Brussels.

The parliament did the same in 2014, when the NGO launched a similar probe.

———

Doesn’t exactly fill one with confidence does it.

I wonder what the British MEPs thought of that.

Are you googling “EU corruption” to see what comes up?

 

[MenInG]

Opposition politicians have ridiculed Boris Johnson after he struggled to get through a keynote address to business leaders, despite claiming afterwards he thought the speech "went over well".

In the speech to the Confederation of British Industry, the prime minister praised the cartoon Peppa Pig, made car engine noises, and compared his 10-point plan for a green economy to the biblical 10 commandments.

There was an awkward silence part of the way through, as Mr Johnson appeared to lose his place and was left shuffling sheets of paper. He muttered "blast it", before saying "forgive me" to the crowd.

The speech was billed as an opportunity for Mr Johnson to set out how his green policies could contribute to the government's "levelling up" agenda.

It included an announcement of a plan to require all new homes in England to have charging points for electric vehicles installed.

But events in South Shields went off at a tangent when Mr Johnson reflected on a trip he made at the weekend to a Peppa Pig World theme park in Hampshire, which he said was "very much my kind of place" but "they are a bit stereotypical about Daddy Pig".

Mr Johnson's reference to the children's cartoon was used to make a point about the importance of the private sector.

He said: "No Whitehall civil servant could conceivably have come up with Peppa", which has become a multi-billion dollar business with theme parks across the world.

Mr Johnson also mimicked the sound of a car engine as he explained electric vehicles move "off the lights faster than a Ferrari".

And when discussing his 10-point plan for a green economy, the prime minister compared himself to the biblical Moses, describing the policy as "a new Decalogue that I produced exactly a year ago when I came down from Sinai".

Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "The prime minister's shambolic speech today not only shows how unseriously he takes British business, but also how his government lacks any plan for growth or to propel our enterprising nations forward."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: "Businesses are crying out for clarity. Instead, all they got was Boris Johnson rambling on about Peppa Pig."

There has been growing exasperation in the Conservative party over the prime minister's leadership in recent weeks.

Changes to his initial social care reforms, the downgrading of the HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail plans and his handling of the Owen Paterson sleaze row, have all resulted in public criticisms of Mr Johnson from his own ranks.

Asked whether the CBI speech could make matters worse, one Tory party grandee told Sky News: "It's bad, not irreversible."

After the speech Mr Johnson was asked by a reporter: "Is everything OK?"

He responded: "I think that people got the vast majority of the points I wanted to make and I thought it went over well."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer addressed the same conference a few hours later.

He said he had heard what the prime minister had said, but made no direct reference to the speech.

Sir Keir pledged to make it his "mission" to raise the level of skills of a generation of young people entering the workplace and offered a new "contract" between business and the Labour Party.

CBI President Lord Bilimoria welcomed the Labour leader's speech, saying it "shows just how far the party has come", and pledged to offer Sir Keir advice on future policies.

"As Labour advances its new - more consultative - 'contract with business', the CBI will play its part. In providing Sir Keir and his team with expert business insight, we can help Labour's economic policies stay on the path of enabling growth rather than hampering it."

SKY

 

[Robert]

Of course this “Don’t you think he looks tired” moment could be another dead cat to distract from sleaze, failure to meet Northern Powerhouse promises etc.

 

[James]

Johnson is looking old and tired. He sorted out Brexit and then immediately had Covid to deal with, so it’s been a 24/7 job for him. He also caught the original coronavirus strain himself and got very poorly with it, then had long covid symptoms for much of last year. Moreover he has a young wife and a toddler, and now another baby on the way too. I think he is quite clearly physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, and he is now slowly burning through what remains of his once considerable political capital as well. Boris should stay on for a bit longer, and then step down in the summer and retire.

 

[Robert]

[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] I heard on LBC that Tories are briefing against him, leaking to their mates in the press. He won’t step down, too much ego. I think a coup is in the offing, maybe in the spring. Johnson out, Sunak in. Wait until the trade tariffs kick in on 1 January and food prices spike. Then the calls to oust him will grow louder.

Meanwhile it’s interesting to hear this Churchill voice he has adopted. All he has left at this point is to stir up the jingoism and xenophobia and continual war imagery with the EU.

 

[Technics 1210]

According to The Telegraph there back benchers are seeking a vote of no confidence.

 

[Robert]

According to The Telegraph there back benchers are seeking a vote of no confidence.

Don’t think they need to under the Tory party constitution. A challenger can emerge at any time, given thirty signatures to the Chairman of the 1922 Committee.

