Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Thread 33 Sunak : Sense and Sunakability

983 replies

DuncinToffee · 21/11/2023 08:57

After 10 dyas on the rollercoaster, we now look forward to 5 more pledges and a mini budget

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4939564-thread-32-sunak-sunak-v-suella-the-final-countdown?page=40&reply=130888910

Cake itsgettingweird

OP posts:
Thread gallery
45
Cornettoninja · 01/12/2023 14:17

Roussette · 01/12/2023 11:51

Oh my. Hancock rattled. No idea who this is questioning him, but he brought up some whatsapp messages from Helen Whately to Hancock and asked him... can you see that?
(normal to ask in that context)

Hancock: Yes. I can read thank you.

He is in extreme waffle mode.

I really hope James Graham (writer of Brexit, the uncivil war) is watching this closely and working on the dramatisation of this inquiry as we speak.

Original poster
DuncinToffee · 01/12/2023 14:58

Charles is wearing a tie with a Greek flag pattern at COP28

OP posts:
Original poster
DuncinToffee · 01/12/2023 15:03

https://x.com/Haggis_UK/status/1730602078555234667?s=20

Politico: "Prime Minister, the King has been at #COP28 for two days & other world leaders are staying into the weekend. You've been here for a matter of hours & you're due to leave again imminently. You've spent more time on a private plane, than on the ground at the summit .. "

OP posts:
Cornettoninja · 01/12/2023 15:33

Rishi doesn’t ‘do’ summits. He can’t operate within that level of calibre of world leaders.

His imposter syndrome is crippling - because it’s well deserved and he’s in waaaay over his head. At least his previous successors were deluded enough to believe their own hype.

RafaistheKingofClay · 01/12/2023 16:38

Quite difficult to speak with any authority at a climate summit anyway.

tobee · 01/12/2023 17:19

This is me scraping the back of my mind(?!) to o level government & politics, but I thought it (used to be maybe?) that at PMQs the Prime Minister does get the questions from MPs in advance but not the follow up question.

tobee · 01/12/2023 17:20

DuncinToffee · 01/12/2023 14:58

Charles is wearing a tie with a Greek flag pattern at COP28

lol.

cakeorwine · 01/12/2023 18:59

tobee · 01/12/2023 17:19

This is me scraping the back of my mind(?!) to o level government & politics, but I thought it (used to be maybe?) that at PMQs the Prime Minister does get the questions from MPs in advance but not the follow up question.

There's no follow up questions.

The Conservative ones are planted - Does the PM agree with me that we are doing a fantastic job?

I guess that he knows who is going to ask questions and can be briefed on hot topics.

RafaistheKingofClay · 01/12/2023 20:31

tobee · 01/12/2023 17:19

This is me scraping the back of my mind(?!) to o level government & politics, but I thought it (used to be maybe?) that at PMQs the Prime Minister does get the questions from MPs in advance but not the follow up question.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I had it that they didn’t have to submit the question but they often do as a matter of courtesy.

Notonthestairs · 01/12/2023 21:12

It's a bit odd that we don't really know how PMQs is structured? I mean we are all interested and yet it's actually very hard to pin down exactly how it works (or if it works). Maybe it doesn't matter but given it's the only regular opportunity to quiz the Prime Minister it seems strange that we don't know more.

Anyway a lovely taster of Johnson's 'evidence' next week -

"EXCLUSIVE

Boris Johnson will tell Covid inquiry that Government was initially too 'far too complacent' about the pandemic

He will admit that 'unquestionably' mistakes were made and say that he initially had a 'basic confidence that things would turn out alright

But he will argue that the govt has 'many great successes' and saved 'tens if not hundreds of thousands lives' by stopping the NHS from being overwhelmed

thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-…"

x.com/steven_swinford/status/1730676870776053951?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

If we don't eventually discover Johnson & Hancock have struck a private deal to protect the other I'll eat my bobble hat.

