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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to think that Boris should resign now?

994 replies

Seemslikeagoodidea · 11/01/2022 17:45

Today it has been revealed that in May 2020 invitations were emailed to (allegedly) 100 Downing Street staff, for a garden party. This party happened during the first lockdown, when many people could not visit their elderly relatives, even on their death beds, due to the lockdown rules. The email was sent by one of the PM's top people, and stated that people should "bring their own booze and enjoy the sunshine". Today Boris has been conspicuous by his absence.

I think this is the final straw and shows a lack of judgement and absence of moral fibre. Enough is enough - he should resign and if he doesn't do it then his own party should force him to go.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
ESGdance · 12/01/2022 17:07

Bet he can’t believe his luck that the Prince Andrew case has come in like a wrecking ball to distract everyone

Ellie56 · 12/01/2022 17:08

He's apologised and sounded genuine.

No he didn't.

Bozo doesn't do genuine. He wouldn't know what genuine is even if it bit him on the arse.

Clavinova · 12/01/2022 17:09

LondonJax
As a previous private secretary to Margaret Thatcher and John Major said earlier this week it is inconceivable that a private secretary would send out an invitation to 100 people to have a drink in Boris's garden without Boris being aware.

I assume that the private secretary will clarify that to Sue Gray and/or the police if they want to speak to him.

Roussette · 12/01/2022 17:09

He did his utmost to sound contrite and it really hurt him to even try.

ESGdance · 12/01/2022 17:11

@BeMoreGoldfish

How can people not see the difference between a few other fuckwits who broke the rules and THE ACTUAL FUCKING GOVERNMENT WHO SET THE RULES breaking the rules??

How is this so hard?? How are we struggling with this basic concept??

No wonder this government gets away with being so fucking awful.

I despair. Sad

It’s deliberate “what aboutism”

A distraction and minimising technique - keep your eyes firmly on the issue and the individual - don’t let these apologists / enablers allow him to slither away

Puzzledandpissedoff · 12/01/2022 17:11

Bet he can’t believe his luck that the Prince Andrew case has come in like a wrecking ball to distract everyone

You have to wonder if it's entirely a coincidence, though unfortunately for both of them some of us are capable of thinking about more than one issue at a time

SueSaid · 12/01/2022 17:12

'What is our 'strong position'?'

Fastest growing economy in the G7, fastest vaccine rollout , no further restrictions even with Scotland and Wales flapping, Freedom day in July etc etc etc.

You've erected tents in your carpark to deal with bodies?!! Where tf is this and why aren't the media reporting on it!

the80sweregreat · 12/01/2022 17:13

People will defend him till his dying day.
It's pointless trying to argue with them to be honest. They don't see anything wrong with this even though it stinks more than a two week old kipper left out of the fridge.

Notonthestairs · 12/01/2022 17:13

I don't think Party-gate is done yet.

And I definitely don't think Dominic Cummings has finished.

DeliriaSkibbly · 12/01/2022 17:13

@Roussette

He did his utmost to sound contrite and it really hurt him to even try.
Probably, deep down, he's hoping Nanny will be a bit upset and Mrs Palm will be paying a trip to Botty-land.

I see there are STILL people out there defending him. My question to them would be: What, precisely, is it that he has to do that would make you stop defending him ?

I'm beginning to think he could sacrifice children on the steps of 10 Downing Street and Cressida Dick would just say "oh, well, we are looking into this " and the Tory die-hards would just give a tinkly little laugh and tell us "Boris is SUCH a naughty little boy isn't he ?"

SueSaid · 12/01/2022 17:16

'I'm beginning to think he could sacrifice children on the steps of 10 Downing Street and Cressida Dick would just say "oh, well, we are looking into this " and the Tory die-hards would just give a tinkly little laugh and tell us "Boris is SUCH a naughty little boy isn't he ?"

Wtaf.