 

[James]

The rules say that in order to trigger an internal vote of no confidence in the PM, 15% of the Blue parliamentary party members would need to send a no confidence letter to Sir Graham Brady. Currently that amounts to 55 Conservative MPs; they only have a dozen or so at the moment.

This has happened before, though — word gets about — and the requisite number of letters *will* eventually be reached. Once those first few letters get delivered and the party leader’s brand starts to get chipped away, it’s really just a matter of time before they go down. For Boris Johnson, I think the general sense in his party is that he has boxed off what he was brought in to do, but has now burned himself out.

The question is, when his own day of reckoning arrives, will Boris choose to: fight the vote, as Theresa May did, which gave her a few extra months in the job — act like a defeated man and lose, as Iain Duncan Smith did — or realise that the dressing room has already gone and resign honourably, like Margaret Thatcher.

 

[MenInG]

Boris Johnson has insisted all Covid rules were followed in Downing Street last Christmas when the country was in lockdown.

According to the Mirror newspaper, aides packed into a room for drinks, a Christmas quiz and a Secret Santa.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the PM of disregarding the rules he had imposed on the rest of the country.

Earlier, a Number 10 source denied that there were parties in Number 10 in November and December last year.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir said: "Does the prime minister really expect the country to believe that while people were banned from seeing their loved ones at Christmas last year, it was fine for him and his friends to throw a boozy party in Downing Street?"

Mr Johnson said "all guidance was followed completely" but did not deny that parties had been held.

He added: "Can I recommend to (him) that he does the same with his own Christmas party, which is advertised for 15 December, to which unaccountably he's failed to invite the deputy leader."

According to the Mirror, the official No 10 staff Christmas party was cancelled last year, but an unofficial party, which the PM did not attend, took place on 18 December.

London was placed under Tier 3 lockdown restrictions on 14 December last year, after which time it was illegal to mix indoors with anyone outside your household or support bubble.

The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, accused the prime minister of hosting an event that broke lockdown rules.

"The prime minister might be denying it but I've spoken to the Mirror newspaper this morning and they are confirming what happened, and they have legal advice on potential illegality," he said.

"At a time when public health messaging is so vital, how are people possibly expected to trust a prime minister when he thinks it's one rule for him and one rule for everybody else?"

The prime minister said: "He's talking total nonsense. I think he would have been better off, frankly, saying something about the victims of storm Arwen in Scotland."

BBC

 

[James]

<b>BBC: Drug strategy to tackle 300,000 problem users, says PM.</b>

The government will aim to provide rehab for 300,000 drug users who carry out half of all shop thefts, robberies and burglaries, Boris Johnson has said.

The prime minister said the 10-year strategy for England and Wales would also tackle 2,000 county lines gangs.

The £300m gangs crackdown will be joined by the "largest ever investment in treatment", the government said.

Other measures include using dealers' seized phones to message clients and discourage drug use.

Speaking on a visit to Merseyside Police headquarters, Mr Johnson said: "Overwhelmingly, the problem is caused by 300,000 people whose lives are simply chaotic, who are torn apart by their own addiction.
"You've got to help them, you've got to do treatment. But you've also got to come down hard on the county lines gangs."

Mr Johnson said he wanted to break the cycle of arresting and imprisoning the same drug users "time and time again".

He said the strategy, which is due to be published in full later on Monday, would also "come down tougher" on so-called lifestyle drug users.

The prime minister previously told the Sun on Sunday the government would look at taking away their passports or drivers' licences to discourage them from feeding demand for the trade.

Labour said reforms were "long overdue" and cuts to police budgets had allowed gangs to grow.

<b>Drug deaths in England and Wales are at their highest level since records began in 1993, with 4,561 people dying last year.</b>

County lines gangs are urban drug dealers who sell to customers in more rural areas via dedicated phone lines.

They are notorious for exploiting children to work as couriers and forcing vulnerable people to let them use their homes to conceal or deal drugs.

The government said operations targeting these gangs had led to the closure of 1,500 lines so far, with more than 7,400 arrests and more than 4,000 vulnerable children and adults safeguarded.

Also included in its strategy is the expansion of testing on arrest, with police forces being encouraged to direct drug users towards treatment or other interventions.

Judges will also be given the power to order testing on anyone serving a community sentence for drug-related offences and those who test positive could be jailed.

 

[Robert]

A good idea for once. Medicalise addiction, not criminalise it.

 

[Robert]

This partygate isn’t going away.

From bbc.com:

Labour MP Afzal Khan says those who lost loved ones during the pandemic are united by anger.

