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 think they (and anyone) can canvass freely at any time can't they? Im not aware of any restrictions?

Not sure tobee , to be honest. I thought there were roolz.

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/covid-inquiry-uk-failed-plan-lockdowns-school-closures-2419191

The government did not plan for a national lockdown in any way, the former head of emergency planning for the UK has admitted to the Covid Inquiry

She said that work on preparing for a pandemic “had not been completed by the time Covid arrived” adding: “Elements of it were paused in order to refocus effort onto [the no-deal Brexit planning] Operation Yellowhammer.”

I was just reading that. And Sir Michael Marmot's details on their lack of foresight about structural inequality is appallingly damning.

When it became clear how serious Covid was didnt the EU offer a no strings 12 months extension to the transition period? I'm sure I read that - it was intended to take the pressure off.
We turned it down.

Whilst utterly unsurprising.

www.politico.eu/article/uk-formally-rejects-brexit-transition-period-extension/amp/
This was June 2020.

It's so blatant that he's done that because he doesn't want to be embarrassed by the incredibly low levels of support he would get if he tried to make a fight of it.

https://m.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/CORPORATE-TRAVEL-MANAGEME-8841941/company/

Shareholders. I've not had time to follow the trail though, but, it would be interesting.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-partygate-privileges-committee-b2358924.html

I could honestly weep for those that lost a loved one during lockdowns. A whistleblower has spoken out about the party culture all under BJ who knew and encouraged it.
It's honestly like deja vu because this is what I and others argued about with BJ supporters when party gate erupted. I said the words 'party culture' endlessly. And it was just rubbished as cake and Keir's beer
Well...someone has spoken out as to what it was really like. Warning. A hard read for anyone who did suffer under lockdown.

Thank you for posting that @Roussette .

Btw on the one hand it would be fabulous to have Boris Johnson stand for mayor of London and be absolutely trounced by everyone. But on the other hand if I never have to hear from, or see Boris Johnson ever again it would be too soon.

So agree.

The thing is... we all on these threads knew it, we just knew what he was doing. He is very transparent, and it would be interesting, yet infuriating to go and look back on these threads to see our foresight.
But it would make me cross to see the defence of him to be honest.

Talking of honours lists... I am now listening to King Charles birthday honours list.

There's just so many worthy people out there who do so so much for others, BJ has spoilt it all for me.

As a further aside... I have no idea if this is true or not, it is being talked of all over Twitter.
Charlotte Owen. Younger than my two DDs, no achievements. Made a Dame.
This below. Could that really be possible? His daughter?

https://twitter.com/DoodleFlapper/status/1667961164330827778

I mean, I doubt she is because that's just ridiculous but her peerage makes no sense at all. Amidst the furore about Nadine , this has been buried a bit.

I think I’d prefer it if she was, as the alternative is downright repulsive, rather than just common or garden nepotism.

The angle in that whistleblower story about the arrogance of the sudden rush of power' is telling. There was an adrenalin around lockdown. I saw it in macho posturing of a lot of headteachers on a micro scale. A kind of sudden self importance about decision making.

Meanwhile for many of the rest of us, the stresses were huge. The bit about the 'mask theatre' has really pissed me off.

Wankers, the lot of them.

I really want someone like Chris Whitty to lose it and blow the whistle.

I wonder if Charlotte Owen through through accepting the Damehood? She must be aware that people are assuming that there is only one reason she has been given it. If that assumption is unjustified, you would think she'd be absolutely mortified. To be honest, even if it's justified you would think she'd be mortified, if only about people knowing about her bad taste and willingness to sell herself.

Yes true! It's just the surname and timing that feeds into this. (First wife Owen in surname, she was born as they split up)

I cannot believe this young girl will be a Dame for life. For what?? She worked as an intern for about two and a half years for Alok Sharma, Jake Berry and Johnson. Nothing distinguished about it, she was just an Assistant. To be honest, he is doing her a great disservice and I think she would be sensible to turn it down.

It's sacrilege, and apparently the Vetting Committee are not happy about it but powerless to stop it.
Below is an article about it from the DT which I archived as it was behind a paywall

https://archive.ph/C4JNw

*thought through, not through through

Interesting quote from a Johnson spokesperson in the Telegraph article:

"We do not comment on baseless speculation about honours or appointments."

Because time has revealed that the article is far from baseless speculation. Oh dear, caught lying again.

Is she is from BJ's stable in any way at all, she , frankly, won't give a shiny shit what any of us think.

That is so interesting. Yes, I can believe it. I didn't see the sudden rush of power as such... but my god, the Jobsworths, I did see that.
I remember going to a small supermarket as I was desperate for fresh food, but not wanting to go out, as in the beginning I was absolutely terrified of covid. Just being honest here, we're not young and I thought it really might see us off! (the terror only lasted a week or two) Anyway, I was so much trying to do the right thing but I walked about two paces wrong as I was queueing to pay, and this awful shop assistant, literally screamed at me in front of everyone. It was really upsetting, I'm a tough old bird, but I was in tears.

I suppose, on reflection, yes that was also a 'rush of power'.

Please Chris Whitty yes! Although, given he was attacked in a park for just giving out facts, I doubt it.

I think it's a given that anyone who's accepted a peerage in these circumstances, whilst so transparently undeserving, isn't bothered about appearances. It must've been extremely obvious that there were two conclusions people were liable to jump to.

Fwiw I don't think she's his. This is more interest than he seems to have taken in most of his offspring.

This contains interesting data :

https://twitter.com/alanjrenwick/status/1669955389079650305

Allegra Mostyn-Owen doesn't have any children - it's just a coincidence that they divorced the year she was born and share part of their surname. Also BJ was already 'seeing' Marina Wheeler before they divorced

Ms Owen shares a look with BJs other love interests for sure so who knows

Or maybe she reminds him of his eldest daughter who is NC with him. Or just another example of 'I'll do what I want - try stopping me'

She got a mention on HIGNFY