DeliriaSkibbly · 12/01/2022 17:16

@JaniieJones

'What is our 'strong position'?'

Fastest growing economy in the G7, fastest vaccine rollout , no further restrictions even with Scotland and Wales flapping, Freedom day in July etc etc etc.

You've erected tents in your carpark to deal with bodies?!! Where tf is this and why aren't the media reporting on it!

Fastest Growing Economy - this is just the OECD's opinion. It's not actually fact.

Fastest Vaccine Rollout - er, no. Sorry. Other nations have a higher vaccinated percentage of population than we do. So, taking a slightly longer view we're not doing as well as you seem to think.

No further restrictions - well, that's not really something to trumpet about, is it ? They're clearly needed in some way still because, despite what Jacob Rees-Mogg would have you believe, Omicron is still a serious problem and there are no guarantees that other, more serious strains aren't just around the corner because people are mingling and passing the virus on and each time it's passed there's a chance for a mutation to arise.

So, please, if you're going to claim we're doing well (Hint: we are not) then at least do it from a position of being factually correct.

user1363157897422457887532356 · 12/01/2022 17:17

How gullible does someone have to be to listen to that "I'm sorry although I don't think I did anything wrong" statement and describe it as a genuine apology.

That is not what apologising looks like.

doublemonkey · 12/01/2022 17:17

I'd prefer BoJo and the other lying cunts any day of the week over the fascist Macron or Trudeau wannabe they'll install afterward.

Dom Cummings is still pulling the strings.

LondonJax · 12/01/2022 17:17

@Clavinova

LondonJax As a previous private secretary to Margaret Thatcher and John Major said earlier this week it is inconceivable that a private secretary would send out an invitation to 100 people to have a drink in Boris's garden without Boris being aware.

I assume that the private secretary will clarify that to Sue Gray and/or the police if they want to speak to him.

I'm pretty sure she will if she's asked.

No matter how you try to dress it up @Clavinova, Boris knew.

If I took it upon myself to organise something in the grounds of the person who employs me without their permission, I'd be extremely disrespectful wouldn't I?

Not forgetting that there was a new born in the house, the PM had not long been in hospital with Covid and may well have still be 'unwell'. Who in their right mind would organise something the size of a big wedding and think 'Boris will just have to lump it'? They wouldn't. You know that. And if they did they wouldn't still be in that role, even if they still worked in the government.

ElenaCouch · 12/01/2022 17:18

@Notonthestairs

I don't think Party-gate is done yet.

And I definitely don't think Dominic Cummings has finished.

No I'm hoping the next leak is a WhatsApp sent by BoJo the day before the party, talking about the party. Thus completing the sequence of lies.
Clavinova · 12/01/2022 17:19

We are constantly picking empty fights with Europe for no good reason

That reminds me - a number of posters on this thread were defending Ursula von der Leyen last year - not only did she hold some unnecessary in-person meetings which sparked several outbreaks of Covid amongst EU Commissioners and staff, but she also drove 5/6 hours to Germany when everyone thought she was self-isolating in her flat in Belgium. That was all hushed-up.

DeliriaSkibbly · 12/01/2022 17:19

@doublemonkey

I'd prefer BoJo and the other lying cunts any day of the week over the fascist Macron or Trudeau wannabe they'll install afterward.

Dom Cummings is still pulling the strings.

Why is that in any way relevant ? Macron and Trudeau are not candidates to run the UK.

We have capable people who could do the job. They're not Tories though.

People seem to think Angela Rayner isn't up to it. I think she is. By any reasonable measure she has worked hard to be where she is, she understands poverty, she's committed to a fairer society. I'm aware people don't like her calling some politicians 'scum', but then the truth hurts I suppose.

WhatdoImean · 12/01/2022 17:19

Got to like Robert Preston's tweet:-

twitter.com/Peston/status/1481248235670974465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Yes - it was a party, even Johnson admitted as such.