"I am angry that while my mum lay dying in hospital, I could not hold her hand. I'm angry that I had to bury my father-in-law and mother-in-law two days apart," he says.

"And above all I’m angry that members of this government could be so flippant, so callous and so arrogant to host not one, not two, not three but seven parties - and then lie about it."

In response minister Michael Ellis offers his condolences for the MP's losses.

He says the "flippancy" of a video where No 10 staff joked about a party held in Downing Street last December was "grossly inappropriate and frankly inexcusable".

 

[James]

The combined Partygate/reintroducing Covid restrictions has seemed to signal the beginning of the end for Boris this time I think.

It feels like the public and his own party have finally lost patience with him and that he is on his last legs with this one.

The previous couple of days (and today) are the first time in ages I have heard from colleagues and family who aren’t normally interested in or bothered about politics and it’s clear that they hold this government and the PM in absolute shame and contempt, which is now building up to a general public feeling.

 

[Robert]

The combined Partygate/reintroducing Covid restrictions has seemed to signal the beginning of the end for Boris this time I think.

It feels like the public and his own party have finally lost patience with him and that he is on his last legs with this one.

The previous couple of days (and today) are the first time in ages I have heard from colleagues and family who aren’t normally interested in or bothered about politics and it’s clear that they hold this government and the PM in absolute shame and contempt, which is now building up to a general public feeling.

Every PM has an end. Some hang in for a decade before their political capital is completely burned. Johnson’s lack of substance, inattention to detail, inability to manage coherent messaging, and most importantly the lying and lying and lying have caught up with him.

Sunak time soon, I think, with a return to competent leadership at home and effective diplomacy with the EU.

 

[James]

<b>The Independent: Photo evidence exists of No 10 Christmas parties, claims Dominic Cummings.</b>

<I>‘There’s lots of pictures,’ says former advisor – who predicts PM will be replaced next summer.</I>

Boris Johnson’s former senior adviser Dominic Cummings has claimed there are photos of the festive parties held at Downing Street in the run-up to Christmas last year.

Pressure on the prime minister over the parties has stepped up after it emerged that his top communications adviser Jack Doyle handed out awards to staff at a gathering on 18 December.

Mr Cummings claimed Mr Johnson was “lying” about the gatherings and said photo evidence of the events – as well as invitations sent to people who do not work at No 10 – would soon be revealed.

“There’s lots of pictures of the parties which will inevitably get out. And invite lists beyond No 10, to other departments,” he tweeted on Friday.

The former strategist also said he thought Mr Johnson probably knew about the 18 December event at the centre of the scandal, and predicted the PM would “be gone before the next election ... probably summer”.

In a question and answer event for subscribers to his blog, Mr Cummings also suggested that Mr Doyle would become the fall guy for the party scandal – claiming the press chief is a “gonner”.

He claimed Mr Johnson “will be thinking ‘not now, gotta keep him as the sacrifice for Case’s inquiry then – I’m shocked, shocked I tell you to discover there was a party and I was misled’.”

Mr Cummings also suggested the PM – facing accusations that he lied to his own ethics adviser about donations spent on Downing Street flat redecorations – would “do a deal with Jack to keep all the wallpaper horror buried”.

Referring to the events of 18 December, Mr Cummings also suggested Mr Johnson may have known about the gathering of staff. “He knew but I think did not attend, though remember the geography – to get upstairs he has to walk past that area where he could see it – if he was not Chequers.”

Mr Cummings also alleged that Mr Johnson, whom he refers to as the “trolley”, had been “lying” when answering questions about the alleged parties in recent days.

He claimed: “There were invites sent across Whitehall, it was an organised party. The trolley knows this and tried to lie his way out but was fck (sic) by the video.”

The former No 10 strategist also denied claims he was the source of the leaked video which showed adviser Allegra Stratton, who has since resigned, joking about a festive party. Asked if he obtained the clip and shared with ITV News, he replied: “No.”

Asked by subscribers how and when the Tories might replace Mr Johnson, Mr Cummings said: “The polls will lead it, plus his inevitable continued flat spin, plus officials kicking him off the ice, plus rivals strategically intervening.”

“He’s done, gone by this time next year, probably summer,” he said of Mr Johnson’s leadership – warning the 2019 intake of so-called red wall Tory MPs that they would be “toast” unless they replace him.

But Mr Cummings would not be drawn on who would be the next PM. “Don’t want to get into personalities now – [Liz] Truss and [Sajid] Javid are not solutions.” Asked if his former Vote Leave campaign ally Michael Gove was the answer, he said: “No.”

