Boris has been fined - Part 2

[cakeorwine]

Because this is going to go on and on.....
With more fines

Part 1 here

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4528104-boris-has-been-fined-tory-voters-should-he-go

Exactly @StormzyinaTCup.

If he had been visiting his mum in a home when no one else could, or held a birthday party for Wilf when no one else could then I could understand the outrage over this but he didn't. He was in his place of work with work colleagues dealing with a unique and very stressful situation and a few colleagues popped in to wish him a 'happy birthday' and gift him a cake. If it was me in that situation I'd say 'thanks very much, pass me a paper plate and make mine a large slice

Remember Watergate.

It wasn't the event but the cover up that got Nixon

Do you know how many times he told MPs in Parliament that all guidance was followed?

Do you not think that he would have been through the events and wondered if all guidance was followed?

More fines are coming

We know that guidance was NOT followed in Downing Street. We know that because a lot of fines have been issued.

So clearly guidance was not followed in Downing Street.

He misled Parliament.

A few colleagues, about 30, and his wife, official photographer and interior designer, but it is not a 'proper' party so it doesn't count?

Then what is a proper party?

@JaniieJones

'Maybe take it up with the Met then?'

Well I'm hardly likely to do that am I. I am pointing out the inconvenient fact that this wasn't hidden or secret, it was in the papers. No one cared then, not the public nor the police. Something others where doing at work, wishing colleagues happy birthday at work.

It would make any actual rule breaks ie socialising out of work more relevant if they weren't wasting time with this crap, but I think by this stage most people think the whole thing is an overegged fiasco.

@JaniieJones you are correct this a complete fiasco, and also completely unnecessary.

There is only one person who has caused this fiasco and there is one person who can stop the fiasco continuing any further.
If you were in the least interested in good governance and the government getting on with its job, then I would suggest that there is a simple solution to that.

I have to say I presume like Michael Fabricant you are a Labour supporter already campaigning for them at the next general election.

So it's OK that he presided over a culture of partying?
18 in total I believe
The culture in a workplace is set from the top
He went to 6 or 7 so everyone can do it

I have to say I presume like Michael Fabricant you are a Labour supporter already campaigning for them at the next general election

And doing a sterling job. 😂

@Roussette

So it's OK that he presided over a culture of partying? 18 in total I believe The culture in a workplace is set from the top He went to 6 or 7 so everyone can do it

I understand that about 200 people work in No 10 Downing Street, there have been 50 fines issued. If I ran a business and 1/4 of my employees and I had broken the law whilst at work, I think I would be wondering what I had done wrong and probably the shareholders might want a few answers.

Exactly jgw
And then I lie to the shareholders at the AGM and assure them it didn't happen.
Then it becomes obvious it did
Then an EGM is called and I'm sacked

@DuncinToffee

A few colleagues, about 30, and his wife, official photographer and interior designer, but it is not a 'proper' party so it doesn't count?

Then what is a proper party?

My post was clearly referring to 'cakegate'.

@StormzyinaTCup How long does one have to be at a party before one has been at it?

I asked on a previous thread of a poster who seemed to struggle to understand, but perhaps you can help me with this.

If I break into your house, but only stay for 9 minutes, I presume it does not count and I have not broken the law. Am I right?

' asked on a previous thread of a poster who seemed to struggle to understand, but perhaps you can help me with this.'

'If I break into your house, but only stay for 9 minutes, I presume it does not count and I have not broken the law. Am I right?'

Oh jgw. Honestly. You asked me loads of times and I replied umpteen times, no struggling to understand the question at all .

Colleagues saying happy birthday at work is not a party, I'm sorry if you're under the illusion you've attended lots of parties if this is your criteria.

Breaking into a house is breaking into a house regarless of how long your burgling lasts. Shall I c&p in case you ask again in 30mins?

@Peregrina

We don't think it's an overegged fiasco, but I think a number of people are secretly pleased that they quietly ignored the guidance, (in a limited and specific way, of course) when they did have an elderly relative over, despite the law. Possibly an elderly relative who has subsequently died.

You also forgot "reasonably"

They do like that word. Where is "reasonably possible" basically making the law absolute because there's no definition of this!

How on earth can an illegal gathering if 30 with cake, m and s food, drink, your decorator, family and others be not an illegal gathering?

We'll drop the word party if that helps. Whatever it was called it was against the law, there were 30 FPNs issued and BJ lied about it

That is fact

My post was clearly referring to 'cakegate'

Revelations of parties and the law not being followed at Downing Street emerged.

It was in the press for ages.

Then at PMQs on 1st Dec

Keir Starmer
(Holborn and St Pancras) (Lab)

As millions of people were locked down last year, was a Christmas party thrown in Downing Street for dozens of people on 18 December?

The Prime Minister

What I can tell the right hon. and learned Gentleman is that all guidance was followed completely in No. 10. May I recommend that he does the same with his own Christmas party, which is advertised for 15 December and to which, unaccountably, he has failed to invite the deputy Leader of the Opposition?

hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-12-01/debates/A0E282CF-039D-4F26-8F16-946B8C6E2ABC/Engagements

Well clearly he lied. You would have thought he would have checked very carefully before making that statement - and you would have thought someone would have mentioned the parties that took place, the wine nights, the Abba party?

