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Original poster

Part 6 A thread for the continued enjoyment of Boris' downfall, enjoyment being important

999 replies

jgw1 · 04/02/2022 14:09

What the title says.

This will be the one where he resigns, so if please keep the whatabout to a minimum.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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BoodyDedalus · 11/02/2022 09:33

30/40 people who didn't even physically work in the same area gathering together with BYOB and snacks after work, no.

Did the rules specify working in the same area?

UnconditionalSurrender · 11/02/2022 09:37

I hope Johnson gets a lawyer to start arguing on technicalities. He looks even more guilty, shifty and out of touch then. If it was at all possible. Again its the lack of political nous. Win a battle and lose the war.

FatFredsFriedEgg · 11/02/2022 09:38

@DePfeffoff

As I understand it from legal commentators, once you stopped being at work your reason for having left the house disappeared (apart, obviously, from getting home), so a gathering in the garden at work was against the law. The emphasis was on the fact that being together for work was only permitted if it was reasonably necessary for work.
I think you're right and I was wrong. There's an extra 'or be outside of' that was added to the law. So it reads:

During the emergency period, no person may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse....

a reasonable excuse includes the need-

to work

Original poster
jgw1 · 11/02/2022 10:05

@DePfeffoff

As I understand it from legal commentators, once you stopped being at work your reason for having left the house disappeared (apart, obviously, from getting home), so a gathering in the garden at work was against the law. The emphasis was on the fact that being together for work was only permitted if it was reasonably necessary for work.
Given they mostly seem to have been partying, was there any need for any of them to be there?
OP posts:
Original poster
jgw1 · 11/02/2022 10:07

@JaniieJones

'But 30/40 people in a workplace were allowed. That's why there will be legal arguments and not some simplistic decision.'

Exactly. Posters on these threads have continually applied the social/home rules to these gatherings where most of us know workplaces were different. Hence Starmer's beer and nibbles indoors with others at a time when home socialising like this was not allowed.

Am I right in thinking that you are saying it was acceptable for a 56year old man to have a birthday party because he was at work. That being so, would it also have been acceptable for children to have birthday parties at school? If the answer is yes, why did the Prime Minister not make this clear at the time?
OP posts:
DuncinToffee · 11/02/2022 10:20

It's nice to see Keir's beer making a reappearance

Original poster
jgw1 · 11/02/2022 10:23

@DuncinToffee

It's nice to see Keir's beer making a reappearance
Indeed. I have decided to name two of the squirrels that come and fight over the bird feeder Keir and beer. They have both been in this morning.
OP posts:
Notonthestairs · 11/02/2022 10:28

Some people can waste time rehashing all of this again if that's what they want.

But as far as I am concerned Johnson helped make the laws, broke them (repeatedly) and in the process of covering up his lies he mislead Parliament.

Peregrina · 11/02/2022 10:33

Nice try JaniieJones - will you tell us what excuse Mrs Johnson and Lulu Lytle have for being at a 'work gathering' in the Cabinet Office? Neither works there, and even if Lulu Lytle was chasing Johnson to settle his bill he could have gone up to his flat to discuss it with her.

Blossomtoes · 11/02/2022 10:56

@UnconditionalSurrender

I hope Johnson gets a lawyer to start arguing on technicalities. He looks even more guilty, shifty and out of touch then. If it was at all possible. Again its the lack of political nous. Win a battle and lose the war.
Absolutely. I bet he wishes he’d put his hands up to it when it was first raised.
DuncinToffee · 11/02/2022 11:34

Hope this tweet by David Allen Green comes true

ps - Number Ten (effectively) taunting the police in the way reported today may well make the police more likely to proceed to a FPN or worse

Very unwise move by PM's "close ally"

Notonthestairs · 11/02/2022 12:08

If the Met are just at the point of sending out questionnaires (why questionnaires???) I fear we have some time to wait Duncin.

Blossomtoes · 11/02/2022 12:12

Was anyone else fined for breaking covid rules sent a questionnaire? I suspect not somehow.

CryingAtTheDiscotheque · 11/02/2022 12:17

Is the questionnaire a usual procedure? Any criminal lawyers around?

The suggestion that a different standard of proof (“very certain” that an offence committed) applies to the PM is utter nonsense. The test is whether the police reasonably believe an offence was committed. Difficult to see how that test isn’t amply satisfied!

CSWife · 11/02/2022 12:38

Not a lawyer, but listening to a lawyer on the radio the other day discussing these questionnaires, it will apparently be made clear [my paraphrasing to follow, I can't remember the exact words] that these are no different to a police interview in terms of legal standing. I.e. must be answered even if no comment, must be returned and no lies!

Maggiethecat · 11/02/2022 12:44

@CSWife - that will be a very hard condition for the PM to discharge!!

Blossomtoes · 11/02/2022 12:51

[quote Maggiethecat]@CSWife - that will be a very hard condition for the PM to discharge!![/quote]
Presumably that’s why he’s engaged a lawyer so he can tell lies in a truthful kind of way. Just the fact that he thinks he needs a lawyer indicates to me that he knows he’s in deep shit.

CryingAtTheDiscotheque · 11/02/2022 12:52

So equivalent to an interview under caution? I would love to see one of these questionnaires!

CryingAtTheDiscotheque · 11/02/2022 12:53

Yes, the lawyer will draft some very carefully worded answers

CSWife · 11/02/2022 12:56

Which actually makes it nothing like a police interview because he'd probably waffle himself into a corner if he was actually properly interviewed.

I agree with pp, who needs a lawyer if there's nothing amiss?

DuncinToffee · 11/02/2022 12:56

Like vaccines, brexit Wink

longwayoff · 11/02/2022 13:09

Wait. Bozo's going to spend HIS OWN MONEY on a lawyer? Things must be bad. Who's up for funding it before he sends out the begging bowl? Only - as a donor had the gall to complain just a few days ago z don't expect return on your investment, we can't all be in the House of Lords.

BoodyDedalus · 11/02/2022 13:40

@Blossomtoes

Was anyone else fined for breaking covid rules sent a questionnaire? I suspect not somehow.
I don't think Dominic Cummings was even interviewed, was he? The police just said he may have broken the rules but they weren't going to do anything.
BoodyDedalus · 11/02/2022 13:44

@longwayoff

Wait. Bozo's going to spend HIS OWN MONEY on a lawyer? Things must be bad. Who's up for funding it before he sends out the begging bowl? Only - as a donor had the gall to complain just a few days ago z don't expect return on your investment, we can't all be in the House of Lords.
I wonder if he will go for Mishcon de Reya - Thatcher's favourite choice of legal beagles. If he does, he'll find that they don't come cheap.
BoodyDedalus · 11/02/2022 13:48

I don't think Dominic Cummings was even interviewed, was he? The police just said he may have broken the rules but they weren't going to do anything.

Sorry to quote my own post but have just heard that tonight's edition of Any Questions is coming from Barnard Castle. Not difficult to guess what the panel is likely to be asked. Wink