People comparing Cummings to Caroline Flack

[panhandledrama]

I am quite shocked to see a number of posts in the last few days comparing the media treatment of Dominic Cummings to that of Caroline Flack . And how we need to #bekind
Surely there is no comparison! Caroline was a minor celebrity who was hounded due to a domestic incident
Cummings told us as a nation what we can't do and then did it himself while other people lost jobs and couldn't say goodbye to dying loved ones due to sticking to HIS rules. People are outraged that other (labour) mp's have done similar but they aren't the prime ministers puppet master

Surely people can see that these are totally different scenarios and people have a right to be outraged this time!

Mumsnet exemplifies the 'me me me' generation who seem to feel that sitting at their keyboards gives them some God-given right to be judge, jury and executioner because their leftie mindset makes everyone else 'wrong'.

@17million

on the beach
what are all these people doing on this beach ?
😂😂😂

That makes it alright then, does it?

Don't be daft.

But neither does it mean DC shouldn't be held to account.

"But neither does it mean DC shouldn't be held to account."
He's been held to account. He's been interrogated and hes had to answer to the Prime Minister and the whole country. Harassing him is disgusting.

No I don’t approve of what he did, but this is being blown out of proportion and the media are guilty as hell

No, it really isn't. He could have stopped the whole thing in its tracks by saying at the outset "I'm sorry, I realise I made some crap decisions, I was wrong". None of this is remotely comparable to Caroline Flack's situation. Cummings has chosen blatantly to flout the law and guidance which he and his employers drew up, and then to try to claim that he did not and to suggest that parents who went through major difficulties and suffering by complying were idiots and inadequate parents. He also chose to put other people in danger by going out and about when he knew he should have been self-isolating. He has chosen to lie publicly, and to cause the PM and various other ministers to lie on his behalf.

Bear in mind, too, that this is a man with a track record for bullying: the DfE did not pay out £25K in a workplace bullying case for nothing.

My strong suspicion is that, if anything, not enough of a fuss is being made. It is inexplicable that, in the middle of a national crisis, Johnson is so desperate to devote so much time and trouble to saving Cummings' skin if they have not mutually got something considerably worse to hide. So far from being "guilty as hell" the media is doing an excellent job, and I really hope they manage to unearth what is being covered up before further damage is done.

We must be the laughing stock of the world the way we focus on this rather than the many other important news stories that should be covered.

Odd to think the government spunking shitloads of political capital on keeping an unelected advisor in post isn't an important news story. You could be 100% pro Cummings and still recognise that a great deal is being invested in keeping him. It would be worth your while critically examining why that might be, wherever you sit on the spectrum.

As I've said, regardless of his actions, he should not be hounded to do anything. Everyone deserves to be treated with some respect and dignity.

He wouldn't be hounded if he just did what he should have done days ago and admitted that there was no justification for what he did, and resigned.

Are you at all concerned about the respect and dignity owed to people whose lives he deliberately put at risk, @TabbyMumz?

I've just some of his wife's account if what happened, which doesn't match his.

In it she says that DC had been in bed for days and was in a bad way and she was considering if he needed to go into hospital, yet her son was playing doctor and administering Ribena. WTF?

Did she even test positive? I can't find that out.

Regarding BJs inappropriate behaviour towards two women, which Mary has denied she was one of them, could be the reason for BJs support of DC.

He's been held to account. He's been interrogated and hes had to answer to the Prime Minister and the whole country. Harassing him is disgusting.

"held to account "

what @TabbyMunz you bought that crock of shit that was his explanation?

You accepted that no apology, remorse or shred of sorry was needed?

Nope he's an advisor, not the PM

What makes you think that then bigchris?

He couldn't even be arsed to be on time, the fucking disrespectful twat! No doubt he was putting together the finishing touches of his bullshit story with BJ.

He's been held to account.

'Held to account 'would be a proper investigation. ( And let's face it his story would be shredded - eye test my arse )

Not an hour in the rose garden and "a chat " with BJ.

