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

Was there not also a minister who was visibly taking their mask off as they got into Downing Street and thought they were out of the view of the press? I'm sure I remember that happening.

But it was always one rule for the proles and one rule for me. In respect of both rule breaking and of rules that just weren't going to be anything like as bad for the privileged.

There was indeed a minister who did that in view of the cameras, can't remember who.

I do think in all of this it is important to remember that Sunak was Chancellor, working next door, there is little to no chance that he didn't know what was going on and happily sat next to Johnson while Johnson lied to parliament.

Sunak has been very quiet, almost invisible

I don’t want to turn this into a Covid Thread, because it’s been done over and over on here and any steps I took were to protect vulnerable family members, colleagues and pupils as well as myself. Steps we were told to take, by law in many cases. It caused considerable damage to many children that we are now trying to mitigate with ever-decreasing budgets. I’m just disgusted it was so widespread and now the evidence is coming out. I hope enough people are also disgusted that the Tories are out, out, out at the next GE.

Which is tactically quite smart of him.

Johnson has successfully made himself the focus not only of the rule breaking and lies but also of a great deal of anger and sorrow about suffering during the pandemic. He also wants Rishi's job. Rishi must actually be thanking his lucky stars that Johnson is this inept, because he's serving as a useful shield at the moment. For now.

Sir Michael Take has got Sunak's specch covered

Yes Boris might’ve misled Parliament
Yes there was ‘that’ honours list
Yes David Warburton is resigning over drugs claims.
And yes there’s that Partygate video too.
But the important thing EVERYONE wants now is that we carry on with the job of DELIVERING FOR THE BRITISH PEOPLE!

I've been wondering about the honours list.
Why would Dorries be removed by HOLAC but Owen stay on? Why would Rees Mogg get a peerage but not Dorries?
I think it might be more likely that Dorries was never on the list. But then whely would Sunak not say that?

Whole thing is intriguing, what happens if Dorries finds out Johnson made the whole peerage nomination up?

Rees Mogg hasn’t got a peerage, has he? I thought it’s a knighthood and presumably there’s no approval process for that. Something has to be done about Owen surely? She could be influencing British politics for the next 60 years.

HOLAC only rule on propriety not the deserts of the actual appointment. Nads will presumably find this out for herself through her FOI.

More questions on Owen's peerage

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jun/18/honours-row-grows-after-claim-charlotte-owen-worked-as-maternity-cover

Me either, but my two granddaughter’s were so impacted by the rules & lockdowns one born literally just days before the first March lockdown who we didn’t see apart from the first two days of her life then until she was nearly three months old, the older one was totally distraught that she couldn’t see us & then become inconsolable when she was able too, as she couldn’t understand why we hadn’t seen her previously she also started school in between lockdowns with all the bubbles/hand washing/ further lockdowns.
The days following those latests party photographs was mine & my husbands birthday which we spent on a freezing bench with take out coffees just so that we could see our dd & dgd’s, we then ended up cooking all the Christmas dinner food & splitting it in half with my Dh delivering it to my dd, I cried practically all of the Christmas period as it was the first Christmas I hadn’t spent with my dd & dgd’s.
I know it’s not anywhere near what some had to endure, but we followed the rules & foolishly expected those who set them to follow them as well.

All these vignettes are worth relating @dontcallmelen . A tapestry of personal experience at that time of the way we had to live at the time. The contrast to Downing Street and their clique is clear.

Sorry badly edited above

Whenever Johnson had to go off script in those daily press conferences because he was answering questions it was clear he lacked basic understanding. I’m sure it’s why we ended up with some daft masking policies. And some daft policies in general tbf.

Anyone remember ‘you don’t need to wear masks around people you know’? Because covid is clearly capable of recognising the difference between people you regularly come into contact with and people you don’t.

Do you recall when some business were allowed to open and some not and it didn’t make logical sense.

I always suspected the rules were completely made up by some pissed up people having a laugh just because they could!!

Well I think they've proven they didn't believe they were there for a purpose.

I think they were mostly made up by stupid people who didn’t understand the situation and didn’t want to put anything in place but were forced to. So you ended up with situations like pubs opening before schools because economy of schools opening but with masks only in corridors not when sat in a classroom for an hour lesson.

Or tape on the floor making sure you keep 2m on the kids when if you’ve got that many people in a poorly ventilated room it isn’t going to make the least difference whether you keep your distance or not.

The situation in Nov/Dec 20 was absolutely dire and those in that video assumed they would be fine and didn’t give a fuck about how many people they passed it onto and whether they would be ok. As long as they could do what they liked while everyone else was making the sacrifices. They’ll just tell you it is a stupid fuss over a glass of wine and a bit of cake though.

"was clear he lacked basic understanding."

And not bothered by that lack.

"I think they were mostly made up by stupid people who didn’t understand the situation and didn’t want to put anything in place but were forced to. So you ended up with situations like pubs opening before schools because economy of schools opening but with masks only in corridors not when sat in a classroom for an hour lesson.

Or tape on the floor making sure you keep 2m on the kids when if you’ve got that many people in a poorly ventilated room it isn’t going to make the least difference whether you keep your distance or not.

The situation in Nov/Dec 20 was absolutely dire and those in that video assumed they would be fine and didn’t give a fuck about how many people they passed it onto and whether they would be ok. As long as they could do what they liked while everyone else was making the sacrifices. They’ll just tell you it is a stupid fuss over a glass of wine and a bit of cake though."

This why what is currently coming out (being confirmed) about lack of preparedness shows us. Imagine the difference if there had been preparedness and people interested in acting on the preparations. I'm sure mistakes would still have been made but surely we'd have been a better place to start with. .

The only person who appeared to be trustworthy was Jonathan Van Tamm who sensibly removed himself from the chaos as soon as he could.

Latest Partygate revelations causing embaressment on the tory door-step in byelection areas

Poor petals

Just to check, there are two with announced dates right now and then we're potentially awaiting Somerton and Frome plus Mid Beds if Nads actually manages to stick the flounce? Not sure if I'm missing any more.

Three of those four would usually have been considered safe seats. Maybe not so much now!

Warburton's resignation has been accepted so there should be date for the third by-election soon.

There's the local election in Coxford ward this week, following it's postponement in May.