Page 29 | Boris Johnson’s birthday party

Blossomtoes · 26/01/2022 10:03

@SilentNoMore

As far as I understood it the problem with Blair Labour votes is that they needed a decent amount of Scottish support, which has now disappeared. Blair needed Scotland to govern. Current Labour will not get that support

Nor will the Tories, the Tory vote in Scotland is even more alienated than in England.

SilentNoMore · 26/01/2022 10:06

Blossom oh I agree but the Conservatives don't need this vote, the only time in recent history that Labour have come to power was because the Scottish voted for them.
It would need to be a seismic shift for Labour to get elected with English votes and I just can't see it happening.

Blossomtoes · 26/01/2022 10:12

I agree but stranger things have happened. Whoever thought Hartlepool would go blue? Or North Shropshire would be lost? The times we’re living in are so strange, the past isn’t much of a guide any more.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 26/01/2022 10:12

You're both correct, SilentNoMore and Blossomtoes, though with the Tories' Scottish vote not being that strong in the first place they didn't have so much to lose

There's also the point that, with the endless talk of independence, I can't see that parties bribing Scots to come back onboard will go down very well in England, so for now they may just have to do without their votes

jgw1 · 26/01/2022 10:12

@Hospedia

For too long Labour took the piss out of the working classes in the U.K. and treated them with champagne socialist disdain

I live in a constituency that had never been Conservative, always Labour, and in rhe 2019 GE it went to the Conservatives (narrowly by around 800 votes but still a win for them). Central government seems to forget that people often vote on local basis and on local issues especially if they feel far removed from London-centric policies.

Literally all the Conservative candidate had to do to win was show up. The Labour MP was never seen, he relied on the fact it had "always" been a red constituency and so he rarely visited, rarely was out in the community, and rarely engaged with local people. The incoming Labour candidate followed his example, presuming they would win by default. The Conservative candidate odious little shit that he is was out knocking on doors, asking people what they want to see for the area, making promises, getting out in the community. Visibility wins votes, complacency doesn't.

Very true. And pretty much the reverse happened in North Shropshire.

the80sweregreat · 26/01/2022 10:13

The Scots won't vote Labour. I doubt it anyway.
Nicola is offering them another referendum and she has handled the pandemic much better than our PM ( I know people won't agree with this, but apart from once forgetting her mask for a few minutes, she did obey the rules , as far as I know )

Clavinova · 26/01/2022 10:24

I can remember Late May 2020 v clearly - it was my son’s 18th. . He didn’t get a party and wasn’t ambushed by a cake.

Boris Johnson's 'birthday gathering' was the 19th June.

oh, he just had a birthday cake with the people he worked with. 30 of them?

George Eustice said "closer to 10" people yesterday - Grant Shapps also denied as many as 30 had been present, telling BBC Breakfast the group had been working together all day.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60121572

Singing? (banned)

Was singing 'Happy Birthday' banned? I thought we were supposed to wash our hands for 20 seconds to the tune of 'Happy Birthday'?

19 June 2020: Schoolchildren sing Happy Birthday to Boris Johnson

news.sky.com/video/19-june-2020-schoolchildren-sing-happy-birthday-to-boris-johnson-12524667

I felt bad for the littlies I taught; no birthday parties, no food (cake) could be brought in, no singing of happy birthday allowed.

October 2020
Some schools in England have reportedly banned singing in the classroom due to fears it could accelerate the spread of coronavirus.

Children in some schools in England are being told not to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to their classmates, over fears their vocalisations could accelerate the spread of COVID-19.

Some schools are reportedly telling pupils to listen to the song online or hum the tune instead. Others are also said to be discouraging children from bringing in birthday cakes from home to reduce contact points for the virus.

Parent campaign group UsForThem said the ban has been self-imposed by certain schools.

www.classicfm.com/music-news/coronavirus/schools-ban-children-singing-happy-birthday-transmission-fears/

Staffrooms were closed across the country as people weren’t allowed to all eat together.

Hospital staffroom here -

www.imperial.ac.uk/news/196613/imperial-students-provide-over-350-free/

I remember Chris Whitty being a bit like..even at BBQs be careful and use separate utensils

Yes - you could hold a barbecue (or small party) for 6 people from different households in your back garden from the 1st of June 2020.

DGRossetti · 26/01/2022 10:25

Just seen two squirrels frolicking on the lawn. Adorable.

As you were.

Clavinova · 26/01/2022 10:31

Labour are currently 10 points ahead in the polls

Some bounce back here;

Westminster voting intention:
LAB: 41% (-2)
CON: 34% (+4)
LDEM: 11% (+2)
GRN: 5% (-2)
REFUK: 3% (-1)

via
@ RedfieldWilton
, 24 Jan
Chgs. w/ 17 Jan

DGRossetti · 26/01/2022 10:33

Two squirrels !!

I'm sure they're friendly with the magpies, as they often seem to run around the lawn (well magpies more hop ) together.

There could be a childrens story in that.

Roussette · 26/01/2022 10:33

George Eustice said "closer to 10" people yesterday - Grant Shapps also denied as many as 30 had been present, telling BBC Breakfast the group had been working together all day

In the words of Mandy Rice-Davies... "well... they would say that wouldn't they?"

