Boris Johnson, FPN's, and Sue Gray report due. Thread 5

[Roussette]

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4545092-boris-and-his-fines-part-4

Previous thread!

Yes I can see them wanting her back, I think she is popular although I'm not keen myself, I would have expected them to wait for a while to see how things went after the Sue Gray report.

"Rebel Tory MP tells me they think the 54 letters threshold will be hit.

MP has their letter in and says that "hubris and bravado" of No10 briefing that PM was safe after Sue Gray report has wound up backbenchers."

twitter.com/tomlarkinsky/status/1530574832727126016?s=21&t=oiUBWN0Y8MaKPnk8W9D5XA

Did your read the yougov polling that was linked, in a similar way to Boris read the covid laws and Brexit agreement with the EU?

A neighbouring Tory MP to my chocolate teapot has written to their constituents like this "I am sorry to say any benefit of the doubt the PM enjoyed has now been eroded. While I have not called for his resignation, the PM has yet to prove to me that he is the right person to ensure the return of integrity and due decorum, that all our constituents expect from politicians."
Their name is not on the list on the twitter link, but don't sound all that supportive to me.

This tweet on the Tom Larkin thread makes a good point

So it's not PPE corruption, attacks on BBC & Channel 4, sending ppl to Rwanda, removal of rights to peaceful protest, pork barrel politics, Russian influence, constant breaking of min. code, attacks on civil service, press & electoral freedoms.. it's MPs feeling 'disrespected'

Two excerpts from Tim Shipman's Inside Number 10 in tomorrow's Times.

twitter.com/adambienkov/status/1530627345262219264?s=21&t=1G87mG0sV6PnG7tmuplWCg

I knew they'd tinkered with the Abbagate party bit of the report - it was oddly short and dismissive.

Apologies I meant to attach this as well -

twitter.com/adamwagner1/status/1530638551632826369?s=21&t=1G87mG0sV6PnG7tmuplWCg

@jgw1 thats an MP just admitting they’re a coward surely?

Well quite possibly.
Which seems to aptly describe most Tory MPs at present.

Good grief. He can't even be bothered to get down two flights of stairs for an 8.30am meeting and Martin Reynolds lied for him and said he was in meetings when he was actually having an afternoon nap.

Not to mention the persistent suggestion that the Sue Gray report was interfered with to remove the Abba party.

Shocking, just shocking. Butvwebknewvthe report was tampered with don't we?

My DD read it within a very short space of time after publication and immediately highlighted the odd words about Abba party. It was so obvious it has been doctored
They are awful
I have no criticism of Sue Gray. The pressure on her must've been enormous and it seems like she fought to do the right thing

It read lopsided/uneven - I think we can guess where passages were removed. Be nice to see the original report at some point.

Being Tory candidate must be a bit of a poisoned chalice. If one turned up on my doorstep now one of the first questions I would ask would be whether they would be prepared to sign the No Confidence motion if elected.

Full article
archive.ph/g0YzS

Thx Duncin. It's galling

Being Tory candidate must be a bit of a poisoned chalice.

Yes, it must be very annoying - in the old days in a safe seat, the candidate put their name forward, did bgger all canvassing, got elected, and could still get away with doing bgger all as an MP if they were so minded.

Now they have got to put some work in. Boo hoo. It will still be quite a tough challenge to win the seat, but it will depend on how angry the voters there are. I was just looking at previous results for the seat. Although Parish had a 24,000 majority, back in 1997 when the tide was firmly against the Tories, the majority was 1,653, when it was a new seat.

I didn't mean to emphasis that - I was trying not to be too offensive in my language, but I think you will get the drift.

It's not really a surprise but The Times suggesting there was an earlier party in the Number 11 flat - for Johnson's birthday.

twitter.com/thesundaytimes/status/1530821579013251073?s=21&t=NWYMcM5aTiPT3WtmfBqmHQ

I’ve never seen you as the offensive language type, Peregrina!
But you’re perfectly right. It must be very difficult for the averagely decent, competent Conservative candidate (I’m sure they do exist) to say anything positive at all about their party, their leader or their politics.

Even at the last hustings I went to the audience laughed at some of the blatant nonsense (about the Brexit vote being fair and the debate robust) the Tory was coming out with (a very safe seat). She looked stunned, she wasn’t used to being laughed at.

Thanks for posting the link to that that article Duncin. Interesting that it refers to Johnson's powers as "First Lord of the Treasury". Slight contradiction to those who have insisted nothing is his responsibility.

Someone just said on radio 4 that Johnson would lose his seat if there was an election today. That would be amazing!

More details in this thread

EXCLUSIVE: The Sunday Times has seen messages from Carrie Johnson, appearing to show she had a gathering in No11 flat on evening of PM's 56th birthday

They are the first hard evidence of a gathering in flat - and for the first time, no1 is denying

1/

twitter.com/HarryYorke1/status/1530804555096768513?t=I7OQ5cMDDsaNimaDRXv0Cw&s=19

"The PM also saw siblings outside in Downing St garden that eve, within the rule of six for outdoor gatherings at the time

When @PaulBrandITV reported allegations that a third gathering with family friends had taken place in flat in Jan, Number 10 said “totally untrue”

6/

twitter.com/harryyorke1/status/1530804563967631360?s=21&t=NWYMcM5aTiPT3WtmfBqmHQ

It's striking that the Downing Street spokesperson was lying through their teeth again. We can't trust a word.

It comes down to trust doesn't it? I mean I've lived through umpteen PMs, most of I didn't like, the majority I didn't vote for. I had a good grumble but I worked on the basis that (broadly) they weren't lying to my face.