It comes as Tory peer Gavin Barwell said the party’s MPs are “definitely” having conversations on how to replace Mr Johnson. “His position depends on being seen as an electoral asset, and if over a period of time that goes then he really is in trouble.”

Mr Johnson’s troubles were made worse on Friday when it emerged that his ethics adviser Lord Geidt has restarted an investigation into the funding of the lavish flat refurb.

Lord Geidt contacted No 10 after Thursday’s Electoral Commission report appeared to show the prime minister “misled” the adviser own when exactly he knew about funding arrangements.

 

[Markhor]

Why did it take a year for the Partygate video to be leaked ? These leaks like the Hancock photo are usually not a happy accident but released at a time to ensure maximum political damage - and maximum political benefit for the leaker.

As for Allegra Stratton's tears, come on. What were you expecting working for a man who throughout his career has been as faithful to the truth as Silvio Berlusconi is to a life of celibacy and anti-corruption. Did she not think Boris would throw her under the bus ?

 

[KingKhanWC]

Why did it take a year for the Partygate video to be leaked ? These leaks like the Hancock photo are usually not a happy accident but released at a time to ensure maximum political damage - and maximum political benefit for the leaker.

As for Allegra Stratton's tears, come on. What were you expecting working for a man who throughout his career has been as faithful to the truth as Silvio Berlusconi is to a life of celibacy and anti-corruption. Did she not think Boris would throw her under the bus ?

Crocodile tears, the woman knew but was lying.

As for the Buffoon, UK is full of idiots with little intelligence, they will still vote this clown in if there was an election tomorrow.

Starmer is no different , another lackey.

Democracy is dead in the UK, I would suggest you spend your time on something more realistic.

 

[Manunited18]

Crocodile tears, the woman knew but was lying.

As for the Buffoon, UK is full of idiots with little intelligence, they will still vote this clown in if there was an election tomorrow.

Starmer is no different , another lackey.

Democracy is dead in the UK, I would suggest you spend your time on something more realistic.

Agree, democracy by name, same as the yanks.

 

[Technics 1210]

Crocodile tears, the woman knew but was lying.

As for the Buffoon, UK is full of idiots with little intelligence, they will still vote this clown in if there was an election tomorrow.

Starmer is no different , another lackey.

Democracy is dead in the UK, I would suggest you spend your time on something more realistic.

Indeed. Democracy in the UK is a 2 party system and every time the public vote it is a question of who is the lesser of 2 evils. Voting is both pointless and scam.

 

[Technics 1210]

The last honest person to walk into parliament was Guy Fawkes.

 

[James]

Crocodile tears, the woman knew but was lying.

As for the Buffoon, UK is full of idiots with little intelligence, they will still vote this clown in if there was an election tomorrow.

Starmer is no different , another lackey.

Democracy is dead in the UK, I would suggest you spend your time on something more realistic.

Starmer’s Labour is now leading comfortably in the polls. This is probably Johnson’s last Christmas in Downing St.

 

[Robert]

Crocodile tears, the woman knew but was lying.

As for the Buffoon, UK is full of idiots with little intelligence, they will still vote this clown in if there was an election tomorrow.

Starmer is no different , another lackey.

Democracy is dead in the UK, I would suggest you spend your time on something more realistic.

Lackey to whom? The unions?

Democracy must be rebuilt root and branch in the liberal tradition. A written constitution stating the powers of the Executive, Commons and Supreme Court. A modern bill of rights. An elected upper house.

 

[Robert]

All eyes now turn to North Shropshire where the Lib Dems are now the bookies slim favourites to pull off a shock win.

 

[Bewal Express]

Boris has become a joke. He lies so much that no one trusts him. The only thing saving the Tories like a melt down in 1997 is that Labour don't have a Blair or Brown. And I am not sure why Labour don't bring back Brown. He isnt exactly old.

 

[Robert]

Boris has become a joke. He lies so much that no one trusts him. The only thing saving the Tories like a melt down in 1997 is that Labour don't have a Blair or Brown. And I am not sure why Labour don't bring back Brown. He isnt exactly old.

He would have to be elected to Parliament first.

He’s 70.

I rate Mr Brown highly, he’s close to my ideal PM but he never won a general election and it’s too late for him to rebuild enough political capital.

 

[Bewal Express]

He would have to be elected to Parliament first.

He’s 70.

I rate Mr Brown highly, he’s close to my ideal PM but he never won a general election and it’s too late for him to rebuild enough political capital.

Age is irrelevant as long as his mental faculties are still working. The problem with the likes of Starmer is that most people in the country still wouldn't know him, never mind tell you a single policy. Major was a good man and he got destroyed by Blair, just imagine what would happen to pathetic Johnson and his cabal of crooks.

