Another Bloody Downing Street party

[JustJam4Tea]

So hours after telling us to only meet one other person outside from a different household 100 invited to Downing Street BYO in the garden.

It was unlawful to mix outside. If my employer had invited 100 staff to a garden party we’d have all been arrested.

So are you saying poor Boris is "bravely" taking the flak for something that is not his fault Florianus? Because that seems to be how he is currently trying to spin it.

I suggest reviewing a few episodes of Yes Minister

I really don’t think Sir Humphrey would have sent that email or arranged the party.

Either Johnson knew what was going on or the office was completely dysfunctional at a time of National crisis.

Sir Humphrey might have been corrupt, but he wasn’t incompetent.

@ClaudineClare

So are you saying poor Boris is "bravely" taking the flak for something that is not his fault Florianus? Because that seems to be how he is currently trying to spin it.

That is what is reported that Johnson has been telling his MPs in the last few hours. The New Statesman claimed on Tuesday that Reynolds will be re-appointed to an ambassadorship before becoming the sacrificial goat when Sue Gray's report is published.

@borntobequiet

God knows I've been through enough bereavements myself.

We may be about the same age, Derxa. Maybe me a bit older. And bereavements come with age, not that it makes them any easier. Commiserations.
I disliked the phrase “loved ones” mainly on account of Evelyn Waugh’s satirical novel (in which he also disparaged the use of deodorant), but got used to it and think it’s useful and appropriate for family and close friends. I wouldn’t use “mates”myself though. My friends are far too genteel.
The one word I never use is “cool”. I stopped using it in the late 1970s as far too hippyesque and generally passé. I’m astonished at its persistence. I blame Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs for pushing it well past its best before date.

Thanks for that.

Derxa, "mates" comes easily to me. I am far from even trying to be edgy these days. It's however very true that I'm not genteel!
It also has a slight difference in meaning for me to friends: it conveys a bigger, looser group that may come and go. I don't think I would choose to use "loved ones" though for a feeling of tweeness about it.

@merrymouse

I suggest reviewing a few episodes of Yes Minister

I really don’t think Sir Humphrey would have sent that email or arranged the party.

Either Johnson knew what was going on or the office was completely dysfunctional at a time of National crisis.

Sir Humphrey might have been corrupt, but he wasn’t incompetent.

It is well known that Johnson has no interest in, or capacity for, detail such as after-work "thank you" drinks for Civil Servants. I think it highly unlikely that Martin Reynolds would have bothered him with such trivia.

So@Florianus

Who do you suspect Martin Reynolds was referring to by saying "we thought" and "please join us" in his invitation for socially distanced drinks?

Oh for god's sake Florianus, stop lecturing us as though you are some sort of expert on the Civil Service. I have read previous posts from you where you indicate that Whitehall is awash with booze and hampers from Harrods, which is just nonsense. You will say anything to defend Johnson.

I have not seen any reports that he has "resigned" (although some journalist may have misinterpreted his departure as such). All of those I have seen say that JVT is "stepping down" or "departing" from his government role. It was breaking news on either Sky or BBC news channel, I tend to switch between them. They definitely said resigning when I heard it.

It is well known that Johnson has no interest in, or capacity for, detail such as after-work "thank you" drinks for Civil Servants. I think it highly unlikely that Martin Reynolds would have bothered him with such trivia.

If this were true he wouldn’t have attended the party.

Or any of the other ‘work events’ that he clearly attended.

There are many who still see Boris, and it is always 'Boris', as a friend. They act like they enjoy his company and are sympathetic to the difficulties of his job. It astonishes me but is testament to the brand strength of 'Boris'.

It is a cross between people paying double for a shirt because if has the logo of a polo player on and a constantly battered wife defending her husband 'as I know he loses his temper alot and is violent but deep down he is a good man.'

JVT was the only one of the scientific spokespeople who showed exasperation so it fits from that. Maybe however he also realises his usefulness is done with here with cases dropping etc. He comes across as a very practical, active person off to the next project.

And inviting 100 people to a garden party on 20th May was not ‘trivia’, unless you think everyone working at Downing Street had taken leave of their senses.

The briefing about being able to see 1 person outside happened minutes before the party started.

