Thread 39 Sunak - Government by Gaslight

[DuncinToffee]

previous thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5016708-thread-38-sunak-soooo-square-one-is-an-option-then?page=40&reply=133647875

https://twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1767581854742299110

Glassdoor reviews from employees and ex employees of Hester. Denying obvious racism is racism doesn’t look like it’s going to play out too well for Sunak. Again.

Wonder if they've spent the £10 million already -

The Conservatives have fuelled speculation the election will be held in May by dramatically increasing their spending on Facebook adverts.
Voters in some marginal seats are being bombarded with videos of their local Tory candidates as the party has ramped up spending by more than 1,200%

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tories-ramp-up-spending-facebook-32336964

Well, Sunak has to announce it within the next six days if it is going to be May 2nd. Eek.

Badenoch has released a statement condemning the comments as racist but also saying he has apologised so heis forgiven.

https://twitter.com/KemiBadenoch/status/1767586269138231580?t=7U-rqiHdMbkmucGGrK5Vfw&s=19

Hester’s 2019 comments, as reported, were racist. I welcome his apology.

Abbott and I disagree on a lot. But the idea of linking criticism of her, to being a black woman is appalling.

It’s never acceptable to conflate someone’s views with the colour of their skin…(1/2)

MPs have a difficult job balancing multiple interests -often under threats of intimidation as we saw recently in parliament.

Some people make flippant comments without thinking of this context.

This is why there needs to be space for forgiveness where there is contrition

I shall await the interviews with ex employees saying he’s still racist. You know they are out there somewhere to drip feed and embarrass Rishi slowly.

I think she had to think very long and hard about how she could say it was racist without departing from the Party Line.

Absolutely the man is a through and through racist and misogynist rafa. Leopards. Spots.

Yep. It would have gone through No.10 for approval, too.

I'd love to know if she wanted to say something more robust. I think she might have and that there was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between her office and No.10, hence the statement appearing so late in the day.

Yes, I bet the Guardian has more up its sleeve.

Hhhmmm. No references to the awful comments made about the rival executive (getting her sacked wasn't enough for Hester) nor the £10 million then?

My view of flippancy differs.

I am a bit shocked that he awful comments about the other woman are being overlooked. It's her he said he could get sacked and her he basically called a Useless Eater.

I bet she knows who she is.

Express thinks we should change our voting system so Reform get more MPs

The rise of Portugal's Reform UK makes a mockery of our democracy | Express Comment | Comment | Express.co.uk

"Pensions Secretary Mel Stride also tried to row in behind the super-donor this morning, telling broadcasters: 'It's clear that what he said was inappropriate. He has, as I understand it, apologised for those remarks.
'I think the critical point here is I don't think what he was saying was a gender-based or a race-based comment, but it was clearly inappropriate. He has apologised and I think we need to move on from that."

I am looking forward to Rosie Holt exploring that.

Well, PR would certainly put more Reform MPs into Parliament. It made the Dutch PVV the largest party.

But it also means permanent coalition government, and at present in the Netherlands there's still no government 4.5 months on from the election because nobody wants to govern with the winners.

It's more democratic, but it would mean no more Tory majorities, ever. I'm not sure the Express understands that.

Don't want to lose the money or helicopter rides

https://x.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1767620548375253026?s=20

Breaking:

Rishi Sunak believes that Tory donor Frank Hester's comments about Diane Abbott were 'racist and wrong'

PM spox: 'The comments allegedly made by Frank Hester were racist and wrong. He has now rightly apologised for the offence caused and where remorse is shown it should be accepted.

'The Prime Minister is clear there is no place for racism in public life and as the first British-Asian Prime Minister leading one of the most ethnically diverse Cabinets in our history, the UK is living proof of that fact'

'Not gender based' Mel Stride? I'm told the Tories are the only party who knows what a woman is. Surely some mistake

https://x.com/Haggis_UK/status/1767632599847956834?s=20

Sam Coates "has discovered that Rishi Sunak had a private, secret meeting with Graham Brady(Chair 22 Committee)... this often means something's up.... the last equivalent meeting... took place just before Liz Truss was dethroned.. "

Its reminiscent of Johnson sending out Ministers to defend Pincher, then changing his mind about the wrongness partway through the inevitable car crash.

And Owen Patterson

It was racist but he’s apologised so we should all just move on is obviously going to be the new line to take.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/12/tory-donor-frank-hester-no-room-for-the-indians

Oh look there is more…

He's apologised for rudeness, not for racism.

I doubt that Executive has received an apology.

It would appear Hester likes making lots of racist remarks which is now emerging and makes these mealy mouthed statements by Sunak and Badenoch look self serving rather than any moral statement.

These people lead us. They are going to tell you they are up to it. By their actions and words it's clear they haven't got a clue on the character that makes for great leadership

I knew there was more. Good old Guardian. Let Sunak think the storm is over, then drop another bomb.

Oh, interesting. His comments about Abbott were made at two different meetings.