 

[Technics 1210]

Gordon Brown? Not only was he prone to gaffs too, but he deregulated the UK banking system which contributed to the crash of 2008/09. He flopped because his economic policies were a disaster, so much so, we’re still suffering from his ineptness!

 

[James]

If Keir Starmer becomes Prime Minister, he could make Gordon Brown into a Lord and appoint him to a Cabinet position.

 

[Robert]

If Keir Starmer becomes Prime Minister, he could make Gordon Brown into a Lord and appoint him to a Cabinet position.

Unsure Gordon wants it. He’s 70 after all, but would make an excellent wise old head for Sir Keir to refer to.

 

[Technics 1210]

Age is irrelevant as long as his mental faculties are still working. The problem with the likes of Starmer is that most people in the country still wouldn't know him, never mind tell you a single policy. Major was a good man and he got destroyed by Blair, just imagine what would happen to pathetic Johnson and his cabal of crooks.

Blair didn't destroy Major, the recession did. This is why Gordon Brown came out with the line - 'no more boom and busts', only to deregulate the financial industry ushering the biggest bust of them all.

 

[James]

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-pictured-hosting-number-25675443?123=

<B>EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson pictured hosting Number 10 Christmas quiz ‘in breach of Covid laws’.</B>

<I>Boris Johnson faces more questions over a Downing Street Christmas quiz he hosted while London was under strict Tier 2 "no mixing" restrictions - as staff knocked back Tesco booze.</I>

Boris Johnson has been accused of personally breaking Covid laws by hosting a Christmas quiz in No10 last year.

The Prime Minister was pictured on screen, sitting underneath a portrait of Margaret Thatcher as he read out questions.

A source said many staff huddled by computers, conferring on questions and knocking back fizz, wine and beer from a local Tesco Metro.

In one office, the insider said, there were four teams, each made up of six people.

It was December 15 – three days before a gathering now being probed – and the PM was flanked by two members of his top team, although they were not drinking.

One was wearing a Santa hat and the other draped in tinsel.

On Dec 15 last year, 459 people died from coronavirus, while another 33,828 were infected.

London was then under Tier 2 regulations banning any social mixing between households – which Mr Johnson appeared to have breached by mixing with the aides.

Official guidance also stated: “You must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”

The revelations seriously undermine Downing Street’s claims last week that no parties had taken place in No10.

Mr Johnson said last week: “I can tell you guidelines were followed at all times. I’ve satisfied myself that the guidelines were followed at all times.”

But after details emerged of the quiz, a source claimed: “It was just part of the culture. The PM turned a blind eye. He seemed totally comfortable with gatherings.”

The Mirror understands staff were invited to the virtual quiz, raising funds for charity, a couple of weeks earlier.

Our source claimed dozens signed up to take part online but that at 6.30pm on the day many staff decided to take part from No10 instead.

Teams from the PM’s private office, the policy unit and press office were among those taking part.

They answered questions on subjects ranging from the history of Downing Street to lyrics of Christmas tunes.

A source said of staff’s decision to do the quiz in Downing St: “Everybody decided it would be more fun. It would be difficult to take part in such a large virtual quiz from home.

“No work was discussed, it wasn’t a business event. Nobody was working that evening, it was purely a social event.”

Halfway through the quiz, the PM surprised staff by turning up on screen as quizmaster for one round lasting between 10 and 15 minutes.

He asked questions including: “At her press conference, how many Covid tests did Priti Patel say had been conducted?”

The PM announced he was giving staff a small gift of a bronze lapel pin of the No10 door – and they were handed out that night.

Sources said the quiz finished at around 9pm, but staff stayed on for two hours or so drinking and chatting. Most stayed in their offices, but a few alledgedly moved around the building to mingle with colleagues in a further apparent breach of the rules. A source said: “Nobody ever questioned whether this was against the rules or if we shouldn’t be doing this.

“We all just went ahead and did it. At the time we didn’t even click that what we were doing was so severely wrong. I’ve realised now that it was actually pretty outrageous.

“We felt like we were working extremely hard and working a lot of hours. Looking back, I accept we shouldn’t have done that.”

Under the Covid regulations at the time, no person could participate in a gathering indoors of two or more people from other households apart from in limited circumstances - including that the gathering was “reasonably necessary for work”.

A legal expert has suggested that No 10 would struggle to claim that a social gathering like a Christmas quiz would fall into that category - even if the PM had just broken off from work for a short time to take part.