Was singing 'Happy Birthday' banned? I thought we were supposed to wash our hands for 20 seconds to the tune of 'Happy Birthday'?

In people not in your bubble, banned. No singing in church for instance.

Yes - you could hold a barbecue (or small party) for 6 people from different households in your back garden from the 1st of June 2020

They were in the cabinet office (up to 30). With a buffet set up on the cabinet table. Little different from 6 socially distanced in a garden, wouldn't you say?

Roussette · 26/01/2022 10:35

On the "Happy Birthday"... singing to yourself in the loo whilst you wash your hands, is rather different to an enclosed room with up to 30 singing.

Clavinova · 26/01/2022 10:41

In people not in your bubble, banned. No singing in church for instance

It takes 20 seconds to sing Happy Birthday - I'm not convinced it was banned at all. Boris Johnson wasn't in the bubble when those school children sang Happy Birthday to him.

thelittlestrhino · 26/01/2022 10:42

Not a self imposed ban on singing in class. Very clear rules set by the council.

Clavinova · 26/01/2022 10:46

Little different from 6 socially distanced in a garden, wouldn't you say?

Yes - the 6 socially distanced people in a garden could be people who don't normally meet or work together.

Clavinova · 26/01/2022 10:47

Very clear rules set by the council

Set by the council, but not by the government?

Notonthestairs · 26/01/2022 10:48

Yes they tweeted about the kids singing happy birthday to the PM - the kids were social distanced outside in their playground whilst queuing to wash their hands!

Funny they didn't tweet about the cabinet room party. That would have cheered the nation up.

lborgia · 26/01/2022 10:51

Well, Feck me.

I read a lot of this post 13 hours ago and Clavinova was pumping out the quotes, and the links, like her job depended on it ().

13 hours later I'm back and cut right to the last page, and she doesn't seem to have slowed down.

@Clavinova - you must be knackered mate - I hope you can hand over to a colleague soon. Zero hours contract, no doubt. Tough gig.

Clavinova · 26/01/2022 10:55

Yes they tweeted about the kids singing happy birthday to the PM - the kids were social distanced outside in their playground whilst queuing to wash their hands!

Children go out to play/wash their hands in all weathers - it's a pity then that some enterprising teachers couldn't arrange to sing 'happy birthday' to pupils outside as well!! Although I'm still not convinced that singing 'happy birthday' was actually banned.

itsgettingweird · 26/01/2022 10:58

I think some people have forgotten the sorts of restrictions we were under in spring 2020

Totally!

We were in school. Our guidance was not to go into staff room. Not even with people you shared a classroom with. You were meant to stay in your own classroom bubble. Eat in there, drink in there. We even had certain toilets we could use over bubble.

Surely if what they did was ok we could all gone to the staff room at lunchtime for a cuppa and slt could have ambushed us with cake?

itsgettingweird · 26/01/2022 11:01

@Clavinova

Yes they tweeted about the kids singing happy birthday to the PM - the kids were social distanced outside in their playground whilst queuing to wash their hands!

Children go out to play/wash their hands in all weathers - it's a pity then that some enterprising teachers couldn't arrange to sing 'happy birthday' to pupils outside as well!! Although I'm still not convinced that singing 'happy birthday' was actually banned.

Singing inside was banned. For much longer than spring 2020. In churches, in schools, no choirs. No singing at funerals.

I'm sure schools could have lined children up outside SD and sang happy birthday to a pupil. Not really the point though is it? The rules prevented them doing what the PM and his friends did.

Clavinova · 26/01/2022 11:04

lborgia
I read a lot of this post 13 hours ago and Clavinova was pumping out the quotes, and the links, like her job depended on it

That's funny because I didn't post anything yesterday and I was out all weekend - so didn't post on Sat/Sun. Yes, I posted on Monday evening - but that's because other posters kept quoting my username before I joined the thread.

I hope you can hand over to a colleague soon

No - I'm enjoying myself - I do it for love.

Roussette · 26/01/2022 11:10

lthough I'm still not convinced that singing 'happy birthday' was actually banned.

Oh, don't be so obtuse. It's not the song, it's the singing!

I know you know that, you're just being deliberately provocative

Roussette · 26/01/2022 11:12

Singing inside was banned. For much longer than spring 2020. In churches, in schools, no choirs. No singing at funerals

I'm sure schools could have lined children up outside SD and sang happy birthday to a pupil. Not really the point though is it? The rules prevented them doing what the PM and his friends did

^^ This.

Clavinova knows it really but would rather focus on the song Happy Birthday than the actual singing indoors with up to 30 people. And cake. And buffet. And wife and interior designer there. And being in the Cabinet office
(I am surprised that wives and interior designers are allowed in there in the first place to be honest)

MooSakah · 26/01/2022 11:24

@Clavinova

Yes they tweeted about the kids singing happy birthday to the PM - the kids were social distanced outside in their playground whilst queuing to wash their hands!

Children go out to play/wash their hands in all weathers - it's a pity then that some enterprising teachers couldn't arrange to sing 'happy birthday' to pupils outside as well!! Although I'm still not convinced that singing 'happy birthday' was actually banned.

Singing was banned and playing certain musical instruments I think