Johnson has no interest in detail such as sending out invites, food, and entertaining. He is the kind of person who would go - lets have a party to thank staff on Wednesday. John can you sort out the details. Make sure Alex is invited and that there is booze there. Then he would leave all the details to John to sort out.

A caveat to my previous comment to Florianus, that sort of thing may have happened decades ago, but I have no experience of Whitehall in the 70s and 80s, so can't say either way.

Listening to Johnson and his defenders, MPs some ministers, I think it is really rude how they imply that people working at No 10 were uniquely working so hard that they deserved special treatment.

I think the men (they just happen to all be men) who empty my bins worked really hard, we had one missed collection in the last 2 years despite high sickness levels and staff shortages. I think the men and women who delivered my shopping every week worked really hard and they always had a friendly few words for an isolated old woman who hadn't spoken to anyone other than my disabled husband face to face since their last visit. I think my son working 80+ hours a week on wards with covid patients and staff shortages worked very hard. Lots of people worked hard but who was holding parties for them?

@ancientgran

Listening to Johnson and his defenders, MPs some ministers, I think it is really rude how they imply that people working at No 10 were uniquely working so hard that they deserved special treatment.

I think the men (they just happen to all be men) who empty my bins worked really hard, we had one missed collection in the last 2 years despite high sickness levels and staff shortages. I think the men and women who delivered my shopping every week worked really hard and they always had a friendly few words for an isolated old woman who hadn't spoken to anyone other than my disabled husband face to face since their last visit. I think my son working 80+ hours a week on wards with covid patients and staff shortages worked very hard. Lots of people worked hard but who was holding parties for them?

Yes - where were the briefings advising that it was good to have a bit of a get together at the delivery depot or in the hospital car park?

Where were the briefings advising BYOB parties for students isolated and away from home for the first time?

@ancientgran

Listening to Johnson and his defenders, MPs some ministers, I think it is really rude how they imply that people working at No 10 were uniquely working so hard that they deserved special treatment.

I think the men (they just happen to all be men) who empty my bins worked really hard, we had one missed collection in the last 2 years despite high sickness levels and staff shortages. I think the men and women who delivered my shopping every week worked really hard and they always had a friendly few words for an isolated old woman who hadn't spoken to anyone other than my disabled husband face to face since their last visit. I think my son working 80+ hours a week on wards with covid patients and staff shortages worked very hard. Lots of people worked hard but who was holding parties for them?

All these very hard working people should also have known that it was fine to have an office party in the garden as long as you talked a bit about work.

eg:

Gosh did you see the state of the contents of that recycling box Corruption Street today? Loads of shredding and clearly another office booze up.

So honourable!

@longwayoff

Bugger. Try again. Angela Rayner is a gobby, socialist woman who is the absolute antithesis of the entitled oafs currently in charge of our futures. That's why they hate her, ooh she's a bit, er, common isn't she? Yes, she is and bloody good luck to her. A human being in politics. Astonishing. Obviously, she should be cleaning the loos and just doesn't know her place. Boris is scared of her and so he should be. Go Angela.

I don’t think her scum references have helped her cause. She’s played right into their hands.

In Angela Raynor: I felt she apologised rather well for the scum comments.
I see her performances improving si she's headed in the right direction.

I'm laughing at the thought of the dustmen sitting round where they dump all the rubbish having cheese and wine.

Maybe we should start a campaign to get them all invited to a series of garden parties at No 10, obviously all the bin men/women in the UK couldn't fit in at one go so we would definitely need quite a few. I'd like Johnson and his wife plus any MP who has defended the party to act as waiters/waitresses to graciously serve these vital workers.

@PartyOnKale

In Angela Raynor: I felt she apologised rather well for the scum comments. I see her performances improving si she's headed in the right direction.

Like her or not, she apologised quickly for the scum comment and did a ‘political frenemies’ slot on Times Radio, where MPs from opposition parties talk about cross party co-operation.

At the moment she is showing much more political astuteness and competence than the PM.

Yes I'd be hard pushed to say I like her but you don't have to be likeable imo.( I'd class Alan Johnson as one of the few likeable politicians that spring to mind.)