Boris Johnson’s birthday party

[Cheekypeach]

Here we go again…

Working to a grid?

Shapps doing a fine job to make the situation even worse.

But whats amazing, is finding out all the technicalities to get around the rules.... if only we'd all known these.

@Mandy63l wow that letter exchange needs to be widely available for people to see, appalling! (As an aside your daughter has amazing handwriting for a 7 year old)

@3Daddy31982

Sorry probably being thick what is bone and fabricant?

Two of the more stupid Tory MPs, but apparently the only ones that are prepared to speak to the media in support of the PM.

See for instance Fabricant on Sunday saying that Nusrat Ghani can't have been sacked for being a muslim, because she does not look like a muslim.

@Im2022

Can Labour push for a GE now? When is the next one due in 2023? The one in 2019 was 6 months early wasn’t it?

The fixed term parliament act requires 2/3rds of MPs to vote in favour of an early general election.

@Im2022

Can Labour push for a GE now? When is the next one due in 2023? The one in 2019 was 6 months early wasn’t it?

AFAIK they'd need to remove the Fixed Term Parliament Act, which could be done with a simple majority of 1. The chance of them getting any Tory (Turkey) to vote for that (Christmas) would be really slim.

PermanentTemporary Exactly what you have said.
He is weak. He wants to be Mr. Popular which is why he's let all this go. Drinks outside? Yeah, go on
Buy a wine fridge? If you need it, why not
Cake and singing and gathering in a room? Oh, you must all love me to do that

@PaintYourDreams

Of course they are not going to bother taking enforcement action against government

But what actually could they have done for this particular 'party' - the allegation is that a small group ate some snack food for a total duration of 20-30 minutes. I've never hosted a party that only lasted 20-30 minutes. Are they not allowed to eat? Or only allowed to eat particular types of food? Were those people legitimately already at Downing Street - if so, where/how should they have been fed? Should they have eaten in separate offices or something? I honestly don't know but it seems strange to keep defining every single allegation as a 'party' unless you're trying to create a narrative.

Yes, they should have eaten in separate offices. We still aren't allowed to sit in our staff room to eat together. We have to remain at our desks which are 4 meters apart.

Stop bloody deflecting. This country is in the biggest mess in my life time - that’s almost seven decades - with a completely amoral and corrupt egotist in charge. And, not only do you defend him but you seem to think it’s some kind of game. I’ve never been scared before but I am now because apparently no kind of lunacy is too much right now. It’s like being governed by toddlers

My sentiments exactly. I’m 72, have seen some poor governments, but never one as blatantly dishonest as this one

He should have walked into the room where the birthday party was and told them it was not allowed and walked straight out again.

If he thinks sending Schapps out today is going to help he must be utterly deluded.

I agree. I'm in my 60s and have lived through all sorts of Government. This is the first time I have been very worried.
Lies, dishonesty, and such a lowering of standards.
Unbelievable

Can't believe Shapps.

'What about our handling of Omicron' is his answer to partygate

Just seen that he had a union jack cake not a Colin the Caterpillar one, so clearly not a birthday party then.

Shapps, Patel, Williamson, Raab-all those in the top posts are following by the example set by their great leader. If he models how it’s ok to lie, break the law and obfuscate, then they will, too.

And the media, in general, let them get away with it.

What baffles me is the complete lack of any strategy to deal with the continuing stories of parties.
Where is the media strategy?

Agree with this. What baffles me even more is why BJ didn't go earlier when he must have known this would all come out too. It's clear that Cummings (or whoever) will just keep going now until BJ resigns. Only BJ knows how bad the stuff Cummings has on him is but my guess is life destroyingly bad. If I were BJ, I'd be going now in the hopes that it stops before some truly horrendous stuff comes out. Not that it's not bad enough already but I'm sure Cummings has enough to not only oust him as PM but make him permanently unemployable, destroy his marriage and possibly land him in jail. Why hang on? It's bizarre.

I'm in my late 50s. Also the worst government I've seen. It's not about which party it is, it's about the lying, deceit, spinning, and employing advisers based on friendships rather than competence. And much more.

What's even more worrying is that there are so many people who think this behaviour is acceptable in those who lead us. Have moral standards slipped so much? Is this the best we can do?

What baffles me even more is why BJ didn't go earlier when he must have known this would all come out too. It's clear that Cummings (or whoever) will just keep going now until BJ resigns. Only BJ knows how bad the stuff Cummings has on him is but my guess is life destroyingly bad. If I were BJ, I'd be going now in the hopes that it stops before some truly horrendous stuff comes out. Not that it's not bad enough already but I'm sure Cummings has enough to not only oust him as PM but make him permanently unemployable, destroy his marriage and possibly land him in jail. Why hang on? It's bizarre

Exactly this. Why is he hanging on-it’s only going to get worse. I don’t doubt DC has enough dirt on him to destroy him.

Does he think he’s invincible and can ‘ride through’ the storm?!

@PaintYourDreams

If it's true then he should go. But why the constant drip-feeding? And by whom? Why did those drip-feeding not come out and say what they knew at the time? It worries me that the media and anonymous sources seem to be on a campaign to decide whether an elected PM should stay in office or not.

Yes exactly. The media have a lot to answer for...

Also, there are more important things to worry about at the moment such as the war that is looming on the horizon!

I don't know anyone who followed the rules 100%, and anyone who is moaning about the parties, who didn't follow them is being hypocritical.

I wonder what card Dominic will play next...🤔

I don't know anyone who followed the rules 100%, and anyone who is moaning about the parties, who didn't follow them is being hypocritical

Ok then.

But most people I know did follow the rules. Most of the country followed the rules. Hence the anger.

I’m guessing you didn’t.

Gordon Brown on GMB now focussing on child poverty and starvation in Afghanistan. We need a PM like him now. He described the parties as a moral issue and then shut up about it.

Well... here we are then... it's OK, the population didn't follow the rules 100%, so it's no problem if those that sets the rules, have parties.

Was it OK for the basement disco that went on during lockdown until 1am?
If so, why were people fined ££££ for doing just that?

Are you happy that those that set the rules don't get fined?

p.s. I followed all the rules. So there you go.

Also, there are more important things to worry about at the moment such as the war that is looming on the horizon!

Liz Truss is in charge of that, so we're in safe hands.

and we need gas and oil from somewhere

I don't know anyone who followed the rules 100%, and anyone who is moaning about the parties, who didn't follow them is being hypocritical.

No, they're only being hypocritical if they were also telling other people not to do it and making laws criminalising them if they did. The difference here is power.

Also, the looming war in Ukraine is why we need a leader who isn't a complete fuckwit and hasn't got himself into a position where he can be blackmailed. Boris fails on both points.

So are we saying that the Government can't do two things at once?

Answer questions on rule breaking during lockdowns and deal with Ukraine?