Matt Hancock affair (2)

[TheoMeo]

Looks like we might need a new thread.

You must have led a very sheltered life if you have never come across office love trysts, or relationships of any kind between colleagues (leaving aside the infidelity bit.)

Stop minimising and trivialising. There’s a difference between people having relationships and people carrying out physical acts in work.

If you work in public services you would likely be facing disciplinary action of some sort. Then there’s the breaking of his own social distancing guidelines.

His behaviour and judgement is appalling. (Nothing to do with infidelity). He should not be in a position of responsibility.

LOL at the idea that "physical acts" don't happen in workplaces. The broom cupboard/stationary cupboard has been a place of legend throughout my working life (35 years) in several different workplaces and industries. IME whilst in theory it might be disciplinary, people will pretend not to know and life goes on.

I think there are lots of issues here. Why he's been giving so much work to contacts, how the video was made/got out, the fact that he's clearly broken the rules he wrote, the fact that he called for the sacking of others in exactly the same situation, but a snog at work is not shocking in itself, distressing as it may be for the families of those involved.

The attempts to defend Hancock’s behaviour by minimising, deflection and whataboutery are probably not having the desired effect.

All this ‘set up’ theories have made this thread such a bore to read. Pages and pages of people saying the same old bullshit. It’s not out of the realm of a man having an affair no matter how odd/unattractive you think he is.

It’s not because he’s unattractive (as pps have said, loads of not v attractive male politicians have had affairs) it’s the weirdness of the video. Yes he’s often awkward, but in the video it’s her who’s awkward, not him. At first I thought it just looked awkward, but once you consider the possibility of a set-up, it just really fits. It looks like a deliberate attempt to get him on camera and make sure his face is seen.

Another daft conspiracy theory that crossed my mind is that he’s in on it and did it to boost his image, like when john major’s affair came out and everyone saw him in a new light :o

Anyway probably like many people today I ended up having a browse on Oliver Bonas, never really looked before. Bought a blouse in the sale.

Do you think there is an element of the upper middle class having more socially liberal attitudes compared to the rest of the population?

It may be that highly educated people in powerful jobs look at marriage more flexibly or at least look at infidelity differently.

I am not condoning the actions of the two but maybe in those social circles trysts are common?

I feel very sorry for his wife and children, this is beyond embarrassing.

I used to feel a bit sorry for MH, doing such a difficult job and getting so much criticism, no matter what he did, but now it seems his mind was not on the job at all (well, not that job, anyway). What a plonker! I wish we had some leaders with integrity - the sleaze just never ends.

@mids2019

Do you think there is an element of the upper middle class having more socially liberal attitudes compared to the rest of the population?

It may be that highly educated people in powerful jobs look at marriage more flexibly or at least look at infidelity differently.

I am not condoning the actions of the two but maybe in those social circles trysts are common?

Yes, particularly in political families, there is an element of business arrangement to it I think. Look at the Clintons.

Let’s be clear many of us have met partners and spouse through work places, clients, business associates etc etc. In the professional corporate world at least where people are in high pressured positions of responsibility dealing with highly confidential matters daily tend to need to declare any potential conflict of interests in relation to relationships. Many high profile business people and entrepreneurs had to declare and make appropriate more suited open personal and business solutions as to prevent any unfair/inappropriate sensitive conflict of interest. Many indeed had to resign or move to other companies in doing so. This has always been a potentially difficult part of professional and private life but in this scenario the cronyism and blatant lack of care in a so called position of national health responsibility falls well short of even Bojo, Cunnings et al world beating low expectations. Possibly as their leader is king of this lifestyle having been previously forced to resign historically for similar circumstances, is ensuring he looks saintly in comparison after legitimating his current spouse or former/current employee.

It may be that highly educated people in powerful jobs look at marriage more flexibly or at least look at infidelity differently.

Right. But does he have to conduct it whilst at work? In work time? Literally on the job whilst working as a minister?

@borntobequiet

The attempts to defend Hancock’s behaviour by minimising, deflection and whataboutery are probably not having the desired effect.

I was expecting a lot more of it tbh. But there is nowhere to go on this one.

O now realise why there is such a high emphasis on debating skills in private schools for example.
They learn the "art".

It looks like a deliberate attempt to get him on camera and make sure his face is seen.

Ooh you mean some sort of set up? Who might be setting up who?

As the old Hazel Dean song almost went

Sorry

It’s been discussed below but there are some suggestions it’s a set up by her or others to get him fired but I’m not clear why!

Had to happen - SpamCock is now officially a meme. Jonathon Pie as ever sums it up brilliantly.

@Ijustknowitstimetogo

It looks like a deliberate attempt to get him on camera and make sure his face is seen.

Ooh you mean some sort of set up? Who might be setting up who?

Piss off Dominic Cummings at your own risk.

Shag a minister get a contract - cash for knickers.

Someone think it's CCTV or some sort of hidden camera? Because if it's CCTV, quite apart from viewing the footage other than for security purposes, it's not usually monitored so someone needed to know where and when to look to be able to leak it. Also CCTV cameras are supposed to be visible and labelled, how can they both not have realised it was there?

Do you think there is an element of the upper middle class having more socially liberal attitudes compared to the rest of the population?

You are forgetting John Prescott and David Blunkett:

www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/apr/26/politics.politicalnews

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/11/home-office-staff-david-blunkett-secret-affair

Do you think there is an element of the upper middle class having more socially liberal attitudes compared to the rest of the population?

There's certainly an element of the upper middle class who have more financially, erm, relaxed attitudes compared to the rest of the population.

Verrrrry happy for government to do the hard work of collecting of money (not theirs, obvs, that's in tax avoidance schemes) and pouring it into their pockets, where it rightfully belongs.

Couple of mil of taxpayers' money here, couple of mil of taxpayers' money there: soon adds up.

There used to be a catchphrase that "The Left are very good at spending other people's money" – but the end of the sentence (always unspoken) was "on other people".

Well certain of "the Right" are very good at spending other people's money... on themselves. See also Cameron's adviser, Mark Britnell: the NHS is an opportunity for profit.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/may/14/david-cameron-adviser-health-reform

It is grotesque, and they are laughing at us. Not by being discovered unintentionally, but by someone or some people wanting this to be put out. It is a way to demoralise us and distract us, and to threaten.

There used to be a catchphrase that "The Left are very good at spending other people's money" – but the end of the sentence (always unspoken) was "on other people".

I thought three Labour MPs were jailed after the expenses scandal.

Anyway probably like many people today I ended up having a browse on Oliver Bonas, never really looked before. Bought a blouse in the sale.

that really made me laugh. That'll make it all alright. Oliver and the kids will be comforted by a bit of extra profit.

@Ijustknowitstimetogo

Given Johnson's proclivities he can't sack him for that.

What about the fact that a government minister (and another employee) has carried out a sex act at work?

How is that not gross misconduct?

Surely one thing is certain, nothing is gross misconduct for these Ministers. You bully, you lie, your incompetent, you break the Ministerial code, no drama, just keep giving backhanders to your mates and your bosses mates and it is all good.

“Anyway probably like many people today I ended up having a browse on Oliver Bonas, never really looked before. Bought a blouse in the sale.

grin that really made me laugh. That'll make it all alright. Oliver and the kids will be comforted by a bit of extra profit.”
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Love it! Oliver Bonas sympathy purchase. They could do with a better marketing director amongst other issues.