Matt Hancock is being done up like a Kipper!

[JackieWeaverHandforthCouncil]

This (Cummings testimony) is starting to sound like a proper set up.

People were joking last year that Hancock would be made the fall guy for everything.

Boris has done a proper number on Cummings

Cummings is such a hate figure that no one is gonna listen to what he's saying unfortunately and teflon boz will slide on through

Hancock has always been the sacrificial lamb though, you can tell that just by looking at him

You can’t believe a proven liar. And that goes for all of them.

ultimately, people will believe what the press encourage them to believe. nothing new there.

Cummings has nothing to lose, I know people loathe him but he doesn't mind being unpopular. I respect him in a weird way.

He is also fearsomely bright. The Tories screwed up but I don't see Sir Kier Starmer doing much, he's weak, Mark my words despite this Boris will be elected again.

I think Boris will have bailed for better paid pastures before the next GE

He's sly, crafty and self-serving. He wouldn't be opening his mouth now if there wasn't something in it for him.

what it's like to be the Hancock in this situation

Years ago, working for one of the Big5 firms, I learned that when an unfortunate story breaks can be a good time to ask for their opinion on an unrelated subject and offer them a fancy lunch in a well known spot. Even a speaking engagement at an offshore conference. Especially if you think they are only suffering a temporary setback and will be back as an influencer at some point.

Everyone else will be ignoring them and they will remember the people who had time for them when they were down.

@Orf1abc

I'm wondering if the fallout between Cummings and Johnson is a fabrication. Going relatively light on Johnson, whilst Hancock is (rightly) crucified.

Hancock, useless, woefully out of his depth.
Johnson, completely incapable and unwilling to make a decision, hence can blame everyone else for his failures.

What on Earth do you mean? He’s eviserated Johnson.

An out of control shopping trolley, for god’s sake.

Oh splendiferous day
Three months ago I'd have thought it inconceivable that I'd ever be cheering cummings on.

DC always reminds me of a velociraptor, extremely smart but very very sneaky.
The whole affair is like a Jurassic Park version of X Factor/Strictly/The Apprentice with every dinosaur out to win by fair means or foul.

Matt Hancock has always been the one 'volunteered' for difficult press interviews, has all along been treated like the tea boy in comparison to the inner cabinet. Is out of his depth totally as well.

I disagreed with references to donkeys though, as they serve a useful purpose.

I wouldn't trust any if them as far as I could throw them, and I think DC is equally responsible as those hes trying to shift the blame on to.
However even more depressingly is that there is seemingly no robust opposition who could and should be taking them to task over it and using this to persuade voters who to vote for next time.

I had a modicum of sympathy at the very beginning as it was a new and completely unparalleled situation but the government seem to be making mistakes over and over again and deflecting the blame on to the public.
Ie "amber list" countries for holidays. People will go because it is not mandated that they cant.... so they are not entitled to a refund = easy to blame them

An out of control shopping trolley, for god’s sake.

Especially enjoyed that line

Also enjoyed the 'Hancock should have been sacked fifteen, twenty times'

I hope this forces the real inquiry. I absolutely agree it is a disgrace to leave this until after the next election.

Why would it 'force' an enquiry. There will be an enquiry and hopefully it will be wider ranging than just the government - all those companies and individuals that promised the earth and supplied nothing too!

But it can't even start now as we don't know what the outcome of the vaccine uptake, boosters, variants etc will be. To start it now, as I have said a few times, would be to make the same aggregious error the Grenfel Enquiry did when it started with the fire service, listing all the errors they made before they had even begun to discus all the lies and obfucastions, penny pinching etc that led to some of those errors being made int the first place - by councils, sales people and manyufactruers alike.

We only need one enquiry. So we need to wait until the timing is right for the best data set to be collated. None of the 'facts' will disappear, no matter what Cummings et al might wish!

@marypat
Quote

I wonder if criminal charges will arise from the information presented today. The families of those people who died should push for manslaughter charges against Johnson etc al. Care Homes are being investigated by the Crown prosecution service. They need to focus their attentions towards the very senior government members who failed to do their jobs with devastating consequences.

I’m sure bereaved families will not let this lie

I hope they will used their pent up grief and anger and combine together to get those responsible in the dock ASAP

Totally disagree re the timing of the inquiry - we need an inquiry now into the failures of the first year. Tories don't want it of course but we aboslutely should have one in this parliament.

@picturesandpickles

Totally disagree re the timing of the inquiry - we need an inquiry now into the failures of the first year. Tories don't want it of course but we aboslutely should have one in this parliament.

Why? We don't know the outcome of so many things yet!

I get that many people want to see many other people be held accountable, but doing that right now? Whilst the individuals who would run it are busy doing something else, mostly battling covid!?

Tories have set a timeframe for it - a loose one, not before next Spring! That's plenty of time to get it done before May 2024!

Is it just me or is there something very choreographed about all this?
I don’t know what they’re up to but I found the media coverage of Cummings’ around Barnard Castle... his weird departure... and now this... all just pantomime-ish and altogether suspicious.

I’m no conspiracy theorist, but is it even possible to be too cynical when it comes to this government? 🤔

One thing struck me whilst listening to Cummings’s evidence this morning. He said that Boris spoke about infecting himself with Covid on purpose to prove there was nothing to worry about. He did deliberately shake hands with Covid patients, so was he actually serious?

If he was, he didn’t bargain on ending up in intensive care, did he?? He ended up demonstrating precisely the opposite of what he intended.

It’s like some farcical comedy, except that it’s a real-life tragedy for so many people. (I’m a long haul Long Covid sufferer, with two adopted DDs who have been negatively impacted by my illness and lockdown itself.)

@picturesandpickles @CuriousaboutSamphire I don't want a public inquiry until after Mr Johnson has been in a court of law facing various criminal charges, including corporate manslaughter, corruption and several on health and safety.

@CuriousaboutSamphire The Tories have said it won;t complete until after the next GE. They are basing the timings on their electoral concerns, not what is best for the nation.

Yes, I think there should be a rapid inquiry into the first year failings.

[quote newnortherner111]**@picturesandpickles* @CuriousaboutSamphire* I don't want a public inquiry until after Mr Johnson has been in a court of law facing various criminal charges, including corporate manslaughter, corruption and several on health and safety.[/quote]
Well this would be nice but it isn;t going to happen.

@TheWashingMachine

He is also fearsomely bright. The Tories screwed up but I don't see Sir Kier Starmer doing much, he's weak, Mark my words despite this Boris will be elected again.

I totally agree.

Definitely got Gove written all over it. Strongly suspect the praise for Sunak is because there is evidence elsewhere that it was him driving the anti lockdown sentiment after EOTHO which will miraculously reappear during a leadership election.
Don't have much sympathy for Hancock