Boris and his fines part 4

[Roussette]

Previous thread. More to come on the subject matter

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4536641-boris-has-been-fined-part-3?reply=117100091

Looking at the results - no Tory councils in either Wales or Scotland. I am curious to know when that has happened before.

It's harder to make judgements about the English results - since Labour was mostly defending seats, they held their own, but didn't make big gains in northern England. Southern England - well the next GE will be interesting. Will people turn back to Labour or will the LibDems pick up more seats?

I do however, (speaking as one with geology degrees) which they would stop wittering on about tectonic plates shifting. They are shifting all the time, by a few mm. What they really mean is an earthquake or volcanic eruption. [Rant over]

In Scotland (don't know about Wales), because of the STV voting system, the "norm" is "no overall control", with either coalitions or minority administrations with loose alliances.

Glasgow City Council used to be majority Labour but lost control in 2017 to an SNP Minority administration (with the support of the Greens).

This time around, West Dunbartonshire shifted to majority Labour from NOC, and Dundee shifted to majority SNP from NOC - but I think they are the only two with majority administrations.

Aberdeen City was notorious last time, because the SNP won the most seats but Labour and the Conservatives went into coalition to keep them out (for which the Labour members were suspended by Scottish Labour). Don't know what the outcome was this time - they might still be in negotiations

In your honest opinion so you really believe the few things he got right counteracts the lying and law breaking? And the bad decisions and the gaslighting via 3 word slogans?

Because if that's the standards we are holding our current PM too and therefore the standards future PMs will expect to exist we really aren't expecting much of our apparent "great" Britain are we?

I really worry for our country when it's populated by people who have such apathy towards it and think we don't deserve the best leaders and the truth being told.

What kind of society will we become if a few goods outstrip some downright abhorrent wrongs? Because if it happens at the top .......

It risks civilised society. I'm astounded someone as clearly as intelligent as you appear to be advocates for this

The degree of dissatisfaction with the Conservatives demonstrated in the South is interesting. It's not just the councils that went Labour, but also those that went Lib Dem or where the LDs and Greens substantially increased their votes - in many instances that's not because they're LD strongholds but because people voted tactically for whoever was most likely to keep the Tories out.

What is particularly interesting is that many of those are relatively wealthy areas (e.g. Richmond, Kingston, Elmbridge). So these are not, on the whole, voters who are badly affected directly by cost of living issues, and it seems likely that they are motivated by all sorts of other issues including partygate, Rwanda, the general Brexit cockup, failures over the pandemic, and general disenchantment over being lied to so consistently and so long. It really isn't too clear that the Tories can continue to rely on the traditional Shires vote.

There's an interesting aspect to Durham police's involvement, i.e. the. fact that when asked to look into Cummings' activities they said they had a policy of not investigating things retrospectively. As they no longer seem to have that policy, perhaps they could start looking into his activities in their area at the height of lockdown?

@JaniieJones Could you perhaps share with us two or three things that the Prime Minister has got right over the passed 2 years?

It is a curious thing, but neither the Conservative party nationally or certainly local parties in the constituencies contested at the local elections seem overly keen on campaigning on their record in government. There have been many reports of Conservatives trying to rebrand themselves as local Conservatives and insisting that people should not consider the national situation when voting...

Exactly.

This article explains it well.

Here

A barrister specialising in lockdown rules has said a leaked document showing Keir Starmer attended a prearranged meal in Durham during an election could be used to clear the Labour leader of allegations that he broke the law

“Seeing that this was a scheduled event as part of the leader of the opposition’s visit to Durham – during a local election campaign, an event focused on him being with a local MP and their staff, and it was in the evening and food was ordered because it was the evening – I don’t really see how it could be a breach of the regulations.
“The regulations allowed for any gathering that was reasonably necessary for work or voluntary activity. And obviously the purpose of that visit overall was for the leader of the opposition to visit the local campaigners and the local MP and that is all on the schedule.
“So the police would have to say, ‘Well we actually disagree with the Labour party’s analysis of what was reasonably necessary for the leader’s trip to Durham’ and I am doubtful that they could really go behind that reasoning,” he said.
“The issue with the Downing Street events was that they were prearranged social events.
“Those being investigated are the ones where it’s quite obvious that the purpose of the event was social – a Christmas party, a leaving party, a birthday party.
“Whereas the fact that this [Starmer event] is preplanned, I think shows the opposite. It shows that the purpose was political.”