Roussette · 01/12/2023 21:17

Boris Johnson will tell Covid inquiry that Government was initially too 'far too complacent' about the pandemic

He will admit that 'unquestionably' mistakes were made and say that he initially had a 'basic confidence that things would turn out alright

OH hahahahahaha! W**ker!

Given the first sentence, does he realise he was PM at the time?

Second para..... let the bodies pile high

Notonthestairs · 01/12/2023 21:32

I know. We can only hope the barrister(s) are ready to cut through the nonsense.

Original poster
DuncinToffee · 01/12/2023 21:50

He also had the basic confidence that he didn't lie about attending parties or break any rules.

OP posts:
RafaistheKingofClay · 01/12/2023 22:22

Given that we tripled ICU bed capacity, nurses patients that should have been nursed 1:1 as 1:3 and still managed to run out of ICU beds, I’d be interested to know what his definition of ‘not overwhelmed’ was.

Cookingdoesntgettougher · 01/12/2023 22:31

I don’t think that the opposition to give information on questions just that government departments should be letting PM/Downing Street know about important issues to work out what PM view is.
https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/questions/

cakeorwine · 01/12/2023 22:39

Cookingdoesntgettougher · 01/12/2023 22:31

I don’t think that the opposition to give information on questions just that government departments should be letting PM/Downing Street know about important issues to work out what PM view is.
https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/questions/

It's so archaic.

Each MP who wants to ask the PM a question just submits the question about the engagements. Then if they are selected to ask a question, the first one asks the question about the engagements and then their follow up.

Other MPs then ask their question.

IClaudine · 01/12/2023 22:44

RafaistheKingofClay · 01/12/2023 20:31

Somewhere in the back of my mind I had it that they didn’t have to submit the question but they often do as a matter of courtesy.

Show quote history

Some backbenchers will be primed to ask "friendly" questions that will highlight something positive (or seen as positive, depending on perspective!) that the government is doing.

I haven't written PMQ briefings for many years now, but I can't recall the opposition ever submitting their questions in advance. It would rather defeat the object of PMQs for the opposition!

Debates are a different matter though.

Notonthestairs · 01/12/2023 23:07

I am not against PMQs. I just wonder if we get the best from them or if there is a better way of doing it. I'm not interested in a battle of wits. I certainly don't care for backbenchers bellowing from either side of the aisle. Debate teams don't make better governments. It just seems performative and a turn off for anyone vaguely interested in politics.

As for Johnson's evidence I'm expecting a torrent of "it was all Cummings" and zero acknowledgement as to who put him in Downing Street in the first place. He won't take responsibility either way.

tobee · 02/12/2023 04:35

Notonthestairs · 01/12/2023 21:32

I know. We can only hope the barrister(s) are ready to cut through the nonsense.

Cue whiny high pitched noises from huge blancmange in crumpled clothes

IClaudine · 02/12/2023 05:09

huge blancmange in crumpled clothes

Brilliant.

jgw1 · 02/12/2023 06:51

tobee · 02/12/2023 04:35

Cue whiny high pitched noises from huge blancmange in crumpled clothes

Show quote history

Will there be an upsurge in postings from our friends some of whom have deemed it necessary to change their names?
Or have they moved on from defending Johnson to trying to defend Sunak?

newnamethanks · 02/12/2023 07:23

'Bin bag full of custard' according to a previous girlfriend.

Roussette · 02/12/2023 07:26

I have listened to a bit of Sky News and BBC News this morning. And they have both wheeled out BJ insisting he 'got the big calls right'. I am so so so sick of that ridiculous phrase that he has recycled to save his blancmange-y pink skin.

On another subject, I find it absolutely disgusting that Sunak and Cameron both travelled seperately by private jet to COP28. What sort of message does that give out?

newnamethanks · 02/12/2023 07:27

Next week. "It wasn't me. I wasn't there when I didn't do it. Why are you all being so horrible to me? It's not fair".

Swipe left for the next trending thread