Boris Johnson

[Reps AJ]

Originally Posted by Pidster

Before 12:30?

PMQs shouldn't be the highlight of the week

[Wolfnipplechips]

Originally Posted by Reps AJ

PMQs shouldn't be the highlight of the week

Again

[Big Blue Eagle]

Government officials have handed over images of alleged parties in Downing Street to investigators, Sky News reports.

The photographs, seen by Sue Gray, are believed to feature Boris Johnson and show people close together with wine bottles.

[Big Blue Eagle]

Another Tory grandee wanting to show how trivial this all is….

Crispin Blunt, a long-serving Tory backbencher, has characterised partygate as a “premier-class Whitehall farce”.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 this evening, he said:

This whole episode is really beginning to descend into a premier-class Whitehall farce. We’ve lost our sense of perspective on this.

Everybody needs to take a step back and try to put themselves in the same situation as the centre of the government was, in 2020 - the fact we very nearly lost our Prime Minister. You know how hard civil servants work at the heart of our government - they work every night God sends combating a completely unprecedented public health crisis for our country.

We’ve now got the Metropolitan Police investing alleged criminality - in breathless tones from the Deputy Leader of the Opposition about some terrible offence - which would attract a fixed penalty notice.

No one is suggesting that if the Prime Minister had been caught speeding that he should be sacked - I hope. He shouldn’t be driving himself in any case! But let’s try and get it into perspective.

[PemboExpress]

Dominic Raab asked on Sky News if the PM has to fall on his sword, would that mean he will be taking over (as Deputy PM) ?

My God, the thought of thick Rambo Raab as PM if Russia invades Ukraine....

Dear me, this country is in a shitstorm whatever.

[Reps AJ]

I'm still trying to picture the scenario under which he voluntarily resigns.

Will he just continue to lie and bluster?

Will he jump before he's pushed should the Tory MPs ever grow a collective backbone?

[El Aguila]

So does this mean a grown up has entered the room and told Johnson he can’t just cover up the Sue Gray investigation? Just trying to keep up with this farce.

[JAS78]

Originally Posted by Reps AJ

I'm still trying to picture the scenario under which he voluntarily resigns.

Will he just continue to lie and bluster?

Will he jump before he's pushed should the Tory MPs ever grow a collective backbone?

4 main problems,

Next general election over 2 years away - in his mind plenty of time for it to blow over

No serious contender to take his position

Any contender that does go against him will probably lose - weakening their own position

This Labour are very weak opposition - Boris will fancy his chances even after all this

[hong_kong_hg]

Originally Posted by Wolfnipplechips

BREAKING: Boris Johnson’s spokesman says Sue Gray won’t now continue to investigate, or publish, anything related to the parties now being investigated by the police, while they investigate.

He says the Prime Minister won’t answer questions in Parliament on those parties either.

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Catching up on the thread and events I was about to suggest, tongue in cheek, this is what he'd do.... then that's exactly what happens.

Looks remarkably like coordinated authoritarianism with the police. A police state, if you will. Every day for weeks now Johnson has evaded resigned or being forced out is a nail into the coffin of UK democracy.

[Joe85]

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[Big Blue Eagle]

Originally Posted by hong_kong_hg

Catching up on the thread and events I was about to suggest, tongue in cheek, this is what he'd do.... then that's exactly what happens.

Looks remarkably like coordinated authoritarianism with the police. A police state, if you will. Every day for weeks now Johnson has evaded resigned or being forced out is a nail into the coffin of UK democracy.

The No 10 briefing was wrong. The report is due out tonight/tomorrow.

[dave_who_ru]

Originally Posted by stevek

Yes, the public are moving on

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Well according to Peter Bone they have, at least in his constituency of Wellingborough.

For the second week running he claimed on Newsnight that despite him and his team knocking on hundreds of doors the parties in Number 10 weren't an issue, except for one raving mad Labour supporter.

Unbelievably he said that the people on the doorstep wanted to talk about Ukraine.

EDIT:

Just realised PemboExpress already posted.

Given they voted 62% to leave the EU i'm surprised they are so interested in events on the continent.