Get real.

I was actually thinking that if this pushed him to do anything what would then be said in the media. He has made his speech and answered questions that he was asked, there is nothing to be gained by constantly hounding him and his family

He wouldn't even give up his job, let alone take his own life. He's too much of a narcissist for that.

there is nothing to be gained by constantly hounding him and his family

Totally agree they shouldn't be hounded and I would say that about anybody on principle.

But please let's not pretend he has answered anything to any level of satisfaction for many many people.

@TabbyMumz

"But neither does it mean DC shouldn't be held to account." He's been held to account. He's been interrogated and hes had to answer to the Prime Minister and the whole country. Harassing him is disgusting.

No, you are wrong. DC along with the prime minister and senior cabinet ministers including the AG are the disgusting ones for gaslighting us. And for presiding over one of the worst death tolls in the world. But in the words of Twain, you can't argue with stupid. Your main argument seems to be poor DC, woe is him, let's move on. Sorry, can't do that.

He hasn't been held to account.
He has lied his story is comparable to a six year old trying to get themselves out of trouble, driving to test his eye sight when he was caught out another time. Its a ludicrous story?!

His account also isnt consistant with his wifes account.
I would have more respect for him if he wasnt lieing through his teeth and changing the rules to suit himself.

He is not comparable to Caroline flack and the use of language such as bekind and witch hunt is manipulative and a way to try and silence people who want to come out and say he was wrong. I have even heard brexit brought into this its ridiculous! ANYTHING they can think of to divert the attention off of him back onto the public who have a right to question being taken for fools.

The country is arguing and polarised. Thank you press.

Did she even test positive? I can't find that out

I’d like to know this too. I thought I heard that she had tested negative but can’t find anything now.

He didnt have to answer the questions at all

@TabbyMumz
He takes rather a lot of public money to do a responsible job which has literally life-changing effects. He took decisions which put people in danger and broke the rules he helped to formulate, then he chose to lie about what those rules say. He put himself forward voluntarily to be questioned.

The only circumstances which could justify his not being questioned would be if he had resigned.

I just wish it would all stop now. He's answered the questions, he should now be left alone.

The trouble is, he hasn't. How about these, for instance:

• When did you refuel prior to your journey? Was it at a time when you knew there was at least a possibility that your wife had covid?
• How could you guarantee that, with a four year old child and a sick wife, you were not going to have to stop during the journey?
• How could you guarantee that you would not have had to put people in danger if you had had a breakdown or accident?
• You say you didn't know whether your wife had coronavirus or not. What made you think it would be a good idea to shut your 4 year old up in the car for over 4 hours with a person who could have coronavirus?
• Why, if your nieces were available to help, could they not have travelled to you rather than vice versa? Are you really asking us to believe there was no-one available to help who was less than 260 miles away?
• All the evidence is that there was absolutely no "mob" outside your home that you needed to escape. Please explain your allegation that there was.
• Why are your own and your wife's accounts so different? Why didn't she once mention this journey and imply so heavily that you were in London all along?

And those are only for starters.

Thanks to the press, I can't believe how over invested people are.

You think the press caused this? Shooting the messenger?

Thanks to the press, I can't believe how over invested people are.

Here we go, the old 'over invested' trope.

Global pandemic, national lockdown, economic catastrophe, highest death rate in Europe, lying government.

Not 'not over invested.' cheers. Just my brain. Not "the press"

Trott off back to whatever you're investing in.

@Sertchgi123

The country is arguing and polarised. Thank you press.

The press is not to blame for this. The press, for once, doing what it is supposed to do. For too long tory governments have been supported by the majority press in their lies and ideology. Imagine this was Diane Abbott or Emily Thornberry? Just imagine the outrage. There is no defending what DC and BJ have done. They shame the positions they hold and I am incredulous that citizens of this country want this brushed under the carpet or want it to simply go away.

^^ meant to say, that the irony of saying that the press is responsible for dividing this country is mind boggling.
These two men engineered a leave vote based on lies and buses.