Some lawyers have suggested No10 could be somehow exempt from the Covid regulations because it is “crown property”.

But Adam Wagner, an expert on Covid regulations, said: “I’m not convinced. I think the exemption was about government buildings, not people.”

Last week, the Metropolitan Police said it would not investigate allegations of Downing Street festive events "at this time".

Scotland Yard said this was due to an “absence of evidence” and its policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of coronavirus regulations.

Labour’s Shadow Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster, Angela Rayner said: “While the rules said that people shouldn’t have Christmas parties at work and Britons across the country were doing the right thing, Boris Johnson was instead happy to preside over a culture of disregard for the rules at the heart of government.

“Despite repeated denials of parties in Number 10, it now transpires that there were numerous parties, gatherings and the Prime Minister even took part in a festive quiz.

“Boris Johnson really believes it’s one rule for him, another for everyone else. He is a man unfit to lead this country.”

Mr Johnson’s credibility has been pushed to the brink by public fury over Mirror revelations about rule-busting Government parties.

He finally instructed Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to investigate reports of a bash on December 18 where dozens of No10 staff crammed in “cheek by jowl”, drinks were said to have been taken and gifts exchanged. Other events are also now being scrutinised.

A No10 spokesman said of the new revelations: “This was a virtual quiz. Downing Street staff were often required to be in the office to work on the pandemic response so those who were in the office for work may have attended virtually from their desks.

“The Prime Minister briefly took part virtually in a quiz to thank staff for their hard work throughout the year.”

 

[James]

Johnson staring down the barrel.

He should resign.

 

[Bewal Express]

Blair didn't destroy Major, the recession did. This is why Gordon Brown came out with the line - 'no more boom and busts', only to deregulate the financial industry ushering the biggest bust of them all.

The recession was in the early 90s and there was an election in 92 and Major won. At the time everyone was shocked that the Tories won, I met my local MP on the hustings and asked him who would win and he said it will be a hung parliament( he also said that if I quoted him, he would deny it). During the mid 90s the Tories were hit by sleaze allegations, like they have been since Johnson took over and in that environment Labour destroyed the Tories.

 

[shortbread]

Johnson staring down the barrel.

He should resign.

Somebody higher up the power structure want him out, it's a well orchestrated campaign. Deadman walking, may as well save some pride and put in his papers.

My money is on Truss making PM, she'll brilliantly entertaining.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Most British people are conservative. unfortunately the conservative party leadership in recent times has been awful.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Boris has become a joke. He lies so much that no one trusts him. The only thing saving the Tories like a melt down in 1997 is that Labour don't have a Blair or Brown. And I am not sure why Labour don't bring back Brown. He isnt exactly old.

Going back to the war criminal Brown will be the final nail in the coffin for the party.

The public have had enough of the war criminals being in charge.

Andy Burnham could do a Boris and go from mayor>party leader> PM. He is also tainted by Iraq but less so than the core Blairite group and has visibly stood up to the government a few times in recent years, in a manner that Starmer seems unable to do.

 

[Robert]

Blair didn't destroy Major, the recession did. This is why Gordon Brown came out with the line - 'no more boom and busts', only to deregulate the financial industry ushering the biggest bust of them all.

Major’s Tories were worn down by years of sleaze. After sixteen years of declining services the people wanted a change, and a charismatic one presented itself.

But I’d have Major back in an instant instead of Johnson.

 

[Robert]

Sunak by February.

 

[James]

Somebody higher up the power structure want him out, it's a well orchestrated campaign. Deadman walking, may as well save some pride and put in his papers.

My money is on Truss making PM, she'll brilliantly entertaining.

I agree that we are seeing the usual backroom hatchet job going on, and that we are right in the middle of it as we speak.

Boris should know what’s around the corner from experience and throw in the towel before things start to get really messy and humiliating.

 

[James]

Sunak by February.

Or Truss.

 

[Robert]

Or Truss.

Used to be Lib Dem President at Oxford.

Social liberal, economic libertarian. I will how they can combine operationally.

 

[Technics 1210]

Major’s Tories were worn down by years of sleaze. After sixteen years of declining services the people wanted a change, and a charismatic one presented itself.

But I’d have Major back in an instant instead of Johnson.

Agree Major over Johnson. BJ is more than an embrassment. Easily the worst Tory PM in my life.

 

[shortbread]

Used to be Lib Dem President at Oxford.

Social liberal, economic libertarian. I will how they can combine operationally.

That just makes her the perfect politician. These ideas are easy to combine till the day they actually sit on the hot seat.

Old school Tory hierarchy will find her easier to manage compared to Sunak, Raab, Patel, Sajid etc...