Hopefully Starmer won't waste all his questions on this tomorrow. He needs to e open a new front on how potentially £20bn plus of taxpayers money has been scammed by fraudsters leading to the resignation of Lord Agnew yesterday

[Aquila_17]

Originally Posted by dave_who_ru

Well according to Peter Bone they have, at least in his constituency of Wellingborough.

For the second week running he claimed on Newsnight that despite him and his team knocking on hundreds of doors the parties in Number 10 weren't an issue, except for one raving mad Labour supporter.

Unbelievably he said that the people on the doorstep wanted to talk about Ukraine.

Maybe he forgot to mention that they went to Ukraine and knocked on a few doors too?

[Big Blue Eagle]

Originally Posted by Aquila_17

Maybe he forgot to mention that they went to Ukraine and knocked on a few doors too?

Fair few Ukrainians in Wellingborough but Bone thinks they only clean cars.

[PemboExpress]

Originally Posted by Joe85

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Connor Burns MP on C4 News claiming the PM "was ambushed by a cake."

[stevek]

I reckon Michael Gove has been playing a very very long game.

Initially (back in 2016) he said he couldn't support Johnson.

But then he did - so here's my theory.

He knew that in 2016 or 2019 he (Gove) wouldn't win a leadership election. So in 2019 he got his mate Cummings to help Johnson become PM and purge the Tory Parliamentary Party of anyone vaguely sensible.

And then, basically, he just waited, knowing that Johnson would sooner or later (and probably sooner) make a complete balls up of it - and with everyone sensible gone, Gove would look the best option. Cummings even tried to help hurry things along with his Barnard Castle trip, but somehow Johnson survived that.

Of course, it hasn't all gone smoothly, and dishy Rishi came from nowhere as a strong candidate to replace Johnson. But another mate - Lord Agnew - has helped stick a knife in there; along with a tax rise the right wing Tories don't like. (And he probably also told Sunak there was a meeting on the day of Johnson's birthday 'party' just as a failsafe.)

You have to admire the advance planning.

[Eagle's Nest]

At some point there will be a picture of Johnson with his tie tied around his head

[adrenalin john]

Originally Posted by Reps AJ

I'm still trying to picture the scenario under which he voluntarily resigns.

Will he just continue to lie and bluster?

Will he jump before he's pushed should the Tory MPs ever grow a collective backbone?

I believe he wants to spend more time with young families, lots of young families, some of them his.

Oh and not a typo, families with kids and mums, not an abbreviation for 'familiar lies'

[RazorsEdge]

Originally Posted by stevek

I reckon Michael Gove has been playing a very very long game.

Initially (back in 2016) he said he couldn't support Johnson.

But then he did - so here's my theory.

He knew that in 2016 or 2019 he (Gove) wouldn't win a leadership election. So in 2019 he got his mate Cummings to help Johnson become PM and purge the Tory Parliamentary Party of anyone vaguely sensible.

And then, basically, he just waited, knowing that Johnson would sooner or later (and probably sooner) make a complete balls up of it - and with everyone sensible gone, Gove would look the best option. Cummings even tried to help hurry things along with his Barnard Castle trip, but somehow Johnson survived that.

Of course, it hasn't all gone smoothly, and dishy Rishi came from nowhere as a strong candidate to replace Johnson. But another mate - Lord Agnew - has helped stick a knife in there; along with a tax rise the right wing Tories don't like. (And he probably also told Sunak there was a meeting on the day of Johnson's birthday 'party' just as a failsafe.)

You have to admire the advance planning.

I did think this has Gove written all over it, his man Cummings has been leaking stuff to press, but I can’t see Gove actually winning support to lead

[adrenalin john]

Originally Posted by dave_who_ru

Well according to Peter Bone they have, at least in his constituency of Wellingborough.

For the second week running he claimed on Newsnight that despite him and his team knocking on hundreds of doors the parties in Number 10 weren't an issue, except for one raving mad Labour supporter.

Unbelievably he said that the people on the doorstep wanted to talk about Ukraine

Bone on the doorstep: 'Good evening, cold out tonight'

Householder: 'Yes but not much rain this winter, but I hope you are not going to talk about that **** Johnson'

Bone: No, no, goodnight.

Bone to colleague: 'Note another householder talked about UK rain and didn't want to talk about Johnson'