Boris Johnson’s birthday party

[Cheekypeach]

Here we go again…

@PermanentTemporary

I don't love dancing to Cummings tune, no. But who employed him?

I think it was Boris himself ?

Some of my own officers, a few, have received penalty notices when we heard after the fact that they had breached the guidelines. One or two high profile people also, when it was plain that they had admitted, and there was good evidence, they also after the fact, a few weeks after the fact, received penalty notices.

And the occasions on which we have done that have been where we were looking at something which appeared to be the most serious and flagrant type of breach, and where three factors came into play.

There has to be some kind of evidence - not just somebody saying something.

But my three factors were and are: that there was evidence that those involved knew or ought to have known that what they were doing was an offence; where not investigating would significantly undermine the legitimacy of the law; and where there was little ambiguity around the absence of any reasonable defence.

So in those cases, where those criteria were met, the guidelines suggested that we should potentially investigate further and end up giving people tickets [fines].

Cressida Dick today.

@the80sweregreat

If the Met don't find anything , then will people believe it? I think it's unlikely to be honest. It'll drag on , that's for sure.

I already don't believe it. And it hasn't happened yet.

I have very little trust in the police as a rule anyway. But when they are so clearly happy to collude in corruption what little I have tends to vanish.

To be honest if I was being burgled, I'd be more inclined to call my local social media influencer at the moment. Although thinking about it as most police work seems to be done on Twitter these days I might get a decent response from the local force that way.

But my three factors were and are: that there was evidence that those involved knew or ought to have known that what they were doing was an offence; where not investigating would significantly undermine the legitimacy of the law; and where there was little ambiguity around the absence of any reasonable defence.

Well her own words mean they can't really get out of investigating this then?

How can Johnson carry on working now though ?
I suppose he will , but it is ethical ?

So Johnson and cronies can't get out of it on her first factor, because they made the law. We do know that MPs don't bother to read the legislation before they vote on it, but that doesn't excuse them.

Second factor - also can't get out of easily.

Third - this is where they will slither and slide and lie.

@the80sweregreat

How can Johnson carry on working now though ? I suppose he will , but it is ethical ?

I believe there is a world of difference between "working" and "carrying on as before" which is what Johnson is doing.

JRM says the government is going from strength to strength

@Trilley

Investigating the birthday party shouldn't take the police more than a day or so, given that Downing Street aren't denying any of it.

Maybe, but (and this is one for the legal beagles here) whilst that inquiry is ongoing doesn’t it give an opportunity for all questioning of those possibly involved by the Press to be shutdown simply by the use of the phrase :

“I won’t comment on something that is the subject of an ongoing police inquiry”

??

@truthfullylying

I see the Met are finally going to investigate.

Politicians now saying he should be interviewed under caution

His local party should put in a vote of no confidence and call a meeting with a view to deselecting him.

I won’t comment on something that is the subject of an ongoing police inquiry

Seriously - if he hangs on for weeks whilst that is said, what will his personal poll rating be???

If if you join the Conservative party today you have to pray that he lasts 3 months before you get a chance to have a say sabotage the next leader...
Bugger.

.

DGR Yes he is.

@the80sweregreat

How can Johnson carry on working now though ? I suppose he will , but it is ethical ?

MP replied to a letter I wrote last year saying that it was terrible unfair on Owen Paterson that he did not have the same rights as other professions when he came to his alleged corruption.

In the profession I work in, if I were being investigated by the police for breaking the law at work, I would be suspended from work pending the result of the investigation. I wonder if my MP thinks that that is what should happen in this case?

@pussycatunpickingcrossesagain the leadership elections would take a while... they go through a few rounds before the members pick the final 2. I joined 2 weeks ago. I actually think he would last a few months so its not too late for most people.

@onlychildhamster I'll see how the day goes. It could be a good £25 investment to screw Gove and the Rich one

[quote onlychildhamster]@pussycatunpickingcrossesagain the leadership elections would take a while... they go through a few rounds before the members pick the final 2. I joined 2 weeks ago. I actually think he would last a few months so its not too late for most people.[/quote]
If you have a leadership election.

@DGRossetti It is a gamble. if there are 54 letters submitted to 1922 committee, a no confidence vote is triggered. If he loses that one, then there would be a tory leadership election where truss and Rishi would be the front runners. The tory party members can only vote on the final two, so we have no idea who that would be.

there would be a tory leadership election where truss and Rishi would be the front runners.

If more than one candidate is put forward ....

Yes. The Met are corrupt (at the top certainly & 'a fish rots from the head down') too.

Constituency Tory parties tend to have quite small numbers of active members, joining now and railing against Boris and the incumbent MP might have quite an effect.

Putin must think the UK is a pushover. Bit worrying that he’s focused on overthrowing parts of Europe while Boris and his cronies are focused on partying. One less country to worry about!

@Peregrina

The Met are to investigate Partygate now.

Oh yes, with Cressida Dick, "nothing to see here, move along." Or is she just getting worried about her job. When Johnson does fall, she is likely to be collateral damage.

I hope so. Another corrupt person at 'the top'.

@pussycatunpickingcrossesagain gove is extremely unappealing. He has less of a chance of defeating Keir as opposed to someone like Rishi. The trick is to pick someone that would lose the tories the most number of constituencies.

This is why many MPs don't want Boris to go. Boris has appeal in the red wall- socially conservative but ultimately believe in big government and the welfare state. Truss wrote that British workers are the worst idlers in the world and who thinks that British toddlers need to be more polite and obedient. Sunak is a David Cameron style Thatcherite. Ultimately neither would deliver levelling up in the way that Boris promised and that is what the red wall constituencies want.