Colleagues saying happy birthday at work is not a party

And the wife and decorator have to be with the other 27 people to do that too?

@JaniieJones

' asked on a previous thread of a poster who seemed to struggle to understand, but perhaps you can help me with this.'

'If I break into your house, but only stay for 9 minutes, I presume it does not count and I have not broken the law. Am I right?'

Oh jgw. Honestly. You asked me loads of times and I replied umpteen times, no struggling to understand the question at all .

Colleagues saying happy birthday at work is not a party, I'm sorry if you're under the illusion you've attended lots of parties if this is your criteria.

Breaking into a house is breaking into a house regarless of how long your burgling lasts. Shall I c&p in case you ask again in 30mins?

Colleagues** in an office sat together all day saying happy birthday and sharing a cake wouldn't actually bother me.

People from different departments (30) including the spouse, interior designer and official photographer is NOT a bunch of colleagues socially distancing and eating in a work environment.

It was not within the law and hence they have been fined.

The issue here isn't if they broke the law - they did and Boris accepts he did. (Although he claims unknowingly despite telling us daily what they were 🤦‍♀️)

The issue is that we have PM who has repeatedly broken the law and lied who is representing us as a Country on an international stage and whether that a) we can trust him to do this and b) if that will really help the Uk.

Next week at PMQs

hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-12-08/debates/DB36FDA8-C784-4AEE-8D0C-F95FBB5345E9/Engagements

We had an apology

May I begin by saying that I understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing No. 10 staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures? I can understand how infuriating it must be to think that the people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules, because I was also furious to see that clip. I apologise unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country, and I apologise for the impression that it gives.

I repeat that I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no covid rules were broken. That is what I have been repeatedly assured. But I have asked the Cabinet Secretary to establish all the facts and to report back as soon as possible. It goes without saying that if those rules were broken, there will be disciplinary action for all those involved.

Keir Starmer

The Prime Minister and the Government spent the week telling the British public that there was no party and that all guidance was followed completely. Millions of people now think the Prime Minister was taking them for fools and that they were lied to; they are right, aren’t they?

The Prime Minister

I think the right hon. and learned Gentleman probably missed what I said at the beginning, but I apologise for the impression that has been given that staff in Downing Street take this less than seriously. I am sickened myself and furious about that, but I repeat what I have said to him: I have been repeatedly assured that the rules were not broken—[Interruption.]

An internal investigation into what happened? The situation is as clear as day. I thought last week was bad enough; surely the Prime Minister is not now going to start pretending that the first he knew about this was last night—surely.

We have all watched the video of the Prime Minister’s staff, including his personal spokesperson. They knew there was a party, they knew it was against the rules, they knew they could not admit it and they thought it was funny. It is obvious what happened—Ant and Dec are ahead of the Prime Minister on this. The Prime Minister has been caught red-handed; why does he not end the investigation right now by just admitting it?

Can we stop calling it a party and call it the illegal gathering it actually was? Then we’ve dealt with one issue some people appear to be obsessed with.

And then in January

Another apology, with excuses and hindsight

Mr Speaker, I want to apologise. I know that millions of people across this country have made extraordinary sacrifices over the last 18 months. I know the anguish that they have been through, unable to mourn their relatives and unable to live their lives as they want or to do the things they love.

I know the rage they feel with me and with the Government I lead when they think that in Downing Street itself the rules are not being properly followed by the people who make the rules.

Though I cannot anticipate the conclusions of the current inquiry, I have learned enough to know that there were things that we simply did not get right, and I must take responsibility.

No. 10 is a big department, with the garden as an extension of the office, which has been in constant use because of the role of fresh air in stopping the virus.

When I went into that garden just after 6 o’clock on 20 May 2020, to thank groups of staff before going back into my office 25 minutes later to continue working, I believed implicitly that this was a work event, but with hindsight, I should have sent everyone back inside. I should have found some other way to thank them, and I should have recognised that even if it could be said technically to fall within the guidance, there would be millions and millions of people who simply would not see it that way—people who suffered terribly, people who were forbidden from meeting loved ones at all, inside or outside—and to them, and to this House, I offer my heartfelt apologies.

All I ask is that Sue Gray be allowed to complete her inquiry into that day and several others, so that the full facts can be established. I will of course come back to this House and make a statement.

hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-01-12/debates/CEFD521F-BECA-495E-8650-C4FF8E2C5428/Engagements

Can we stop calling it a party and call it the illegal gathering it actually was? Then we’ve dealt with one issue some people appear to be obsessed with

Good move Blossom
I concur

LOL at the posters still claiming no wrong doing!

Findings from the interim Gray report:
At least some of the gatherings in question represent a serious failure to observe not just the high standards expected of those working at the heart of Government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time

The police have issued fines to Johnson and Mrs Johnson (& many if their associates) for breaking lockdown rules.

Quite how anyone can keep wilfully undermining or misunderstanding the seriousness of this conduct from the Prime Party Minister and those in his inner circle is mind boggling.

An illegal gathering. At work .

I wonder if some on here were the ones always on the phone reporting neighbours..

No.
Never reported anyone.

But there again, we abided by the rules set by the Government, unlike the Government itself

@JaniieJones so the police have found it to be such and the civil service found it to be such but you don’t agree with their findings?

For some he can do no wrong, such low standards.