Wouldn't it be amusing if ... the leaked memo which was supposed to skewer KS... actually cleared him!

How on earth anyone can compare it to 40 at a Christmas party or an email to over 100 saying 'bring your own booze' and let's have a bash in the garden whilst the weather is nice. And that was a whole year before and during the strictest lockdowns.

So all this proves... it is a feeble smear campaign because that's all conservative supporters have got. It's rather bleak for them as more party details come out.

I had the same thought RW the leaked plan proving it was work related.

And the Tory's are forgetting KS is a top lawyer. He knows what he can prove and the wording "reasonably necessary for work" was always a get out because it isn't clearly defined what's reasonably necessary. It can't be hard to argue eating is a necessity!

'I wish I could work out why Tory supporters are so excited about a planned break in the itinerary. Surely it demonstrates that they are telling the truth, i.e. that it was planned as a part of the working day. In 2021 this type of gathering for work purposes was fully permissible'

Oh well why not release it in the first place if it 'demonstrates they are telling the truth' the silly billies!

Release it to the papers? Why? Durham Police most likely had a copy from the start.

The reinvestigation has a date - it’s in the last few days

The police decided on that

prettybird - I had only half registered that Scotland uses STV for local elections. I note that Wales now could but as far as I can see they used FPTP this time.

I know that Priti Patel was being mardy about that last year and going to change it for Mayoral elections back to FPTP, but as I recall, even under STV if a candidate gets enough first preference votes first time none of the elimination of the last candidate and reallocating their votes happens.

About the Tory candidates standing as Local Conservatives - to be fair to those Conservatives who stood in West Oxfordshire, they did at least have the guts to stand as Conservatives. In Oxford city they chose to stand as Local Conservatives - but it didn't help any of them, it was a Conservative free zone and it remained one.

@jgw1 I can think of one thing that Mr Johnson did I agreed with, accepting the resignation of Chris Grayling. Perhaps the second was following the medical advice on the prioritisation for Covid 19 vaccination (the one thing the government got right was the one occasion they followed the scientists). Cannot think of a third.

Agree with others that the election campaigning is being used as a smear by the Tories, stupid as they could be celebration some election successes and highlighting Labour failings.

A smear to test how Starmer acts under pressure, I have seen that being suggested.

I can't remember where I saw it, will see if I can dig it up again.

Oooh there is a new the coop!

twitter.com/alexwickham/status/1523562160902840323?t=iyGGJO2QwwnhuLXFFDmRlA&s=19

NEW: Starmer's office sent an email to 40 staff inviting them to an in-person Christmas party in Dec 2020

London was in Tier 2: indoor household mixing banned, rule of 6 outside

Labour source declined invite saying it was illegal

LOTO cancelled Xmas party when pubs were shut

🙄

New scoop

I do however, (speaking as one with geology degrees) which they would stop wittering on about tectonic plates shifting. They are shifting all the time, by a few mm. What they really mean is an earthquake or volcanic eruption. [Rant over]

Tectonic plates seem to have become the new quantum leaps, though I’m pretty certain it’s not due to any improved knowledge of atomic structure.

twitter.com/mikegalsworthy/status/1523242140431695873?s=21&t=Pz6QBANKNDVmei_0lG2SEw

If he resigns what happens next?

Sorry that's about Hartlepool not Starmer or Johnson (not that Johnson will ever resign)

Ffs. I guess they have to rerun the election for that seat - at huge expense.

He doesn't want to resign. I suppose if the electorate knew who they were voting for maybe he doesn't have to? Or he could stand again as a "local Conservative".

Awaiting the thread on Keir Starmer and his and his party's gross hypocrisy.....

There already is one in aibu

You would think domestic assault would get you fired.

"NEW: Starmer's office sent an email to 40 staff inviting them to an in-person Christmas party in Dec 2020
London was in Tier 2: indoor household mixing banned, rule of 6 outside
Labour source declined invite saying it was illegal
LOTO cancelled Xmas party when pubs were shut"

So, Starmer's office planned a potential get together in case restrictions were lifted but because restrictions weren't lifted, they cancelled it.