Will be hilarious watching Truss trying to sound tough on Putin on the 6'o clock news. She gets my vote for pure entertainment value alone.

'I read a report and it said Putin attacked Ukraine'.....(momentary pause...then smile at the camera.....serious again).....'this is a disgrace!'. Tory loyalists cheer loudly. Man, what's not to like.

 

[James]

Agree Major over Johnson. BJ is more than an embrassment. Easily the worst Tory PM in my life.

I would go further. Johnson will go down as one of the worst PMs in the history of Britain. He always wanted a legacy, and he will get one, but apart from the act of delivering Brexit which was essentially pulled off in the manner of everything else he has ever achieved — as a last minute gigantic blag — he embarrassed and shamed himself, he brought cronyism, hypocrisy and corruption upon the office, & broke his promises.

 

[IMMY69]

Gove will be licking his lips.

I think it's time to discuss who his replacement will be.

 

[Manunited18]

I would go further. Johnson will go down as one of the worst PMs in the history of Britain. He always wanted a legacy, and he will get one, but apart from the act of delivering Brexit which was essentially pulled off in the manner of everything else he has ever achieved — as a last minute gigantic blag — he embarrassed and shamed himself, he brought cronyism, hypocrisy and corruption upon the office, & broke his promises.

To be fair no other PM has had to endure a Pandemic for the last 100 years, even though agree he is a liability.

 

[Robert]

That just makes her the perfect politician. These ideas are easy to combine till the day they actually sit on the hot seat.

Old school Tory hierarchy will find her easier to manage compared to Sunak, Raab, Patel, Sajid etc...

Will be hilarious watching Truss trying to sound tough on Putin on the 6'o clock news. She gets my vote for pure entertainment value alone.

'I read a report and it said Putin attacked Ukraine'.....(momentary pause...then smile at the camera.....serious again).....'this is a disgrace!'. Tory loyalists cheer loudly. Man, what's not to like.

What’s not to like…. Insincerity, perhaps? I don’t like that much.

 

[Robert]

To be fair no other PM has had to endure a Pandemic for the last 100 years, even though agree he is a liability.

Every PM I can name would have handled it better.
[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] is spot on.

 

[James]

Every PM I can name would have handled it better.

[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] is spot on.

Yes, I think we have to be honest and fair & admit that only a minority of world leaders have handled this Covid thing “well”, and at the end of the day it is a virus that has spread globally at a rampant pace; and thus there is only so much that humanity or an individual elected human can do about this. However… I do think Boris has done a particularly poor and inept job, even compared to many of his peers around the world. Not as bad as Bolsanaro or Trump, but there aren’t many others who have been worse on this one.

 

[Robert]

Yes, I think we have to be honest and fair & admit that only a minority of world leaders have handled this Covid thing “well”, and at the end of the day it is a virus that has spread globally at a rampant pace; and thus there is only so much that humanity or an individual elected human can do about this. However… I do think Boris has done a particularly poor and inept job, even compared to many of his peers around the world. Not as bad as Bolsanaro or Trump, but there aren’t many others who have been worse on this one.

He ignored the warnings of Exercise Cygnus.

He reacted too slowly when he had a two week head start over Italy, where the main European infection node was established.

He wasted $34B on a track-and-trace system than didn't work, for no reason other than transferring public funds to donors and cronies. We could have had the working open-source German system for nothing. It was offered by the German Ambassador.

He wasted £billions more on useless PPE.

He opened up the care homes over Christmas in a populist move, and COVID swept through and killed 25% of the residents. All those families lost mothers, fathers, grandparents.

He should be in jail.

 

[MenInG]

Boris Johnson has said he "certainly broke no rules" as questions continue to plague the government over parties during lockdown last Christmas.

A picture published in the Sunday Mirror showed the PM at a virtual quiz in Downing Street, appearing on screen alongside two colleagues.

But sources have told the BBC other No 10 staff members sat in groups of six in a room in Cabinet Office.

Mr Johnson denied any wrongdoing but said the event would be investigated.

This would make it the fourth gathering to be looked into by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, who was tasked with the investigation into government parties last week.

The PM said Mr Case would report back "as soon as we reasonably can".

The government has been under increasing pressure over lockdown gatherings after the news broke of a party in Downing Street on 18 December 2020 - when London was under Tier 3 restrictions and the announcement of a new country-wide lockdown was looming.

Mr Johnson said he had been assured all rules were followed, but a leaked video of No 10 staffers joking about the event led to one of them resigning and the PM asking the Cabinet Office to launch an investigation.

