to think that this means BJ should be exempt from public office

[floraloctopus]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48445430

If he's going to face trial over his alleged lies then he shouldn't be able to stand as potential leader of the Tory party.

You'd hope so.

Crossing my fingers

I simply don't understand why anyone, even the staunchest Brexiteer, would want Boris is charge. He ran away from taking responsibility straight after the vote! Why allow this self-serving toad the opportunity to be a saviour?

Excluded.

Isn't the idea of a trial to see if he's guilty ? You seem to have already judged him, perhaps you should await the outcome before making sweeping statements.

Yes, OP means excluded or barred surely - I don't think exempt is the right word. And I presume the hearing and verdict would need to precede that?

Innocent until proven guilty, but would the Tories want to take the risk of electing him leader with this hanging over him?

To damn right I've judged him. He's an odious toad in my opinion.

UK law allows the public to elect convicted criminals, even those currently serving time.

Some of the hunger strikers in Northern Ireland were elected while in prison. Obviously they couldn’t take their seats.

It’s democracy

Regardless of whether Boris lied or not, and he probably did, is that everyone else did too, to a greater or lesser extent. Pretty much everyone politician of any party, has, at one point or another, misquoted, misled or used statistics in a disingenuous manner. Where do you draw the line, and when does propaganda become criminal.

Well, there's the law, the fact that both sides lied, used fear tactics and, mostly, it's what politicians do.

Let this one get through ocourt and UK politics will be dismantled - well, that's not quite true. Rich people and lobby groups will be able to change the face of politics forever.

So, before you shout for this to happen, consider the ramifictions... slowly, carefully and, hopefully, you'll vote / act for different fundamental changes, not this grandstanding frippery!

I hope so. Innocent until proven guilty, but unless proved innocent he shouldn't be standing for leadership.

Hopefully not. BJ4PM

@CuriousaboutSamphire rich people and lobby groups already control politics. I, for one, will be happy to see some of those rich people held to account by the law.

You don't understand me. Technically we don't allow lobbying here.

If we allow politicians to be held to account for their hustings claims like this then we allow lobbying via the court system. Rich people and lobbyists will raise money and sue whichever politician they disagree with for whatever reason they can imagine.

'Lets get the rich bastards' is lazy thinking, shortsighted and ignores the clear dangerous precedent being set.

To be fair and hold all the rich politicians to account for their lies during Brexit, or any other campaign, will just put all of them in the dock. Mainly because anytine anyone uses a statistic to prove something, someone else can disprove it and call them a liar.

The side of that bus had a statement that was based in a truth... he wasn't lying about the initial size of the EU payment the UK is liable for. So it is unlikely that he will be prosecuted.. as many other politicians used similar tactics, and always have!

curiousaboutsamphire

Completely agree.
I hate all this ‘let’s attack the rich’ mentality of Mumsnet. It’s pathetic

m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson_uk_5ccbfca5e4b0d12395513c36?gzl&fbclid=IwAR0dgtv8WFb1nFtUgnDVIO4AjIIJxjmAaWzfkz3FF9gwU0u6ezxF3jEBe9A

That link is “a brief history of boris johnson’s Questionable decisions”....

for me, personally, it's not about attacking the rich - Rory Stewart isn't short of a bob or two, went to Eton and Oxford like Boris and I'd far rather he was in charge.

It's about Boris. The most self-serving politician in the UK I can think of who's standing for PM.

I saw the title and thought it was about a blow job(BJ). Then I read it and realised I was right. Disgusting man. An embarrassment all round.

But I do get your point about lobbying groups.

I just wish there was another way to get through to all the people who think that the man who ran away from Brexit once it got voted in isn't the man to lead us through it.

I just wish there was another way to get through to all the people who think that the man who ran away from Brexit once it got voted in isn't the man to lead us through it. I am with you there. Him and Disney Dave - only stayed around whilst the going was good

The most self-serving politician in the UK I can think of who's standing for PM. erm... The Goviot has his hat in the ring too... I am torn, maybe it's a draw!

The problem I see with this is that it will just be fed into to victim theme that leavers are encouraged by people like Farage to create.
Newspapers have already encouraged the populous to consider judges the enemy of the people.
I would really like politicians to understand that knowingly lying to people will have consequences but using the courts to do this risks damaging the courts more than the politicians.
It will allow Boris to create a poor me oppressed by the elite theme however ridiculous that is.

Why is Farage not included, he was the one who laughingly said on Breakfast TV, the day after to referendum, off course it was a lie? This will go nowhere, someone looking to make a name for himself.