Boris Johnson, parties and the loss of the Ethics Adviser, part 7

[DuncinToffee]

Previous thread

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4560961-boris-johnson-parties-and-the-sue-gray-report-fall-out-thread-6?page=40&reply=117920731

Desperate times. That Twitter feed is quite a sight.

The DM wrote an article about his grandad knowing the Krays, yes they are rattled.

(Not that I like Wes much!)

Small world.

I've lived in my house for over twenty years, my passport is still in my maiden name and probably expired about fifteen years ago and my driving licence is a paper one.

I do not want photographic ID unless absolutely essential, so a passport If I want to travel.
I would be rather upset insert phrase of choice if I was prevented from voting due to this.

So BJ can command control of the media in a way Kim Jong Un would be proud of and yet it’s the tories who keep on about BBC bias?

Rightyo then.

This short Reddit thread is quite interesting www.reddit.com/r/unitedkingdom/comments/vf67zx/boris_johnson_accused_of_trying_to_appoint_wife/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

seems there’s an imminent book containing the same information and to date the Johnson’s haven’t taken any legal action.

www.lordashcroft.com/2022/03/first-lady/

I don't know anything about citzen cards but this offer is posted on hotukdeals if anyone needs photo ID or knows anyone who does. It's free so could help someone.

www.hotukdeals.com/deals/free-citizen-card-worth-ps15-3949614

The book First Lady () was published earlier this year. I think the Mail might have serialised it. No legal action.

Ah, thanks for the correction I only noticed the pre-order bits over that webpage.

So if the same claims were made in that book it suggests that the articles weren’t pulled for any legal reasons leaving only scratching back reasons.

From a former Times journalist

As a former Times journalist can I say... This is very odd indeed. Unpublishing a story of this importance is quite extraordinary.
twitter.com/david_hewson/status/1538232726217793538?t=ofixEhK9EiKnf-q1NdtuCw&s=19

Ffs… I don’t know why I’m speechless but I am!!

"The Times has noticeably swung back to Johnson after a brief period of highly critical articles & comment pieces. I was almost enjoying reading it. "

Yes I was thinking that when I looked at tomorrow's front pages and saw The Sunday Times going with "Steel Yourselves for a long war PM warns west" which I raised am eyebrow over as pivoting much more to a Johnsonian agenda.

Presuming this is circling the wagons before Thursday rather than longer term? Dunno. Usually I find the Tory press like to print prurient and sensational stories about the government but putting a pro Tory gloss on it in a cakist way.

"Steel Yourselves for a long war PM warns west"

So is he going to jump in to declare war on Russia?

Otherwise, why should people steel themselves - things like the cost of living crisis affecting people now, which could be tackled without reference to what is happening with Russia/Ukraine matter far more to most people?

Even if they win both by elections on Thursday, and only one looks pretty certain, we will have the apologists jumping in with both feet to tell us why it's FINE.

Sophie Raworth very aggressive with Lisa Nandy this morning, less so with Gordon Brown. I await with interest how she treats Grant Shapps.

NEW: If the Tories lose Wakefield on Thursday, one reason will be that women are set to vote 2 to 1 against them. Why are women in Britain becoming more left wing – and why didn't it happen sooner?

My analysis in tomorrow's Times

twitter.com/tomhcalver/status/1538223421716414464?t=0KwFKZ1gj_FrHZX7yl4IbA&s=19

Department of Transport & Rail Chiefs in secret discussions to close all ticket offices and putting sales online. No wonder they are keen to pit rail workers against the public.

"All ticket offices are to close on the railways, forcing passengers to book online under plans to save up to £500 million a year.
The rail industry has drawn up a confidential strategy to phase out paper tickets and close or “repurpose” 980 ticket offices in England, starting in September."
twitter.com/nicholashellen/status/1538428889038561280?s=21&t=2nyVlHQv6OtO8r4KPZ74mw

I'm not convinced women are becoming more left leaning - judging from MN I think they might simply be rejecting right wing policies and are in search of a centrist party.

Women tend to vote for family parties (as they see them), have higher levels of church going and religiosity (although this has changed in the last 20 years) and are not as socially liberal as people think, especially on benefits , apparently (which surprised me). But lots of older women are v cross about pensions. Women also tend to vote for 'decency' so Waitrose Woman has been very put off by all the partying and scandal, more so than men, and are more disapproving of Johnson's philandering. In Wakefield, evidence is ex Labour voting women are returning more than the men are. Women also bore the brunt of Covid in lots of ways and many work in public sector jobs very affected. They are also more likely to have care burdens for the elderly and to have been affected by care home deaths/ care for the elderly being restricted etc etc. A lot of women are very very cross. The target of their crossness varies and the Tories will try and spin it so they are crosser with the workers and their unions , as they did pretty competently with school 'closures' in Covid...

There's an article in the Sunday Times today that is pretty much an advertisement for Grant Shapps! I had to check the top of the page to see if it said 'advertisement feature'!

But lots of older women are v cross about pensions

Speaking as a Waspi woman, I think we’re pretty much over that now. As we get our state pensions we forget about it. I was furious and so were most of my friends but now the money drops into our bank accounts 13 times a year (why not 12?), the anger’s dissipated. Just as Cameron’s government knew it would, they knew they’d just have to ride it out and time would take care of it.

What I’m v cross about is children and some pensioners living in poverty and the stealth legislation to put the government above the law and further erode our already disfunctional “democracy”.

Talking of super injunctions on another thread, it looks like BJ has possibly availed himself of one...

twitter.com/davesumnersmith/status/1538446391483289602

Perhaps women have just got the famous “ick” with Johnson, and as all MNetters know, there’s no getting over it. You suddenly can’t stand them, and that’s it.

Of course many of us got it years ago…