Who are the puppetmasters (Boris)

[motherofgodhaudyerwheesht]

Lots of angry press coverage about how we have all been taken for fools following all the revelations of various government parties last Christmas plus the general theme of dishonesty. Fair enough. It is indefensible.

BUT I havent seen a credible explanation for why this is all coming out now though. So many participants, all sitting on this damning evidence for a whole year? But some thought to take/keep footage and pictures but sit on them? Were the media complicit?

Aren't we even bigger fools then, not to realise that someone has controlled when this tsunami of negative press hit the public domain? You might think it doesnt matter if it helps bring an end to this sorry government but it makes me wonder what else is suppressed for more convenient timing, what we are being distracted from and who is pulling the strings.

YABU Public opinion is not being manipulated
YANBU The timing is as fishy as the rest of it

If I was someone who gambled, my tenner would go on Michael Gove or someone on his behalf.

Though if it gets rid of Boris Johnson, no bad thing.

Yes someone has been sitting on this info waiting for the right moment. My bet is the dreadful Cummings wanting Sunak in charge of No.10 and himself back in control.

News often comes out months if not years after events actually take place for a variety of reasons.

It probably is planned but I wouldn’t call it puppet-mastery. That gives them more credit than they’re worth, the tawdry twats.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00127v6

This is worth a listen. It’s Ros Atkins talking to the journalists that broke the story.

With people like that I suppose you have to assume people keep evidence that may be useful later.

@dayouttobangor @IpanemaPeaHen
Yes it smacks of Conservative infighting and active 'briefing against' the PM. But where is the independent media questioning this?

@dayouttobangor

If I was someone who gambled, my tenner would go on Michael Gove or someone on his behalf.

Though if it gets rid of Boris Johnson, no bad thing.

That was my first thought (predicated on Gove being chummy with Cummings, and Cummings having little time for Johnson, plus being a complete weasel).

However, Gove has been keeping a very low profile lately and there have been rumours that there is some sort of super-injunction about some other rumours. If that's the case, Gove may not be in a position to try for the top job if Johnson goes.

I think it may be as simple as the Tories realising that Johnson is a) useless and b) an electoral liability. They want a new bod well settled in the job before they have an election. I also suspect that they would like an election sooner, rather than later, as it's hard to see how things are going to improve much with the combined effects of Covid and Brexit.

If they get a new leader, they can legitimately cut and run for an early election while the new one is still in the honeymoon period. They will claim they are giving the country the chance to give the new PM democratic legitimacy.

OP who do you consider to be "independent" media?

And should that be "whom"? 😂

So many participants, all sitting on this damning evidence for a whole year? But some thought to take/keep footage and pictures but sit on them?

Maybe I’ve watched too much house of cards, but I’d imagine that Downing Street/government in general is full of people with dirt on other people, just waiting for someone to make them a better offer to release it.

BUT I havent seen a credible explanation for why this is all coming out now though
The Gove creature. He’s been making his way slowly out in to the daylight again. Probably assisted by Cummings. And yes, I agree, who has been sitting in this for a year? If they knew people were breaking the law a year ago and did nothing then, then they’re complicit too.
And as much I think Johnson is a prick, what comes next could be so much worse.
It would be difficult to overstate how much I hate Gove.

I wouldn't concentrate on an individual cabinet members. I'd look at the party donors. Who is bank rolling who & why.

@IpanemaPeaHen

Yes someone has been sitting on this info waiting for the right moment. My bet is the dreadful Cummings wanting Sunak in charge of No.10 and himself back in control.

That's plausible, but quite a big gamble.

While I've no doubt that the MPs would support Sunak, I'm not so sure about the membership. There are still a lot of out-and-out racists among Tory members.

They could end up with Liz Truss instead, and that'd be swapping one dangerous idiot for another.

@PurpleDaisies

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00127v6

This is worth a listen. It’s Ros Atkins talking to the journalists that broke the story.

Thank you so much. This is exactly the angle/coverage I feel has been missing or down-played. Rumours circulating but unsubstantiated from as early as January, brown envelope with corroboration mysteriously delivered to journalist in November. .......

I’d like to know too

Might be an indication of who thinks they’re up next

YANBU

Look at why they got rid of Hancock - and what happened afterwards (which is in part why we have such high infection, hospitalisation, and death rates now).

Be careful what you wish for.

With change, even when it may be desirable, timing does matter. As does the whys and the replacement.

Yes I would love to know who is behind all this and it does reek a bit of Cummings.

@dayouttobangor - doesn't Gove have problems of his own? I think it's the Press barons for what it's worth. He's a liability now.

I've no doubt that the MPs would support Sunak

Heaven help the country - particularly the vulnerable - if Sunak gets it.

This is the man who thought Boris was restrained wrt letting the bodies pile up.

He's also responsible for significantly worsening the public health housing and homelessness emergency. His stamp duty holiday lost the taxpayer over a billion - and, because it further inflated the already overheated bubble, will cost taxpayers billions more both directly (temporary accommodation) and indirect (criminal justice system, mental health care, social services).

Good looks do not necessarily make a good PM. This isn't a beauty contest.

I don’t think Sunak would leak anything

But more unscrupulous would of they wanted him to take over and take the party in their favoured direction

It could still be Cummings too

I agree completely with your last post @MarshaBradyo

I also don't necessarily think Sunak would always be unsuitable. He's young and inexperienced hence his panicked economic mistakes. He might be a Baddie but he might not. He might simply need time to grow and learn. Howeve, he's definitely not ready right now.

@DaisyNGO

OP who do you consider to be "independent" media?

Fair point. Independent investigative journalists, plus possibly the FT, and would always like to say BBC. Certainly the Ros Atkins discussion (PurpleDaisies link above) covers exactly the issues I was referring to, and I find it most reassuring that it was broadcast, I had missed it.

I don't think it's anything more complex than anti-Johnson (or pro someone else) bodies within the Tory party or civil service, but yes, it's definitely a power play somewhere. Could be The Revenge of Cummings, he's the sort of manipulative type to have kept that in hand to play when he fancied it.