To be really enjoying Boris Johnson's downfall?

[GrendelsGrandma]

I know he'll be replaced by someone equally awful and I know he's not quite gone yet, but I can't remember when I felt uplifted about politics and the ejection of this national embarrassment is warming my cockles. Anyone else feel the same?

@ClaudineClare sorry I read it on Twitter - I'll have another nosy and see if I can dig it out.

By "IF" I mean IF the inquiry finds that the event broke the law.

The inquiry by one of the staff members whose future is kind of dependent on the person she is inquiring about?

Don't you think that any responsible Prime Minister in Johnson's position should be opting for a truly independent inquiry, @Florianus?

@Notonthestairs

The email warning that the party was in contradiction of the regs was sent to the PPS I believe, not Johnson.

I was looking for a link to clarify but can’t find one yet. I heard it reported on LBC.

@ClaudineClare

twitter.com/peston/status/1484109819183255552?s=21

[quote Notonthestairs]@BashStreetKid I doubt it was forwarded on. They wouldn't create a paper trail unless they had to. And any follow up conversation will likely be "forgotten".
Anyway I'm sure they'll create sufficient wriggle room. [/quote]
It really depends on whether the unfortunate PPS is prepared to fall on their sword and say that they received an email like that and did fuck all about it. Given that they can't save Johnson anyway, why destroy their career?

I think they'll promise Reynolds another job - I'm pretty cynical about the process.

It really depends on whether the unfortunate PPS is prepared to fall on their sword and say that they received an email like that and did fuck all about it. Given that they can't save Johnson anyway, why destroy their career?

No it doesn’t. If the paper trail includes that email he can’t deny receiving it. He might have a go at saying he didn’t read it although anyone with any sense would put a read notification on it. Reynolds’ career is already over. He has absolutely nothing to gain by not taking Johnson down with him.

@Florianus

Feel free to offer your own definition for our amusement.

Why? The event is claimed not to have been a party and the law does not mention parties. You need to focus on whether the event was or was not allowed by regulations in force at the time, not on the irrelevant notion of whether it was a party.

@Florianus oh right, so it is no longer important whether or not it was a party, and we are in agreement then. A social gathering, with booze and food was against the law at the time, to check this you could watch the Downing Street briefing given by Oliver Dowden on 20th May 2020. Would you like me to share a clip with you?

I do not defend partygate, but I criticise idiots who don't realise who was to blame. Read the invitation if you don't know who organised the event.

If my secretary did work that broke the law, then I would take responsibility for it, since I am the one in charge and a good secretary knows what I would want them to do before I have asked them.

@BashStreetKid

By "IF" I mean IF the inquiry finds that the event broke the law.

The inquiry by one of the staff members whose future is kind of dependent on the person she is inquiring about?

Don't you think that any responsible Prime Minister in Johnson's position should be opting for a truly independent inquiry, @Florianus?

If you don't mind it taking years. But Sue Gray seems to be well respected across Westminster and is expected to report next week rather than next year.

@jgw1

I do not defend partygate, but I criticise idiots who don't realise who was to blame. Read the invitation if you don't know who organised the event.

If my secretary did work that broke the law, then I would take responsibility for it, since I am the one in charge and a good secretary knows what I would want them to do before I have asked them.

But the Prime Minister is not in charge of civil servants !

[quote BewareTheLibrarians]@Blessex women’s rights are important to you, but you’d rather vote for the party who refuse to make misogyny a hate crime? And when the Lords forced it through, Dominic Raab insisted on having it removed as a hate crime? Weird choice.[/quote]
White feminism in a nutshell. We got the leader the majority deserved because people would rather black women were disproportionately effected by cruel policies to get back to the “good old days” because you “carnt say nuffin these days wivout the looney left attacking you.” White supremacy could literally not exist without these types.

“When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.”

@Notonthestairs

I think they'll promise Reynolds another job - I'm pretty cynical about the process.

A peerage is the usual offer to civil servants who have done wrong.

*I have already said that IF the event broke the law, the organiser(s) should be punished.

By "IF" I mean IF the inquiry finds that the event broke the law.*

The inquiry will not find that the event broke the law.
That is not the point of the inquiry. That is obvious because it is not being conducted by the police.
The inquiry will set out a series of facts as to what happened.
No more, no less.

Once those facts are set out it is for the Prime Minister to decide what action needs to be taken.

Other people before, when or after the report is released are perfectly entitled to form their own opinion as to whether a series of parties was an appropriate way for the government to behave during a pandemic and when the time comes vote accordingly as the people of North Shropshire did a month ago.

'A social gathering, with booze and food was against the law at the time, to check this you could watch the Downing Street briefing given by Oliver Dowden on 20th May 2020. Would you like me to share a clip with you?'

They were work colleagues at work, how many times do you need telling?!!

They may have broken rules or they may not. We don't get to decide.

What I find surprising is that even as a member of the public it’s easy to read Boris’s personality type. He is not the sort to be bullied, he will fight back and dig his heels in. He is clearly not going to loose this battle, and the attempts to bully him out will just make him stay longer. He was rumoured fo be going in the summer, so now he’s planning on staying till the next election.

It’s just all so silly and backfiring. It’s not getting him out it’s making him stay longer,

'What I find surprising is that even as a member of the public it’s easy to read Boris’s personality type. He is not the sort to be bullied, he will fight back and dig his heels in'

Yes he is a strong leader, true.

They were work colleagues at work

Agree, a lot of people were and still are confused on this, work meetings were absolutely permitted where required, even hotels let you book them, and there was no rules about what you were permitted to eat or drink during them.

@Notonthestairs

The email warning that the party was in contradiction of the regs was sent to the PPS I believe, not Johnson.

That is what Reuters are reporting Robert Peston to have said - that the email warning that the event should not go ahead was sent to the very person who had organised the event. I'm afraid Martin Reynolds is toast.

@Blossomtoes

But the Prime Minister is not in charge of civil servants !

Oh do stop saying this. It makes you look so foolish. It happened in the garden of his residence and he himself said he should have sent all the civil servants (and ministers and his wife) inside.

Of course Johnson says that now. But at the time he did nothing. And do you really not understand that the garden of No.10 is part of the No.10 workplace (which is not, incidentally, the PM's "residence").

[quote ClaudineClare]I can't stand Andrew Bridgen, but v interesting piece here. He thinks DC is working to a grid and has more to lob at the government. He also mentions a smear against him which ties in with what Wragg is saying about No.10's current tactics.

www.channel4.com/news/johnson-could-become-existential-threat-to-future-of-conservative-party[/quote]
It would be most unlike the organised way in which Cummings operates to not have a grid with a plan and all the evidence pre-prepared ready depending upon what he thinks the situation he deserves. He is nothing if not meticulous.

Shame he can't put his undoubted talents to constructive use rather than just destroying everyting.

'whether you also find David Davies pathetic, ranting and a silly man?'

Yes but he has form doesn't he, I believe he has pitted himself against former leaders too. I liked Sir Leigh's come back quoting Amery 'keep going!' Which strangely the media haven't repeated ad nauseam as they have with Davis' mutterings. I thought I'd already said this but fwiw you shouldn't demand an answer jgw1 to your questions, you aren't in charge. HTH.

[quote ClaudineClare]I can't stand Andrew Bridgen, but v interesting piece here. He thinks DC is working to a grid and has more to lob at the government. He also mentions a smear against him which ties in with what Wragg is saying about No.10's current tactics.

www.channel4.com/news/johnson-could-become-existential-threat-to-future-of-conservative-party[/quote]
Oh yeah, I think most people at least suspect Cummings has more.