Thread 25, Sunak - Peerages, Privileges & the Covid Inquiry

[Notonthestairs]

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4806467-thread-24-sunak-and-the-local-elections-aftermath?page=1

I was joking! Are you @Efacsen ?

@pointythings no not joking about him being out of London

No idea where he'll be

He is weak then. And a coward. Must be Ukraine. It's where all PMs go when they are in a tight spot

Well. Nothing like leading from the front.

Nothing like it at all.

I have only just clocked that the byelections happen on the day that Parliament closes for Summer recess - awfully handy that, no PMQs for Sunak until September.

Privileges committee is planning "special report" into "sustained attempt, seemingly co-ordinated" by Johnson's allies to undermine their credibility.

It warns that if behaviour goes unchallenged it will be "impossible" for Commons to conduct sensitive inquiries in future.

twitter.com/pippacrerar/status/1669348330676297735?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

Good.

Agreed. For most of them, there's nothing much in it. Yeah, the ones who he's giving peerages too and/or are irredeemably tainted might as well go down with the ship, and I guess if anyone who's standing down at the next GE feels like wading in on his behalf then nothing to stop them. But for most Tory MPs, it just doesn't make sense. He's a busted flush.

https://twitter.com/BBCPolitics/status/1669288162563162112

Thangam Debonaire absolutely nailing this.

Rees Mogg on CH4. Weasel in the form of a human being. Well, a being.

Police should reinvestigate 'Partygate' and properly question Boris Johnson, ex-Met chief says

Mr Babu “Effectively, rich white men who could afford lawyers or lawyers were provided for, were able to get advice”

BUT

“ the young people who were working there just didn’t have that ability. So the whole process, I think, was flawed. And the idea that some of the parties were not investigated, is what has been troubling for some time for people.”

https://twitter.com/fascinatorfun/status/1669407100244508695?s=20

Lucy Allen to stand down. 41st.

Thangam Debonaire is spot on. A great MP for Bristol and very popular

We need more like her

I just read in the guardian online that Boris Johnson is going to be writing a column for the daily Mail , but under an anonymous name ?
Can't do links , but it was a piece about the free vote on Monday.

iNews reported it this morning, I don't think it is under an anonymous name.

The mail did a headline with a guess who

What would be the point of him writing under a pseudonym?

Maybe he could use The not so Secret Liar

Paul Waugh tweeted

And another Tory MP decides not to contest the next election.
Telford was where @BorisJohnson launched his 2019 manifesto.
It was also a Labour seat under Blair and Brown.

Lucy Allen's reply

Yep, didn’t have to be that way, today’s Conservative Party is just not interested in seats like Telford anymore.

"Lucy Allen's reply

Yep, didn’t have to be that way, today’s Conservative Party is just not interested in seats like Telford anymore."

This implies that they were interested in 2019.

7 years ago today, on 16 June 2016, Jo Cox MP was tragically murdered in her constituency of Batley and Spen while on her way to meet constituents.

That's very interesting.

Telford jumped hugely in 2019 from it being a proper knife edge seat for several GEs to a 10k majority. I don't know the area specifically, but they were very Brexit leaning so probably related to that? In which case, Allan probably understands that the seat is vulnerable. The Tories probably did throw a good amount of resources at it in 2019 as a very marginal seat they were defending, but there are going to be so many of those this time that the same support can't be forthcoming.

I see Johnson has advised supportive MPs not to vote against the Privileges Committee.

"Meaning, he reckons the amount of actual support he would get will be embarrassing (high teens - low twenties), so he is trying to add it to any abstensions."

twitter.com/sturdyalex/status/1669655600131604480?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

Will be interesting to see who is happy to be used in that fashion and doesn't care too much about standards.

It puts Rees Mogg, Adams and Dorries in a very interesting position. They must be squirming. I bet they’re all washing their hair on Monday.

I think saying something like 'out of respect for my respected friend and colleague I'll do as he asks and abstain' will cover them well enough. Or at least not look any worse than opposing would've done. It's Johnson that this is embarrassing for, because it's so obvious why this sudden desire to move forward has come upon him.

As per @Steven_Swinford, hear BJ doesn’t want backers to get involved in vote on Mon. Argument being he’s already left, what’s the point, & he views it as farce > avoids vote becoming a show of strength (or not) behind BJ. (Windsor framework, only 22 MPs voted against govt w BJ)

twitter.com/bethrigby/status/1669677368753913856?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

He's really not a fan of voting is he. 🏃‍♂️