Other allegations about parties across government departments began to emerge, including several sources telling the BBC about a quiz on 15 December, organised in advance by No 10 staff, with groups of employees gathered in a policy unit room to take part.

On Sunday, a picture of Mr Johnson taking part in the event - when the capital was under Tier 2 restrictions - was published by the Sunday Mirror, which claimed he hosted a round of the quiz alongside colleagues, who were wearing tinsel and a Santa hat.

A Downing Street spokesman said the PM "briefly took part virtually" to thank staff for their work during the pandemic.

But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it appeared Mr Johnson had breached Covid laws in place at the time, telling the BBC's Andrew Marr Show the event had created "fury" and that trust in the prime minister was at an "all-time low".

Asked about the allegations on Monday, the prime minister told reporters: "I can tell you once again that I certainly broke no rules. All that is being looked into.

"Of course all that must be properly got into and you will be hearing from the cabinet secretary about it all."

When asked to confirm Mr Case's investigation would look into his actions, Mr Johnson said: "He's looking at all these things.

"We will report back on all that. I certainly broke no rules and [we will report back] as soon as we reasonably can."

BBC

 

[Technics 1210]

He ignored the warnings of Exercise Cygnus.

He reacted too slowly when he had a two week head start over Italy, where the main European infection node was established.

He wasted $34B on a track-and-trace system than didn't work, for no reason other than transferring public funds to donors and cronies. We could have had the working open-source German system for nothing. It was offered by the German Ambassador.

He wasted £billions more on useless PPE.

He opened up the care homes over Christmas in a populist move, and COVID swept through and killed 25% of the residents. All those families lost mothers, fathers, grandparents.

He should be in jail.

I have to ask. Why do you believe BJ should be sent to jail despite not commitng a crime, but you defend Prince Andrew who has not committed a crime yet you defend his innocence?

Personally BJ was and is inept, but no leader worldwide has come off better when dealing with C19.

For me, you only need to look at BJ's hair style to determine what a sap he really is!

 

[Robert]

I have to ask. Why do you believe BJ should be sent to jail despite not commitng a crime, but you defend Prince Andrew who has not committed a crime yet you defend his innocence?

Personally BJ was and is inept, but no leader worldwide has come off better when dealing with C19.

For me, you only need to look at BJ's hair style to determine what a sap he really is!

Dunno how many more times I have to say Prince Andrew should face his accuser before people read my posts. Must be up to five or six.

IMO, Johnson should be charged under the HSWA for letting COVID into the care homes last Christmas resulting in thousands of deaths per day. He failed in his duty of care.

Johnson is not a sap. That hair and ill-fitting suit are deliberate. He is determined, ruthless, often a nasty piece of work, but also lazy and lacking in attention to detail so has been found out.

 

[Robert]

To be fair no other PM has had to endure a Pandemic for the last 100 years, even though agree he is a liability.

Lloyd George did (exactly a hundred years before) when Spanish Flu arrived and killed at least 230K Britons and at least 50M people worldwide.

COVID is around 2% fatal, but Spanish Flu was 10% fatal.

 

[Technics 1210]

Dunno how many more times I have to say Prince Andrew should face his accuser before people read my posts. Must be up to five or six.

IMO, Johnson should be charged under the HSWA for letting COVID into the care homes last Christmas resulting in thousands of deaths per day. He failed in his duty of care.

Johnson is not a sap. That hair and ill-fitting suit are deliberate. He is determined, ruthless, often a nasty piece of work, but also lazy and lacking in attention to detail so has been found out.

Facing an acuser is not the same as wanting him to go to jail or be charged.

Anyway, as you say, people of UK can oust the PM at the next election. This is the easy answer. Anytime the government has failed, lets stick with it till the next GE.

 

[Technics 1210]

Lloyd George did (exactly a hundred years before) when Spanish Flu arrived and killed at least 230K Britons and at least 50M people worldwide.

COVID is around 2% fatal, but Spanish Flu was 10% fatal.

Medicine and economics were completely different 100 years ago. In fact 100 years ago would put Britain 3 years post WW1. Can't compare modern day politics with yesteryear politics.

 

[Robert]

Facing an acuser is not the same as wanting him to go to jail or be charged.

Anyway, as you say, people of UK can oust the PM at the next election. This is the easy answer. Anytime the government has failed, lets stick with it till the next GE.

At the moment it is Guiffre’s word against Prince Andrew’s. The court will determine who is telling the truth by cross-examination.

Whereas tens of thousands of elders in care homes are demonstrably dead from COVID, because of Johnson’s decision.