Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

That this is another dead cat strategy?

30 replies

CamQ · 09/12/2021 08:38

Boris Johnson wrote this in 2013 ( link below)

Let us suppose you are losing an argument,” he wrote in March 2013. “The facts are overwhelmingly against you, and the more people focus on the reality the worse it is for you and your case.

“Your best bet in these circumstances is to perform a manoeuvre that a great campaigner describes as 'throwing a dead cat on the table, mate'."

People would still be “outraged, alarmed, disgusted” but talking about the dead cat instead of “the issue that has been causing you so much grief”.

AIBU to think that the timing and nature of last night’s announcement of yet more ‘just in case’ restrictions (against the WHO advice) are mainly the dead cat to distract us from his mess?

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/9906445/This-cap-on-bankers-bonuses-is-like-a-dead-cat-pure-distraction.html

YANBU- yes the new restrictions and timing are BorisJohnson’s dead cat’

YABU- no, the restrictions and their timing are coincidental and have nothing to do with the government trying to distract us

OP posts:

YourenutsmiLord · 09/12/2021 08:58

I think they absolutely didn't want to be killjoys again (who didn't adhere to the rules themselves) and are trying to put in restrictions whilst allowing parties which everyone knows is daft but they are trying to not to be branded with 'spoiling' Xmas again.

Justcallmebebes · 09/12/2021 08:59

Absofuckinglutely and the new "rules/guidance" is more batshit than ever

Gargellen · 09/12/2021 09:02

If it had been handled properly from the outset, the people would be behind BJ.

As for him wringing his hands over the frivolous attitude of his aide when she spoke abut the party instead of the party itself? Classic Boris Johnson.

He should go now but I suspect they won't force him out until much closer to an election.

RedToothBrush · 09/12/2021 09:04

Stay Home for work. Go to your work Christmas Party.

This is the new slogan and actual policy of the Conservative Party.

Which given the Christmas Party Scandal currently going on, really doesn't look any better...

Of all the paradoxical nonsensical restrictions weve had, this one definitely is the worst.

EishetChayil · 09/12/2021 09:05

He is such an unrelenting wanker.

sst1234 · 09/12/2021 09:06

In this the dead cat will work because too many people are docile enough to follow whatever restrictions are put in place. They do not have the cognitive ability to make the judgement that being double vaccinated means you should just gen on your life. Rather than falling over yourself to comply with pointless restrictions.

Passingbyandthoughtiddropin · 09/12/2021 09:08

I quite agree that this shower are morally bankrupt and would stop at very little where it suits their ends. But if you'd ignored the problems of the Tory leadership completely and had only been reading the Covid news and data for the last three weeks it would have been increasingly obvious that the pre-defined Plan B needed to be implemented.

CrumpledCrumpet · 09/12/2021 09:11

No I think announcing new Christmas restrictions in the very day you are the centre of a story about breaking Christmas restrictions is the very opposite of a ‘dead cat’. It just puts more attention on the story they wanted to avoid and will anger the public further. No way did Boris Johnson want to hold a live televised press conference yesterday where most of the journalists questions were about the Downing St party.

3scape · 09/12/2021 09:11

"docile" aren't you a bj peach

helpadvicewhateverneeded · 09/12/2021 09:17

100% this. Dead cat absolutely. Absolute bunch of prats.

Aderyn21 · 09/12/2021 09:17

I think Boris would have preferred to be anywhere else last night than at that press conference - it looked excruciating for him. So I'm thinking that they do consider the new measures to be necessary, since the booster rollout is going too slowly. At the same time they also can't tell people not to socialise, given the release of that video. And also that Boris is all about popularity and doesn't want to be seen as a killjoy.

I'm in Wales and we've been living under plan B rules for some time - we never had an end to masks.
But they've lost all authority now - I think people will mostly wear masks and will wfh if it suits them but not if it doesn't and people will do as they please at Christmas regardless of anything the govt has to say about it.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 09/12/2021 09:20

Should one assume that Allegra Stratton is the 'dead cat'?

KeyboardWorriers · 09/12/2021 09:21

I am sure of it. He's a master of the "dead cat".

CrumpledCrumpet · 09/12/2021 09:23

So I'm thinking that they do consider the new measures to be necessary, since the booster rollout is going too slowly. At the same time they also can't tell people not to socialise, given the release of that video.

Agree they think the new restrictions are necessary. And I don’t think they could have gone much further without more serious economic impacts that would mean reintroducing furlough, which they aren’t going to want to do. So I don’t think not banning parties etc is just about it “looking bad”, I don’t think they want to do that in policy terms.

FissionMailed · 09/12/2021 09:26

Tory distraction techniques.
It's should be trademarked.

MindyStClaire · 09/12/2021 09:27

I have no problems with the restrictions (I'm in NI where we already had similar anyway), but absolutely the timing was to try to change the subject.

Well guess what, we can discuss new restrictions AND a lying government and PM at the same time.

Polmuggle · 09/12/2021 09:44

It doesn't work like that. SAGE aren't politically motivated and couldn't give two shits about christmas party scandals and approval ratings. Doesn't effect their recommendation timing.

However, the Christmas party may have been a factor in Boris listening t them yesterday, rather than in a fortnight from now when things got really bad.

AndARiverBeneathYourFeet · 09/12/2021 10:13

They've even chucked in a new baby now. Convenient timing eh?

At least Carrie can have some wine at the next cheese and wine non-party party.

Antsgomarching · 09/12/2021 10:16

I think they think restrictions are necessary but it’s probably also convenient.

FinallyHere · 09/12/2021 10:19

I think the party last year and new restrictions all all a dead cat to distract from the bill going through parliament.

The one that makes it illegal to rescuer 'those in peril on the sea'.

Such a disgrace.

Suzanne999 · 09/12/2021 10:22

Yes, Chuck something , anything out there to get people talking about anything but the BIG MISTAKE. The grizzling woman on her doorstep was deployed to make the angry public feel there’d been some retribution. ( and I can’t believe she was paid a large salary when she didn’t even seem able to string a sentence together at a press conference)
Can’t believe that the police are not going to investigate when they were fining people for being out walking.

TheVanguardSix · 09/12/2021 10:24

It's all he ever does!
The thing about this 'sly tactic' is that it's transparent as baby's piss.
It makes a mockery of us plebs.

the80sweregreat · 09/12/2021 10:25

His a dad again ( number 7 ?)
It's a little girl

GrannyWeatherwaxsHatpin · 09/12/2021 11:07

It doesn't work like that. SAGE aren't politically motivated and couldn't give two shits about christmas party scandals and approval ratings. Doesn't effect their recommendation timing.

Except SAGE have been the boy that cried wolf for months. Ahead of at least two 'unlocks' that I can remember, most notably 19th June, they were writing letters to papers and giving interviews with dire warnings of hospitalisations, deaths and cases through the roof in a matter of weeks. Which didn't happen.

Their job is to advise the government, not go public with their views in order to influence the government. Frankly I'd be sceptical of their ability to predict whether or not tomorrow is Friday.

CrumpledCrumpet · 09/12/2021 12:36

@FinallyHere

I think the party last year and new restrictions all all a dead cat to distract from the bill going through parliament.

The one that makes it illegal to rescuer 'those in peril on the sea'.

Such a disgrace.

I don’t buy this for a moment either.

That kind of thing (sadly) rarely gets much public cut through anyway so there’s no need to throw a dead cat at it.
If you need a dead cat, why on earth would you choose one that makes vast swathes of the public despise you?

Flip

1 2