I really really think some people here are defending him just to get a rise out of people (Hmmm is there a term for people like that? Something that rhymes with loo-rolls....?)

WindyState · 12/01/2022 17:20

@JaniieJones

'What is our 'strong position'?'

Fastest growing economy in the G7, fastest vaccine rollout , no further restrictions even with Scotland and Wales flapping, Freedom day in July etc etc etc.

You've erected tents in your carpark to deal with bodies?!! Where tf is this and why aren't the media reporting on it!

Most sensible people realise we are in a fairly reasonable position despite Boris and co's best efforts, certainly not because of them.
User135644 · 12/01/2022 17:20

@JaniieJones

Thought he came across well in PMQs. Apologised, admitted it shouldn't have happened then pointed out what they have done well. Fastest economic growth in the G7, least restrictions in Europe, fastest vaccine roll out etc etc.

This was a massive error of judgement. If nothing else it would obviously have got out, but going into a garden for 25mins to thank staff who were drinking wine doesn't seem that outrageous.

You only had to read mumsnet to see many were flouting, fine they weren't running the country but the faux outrage when beaches etc were all rammed that weekend is a bit unconvincing.

And who could forget all the conga lines in May 2020 for VE Day?
Toblerone20 · 12/01/2022 17:21

Having watched todays pm questions I think Boris should stay, as do most people I’ve spoken with in person today at work etc.

We have more important things to worry about as a country than whether people broke lockdown. Plus an element of this behaviour from politicians doesn’t surprise me.

I also think it’s quite distasteful to bring up all the stories about people who have died while MPs were partying. The restrictions were in place to keep people safe and for our benefit however hand on heart how many people can say they stuck to them 100 percent? Not everyone on here I bet.

The opposition would be best focussing on how to actually offer a credible alternative for voters rather than playing the sympathy card and how outrageous Boris is. We all know that….what we haven’t a clue about is what else they have to offer other than criticism.

The government aren’t to blame for the pandemic and I believe they have done the best they can and I’m sure they’ve all worked extremely hard. I don’t believe labour would have done any better.

I’m not some sort of die hard Tory or Boris fan, I just don’t see the sense in wasting so much time raking this stuff up now it’s just a massive distraction from many more pressing concerns and the reason behind it gaining so much traction is the cynical agenda behind those responsible for the leaks. Nothing to do with morality and all to do with power struggles.

SueSaid · 12/01/2022 17:22

'No further restrictions - well, that's not really something to trumpet about, is it ? They're clearly needed in some way still because, despite what Jacob Rees-Mogg would have you believe, Omicron is still a serious problem and there are no guarantees that other, more serious strains aren't just around the corner '

It is something to 'trumpet' if you believe businesses and livelihoods are of importance. Which I do.

Restrictions are not 'clearly needed' whatsoever. What you think we should lockdown in case another variant is lurking?!

DeliriaSkibbly · 12/01/2022 17:24

@JaniieJones

'No further restrictions - well, that's not really something to trumpet about, is it ? They're clearly needed in some way still because, despite what Jacob Rees-Mogg would have you believe, Omicron is still a serious problem and there are no guarantees that other, more serious strains aren't just around the corner '

It is something to 'trumpet' if you believe businesses and livelihoods are of importance. Which I do.

Restrictions are not 'clearly needed' whatsoever. What you think we should lockdown in case another variant is lurking?!

I didn't say lockdown, though, did I ? I said restrictions.

I'm sorry you can't see that one doesn't necessarily lead to another.

Florianus · 12/01/2022 17:25

@BashStreetKid

Maybe he didn't class work colleagues in an outdoor work area, at work, as a 'party'?! I know I wouldn't

It doesn't matter whether he thought it was a party or not. The rules related to gatherings of any sort, not just parties. He's accepted that it wasn't a work event.

The rules related to meeting more than one other person in a public place. The garden of No.10 is not a public place. That, I am afraid, is what Johnson will rely upon.