To think some Johnson supporters wouldn't defend other Tories?

[AdoptedBumpkin]

I have a relative who I know to have been pretty strict with following Covid restrictions and making sure her young adult children did the same. She is definitely on the cautious side compared to a lot of Brits.

However, I am told by her children that she frequently complains about the Downing Street parties being mentioned and thinks it should all be forgotten about. She voted Tory last time but she is not a lifelong Tory by any means and voted Labour not so long ago.

AIBU to think she wouldn't defend many other Tory or indeed non-Tory politicians for what Boris has done? It's quite notable that some committed Tory members have criticised Johnson in public, yet she and seemingly many others on here and in the media seem to think "Boris will be Boris"?

It seems like there is a personality cult around him encouraged by parts of the media, and he can do no wrong in some people's eyes.

Obviously. People excuse things from people they like all the time even though they’d utterly condemn others for the same behaviour.

Are you really only just noticing this now?

Nobody thought boris Johnson would be a saint going in to Downing Street. This behaviour was expected and he didn’t (did?) disappoint. He was a terrible choice before and he has shown himself to be a terrible prime minister and an international embarrassment now.

I'm not a lifelong Tory but generally consider them the best option given how shit the other parties are. Can't vote Labour because they fucked me over by introducing tuition fees. Didn't vote Tory in 2019 because Boris Johnson is a twat (spoilt my ballot because all four options (Tory, Labour, Lib Dem, Green and UKIP - we don't get protest vote parties like the Monster Raving Loonies or BNP standing here) were dreadful.

But I do think the parties are largely irrelevant. They certainly won't change how I vote in future - I will decide that on the important issues like taxation, employment, healthcare, the shit that actually affects our day to day lives.

My view is that every time Starmer or Blackford or whoever harp on about the parties, it just goes to show they don't feel able to attack the Tories on the important issues.

*all five options... I can count, I just forgot the Greens and added them in at the end.

@PurpleDaisies I've noticed this before, but in political terms it's usually people being biased towards the party or ideology they support. It seems a long time since a British PM has had personal supporters so dedicated they would defend breaking one's own laws in a pandemic.

It seems a long time since a British PM has had personal supporters so dedicated they would defend breaking one's own laws in a pandemic.

It seems a long time since a British PM has been so lacking in moral fibre that they’d break their own laws during a pandemic.

Yes but it’s just silly old Boris getting himself into jolly scrapes and japes again isn’t it?
It’s not like he’s a lying narcissistic entitled cockwomble who is damaging not only our country but the whole concept of Government and Democracy on a daily basis is it?

Being able to trust the government is a very important issue. Many would say the most important issue. However there seem to be lots of people who prefer lies and liars to reality and truth.

YANBU OP.

I suspect the issue is that some of them made a conscious decision to vote Conservative less on the values espoused, more on the personalities available. i.e. when they voted Conservative, they voted for Boris Johnson, not the Conservative party as such.

As a result, rather than admit that they were hoodwinked, it is easier to defend their choice as having been right all along.... easier to defend something than admit failure.

@PurpleDaisies

It seems a long time since a British PM has had personal supporters so dedicated they would defend breaking one's own laws in a pandemic.

It seems a long time since a British PM has been so lacking in moral fibre that they’d break their own laws during a pandemic.

Admittedly true, but my relative and similarly minded people wouldn't defend them and have disliked other PMs and other politicians for less, e.g. Gordon Brown for his 'bigot' comment.

I agree to a certain extent, BUT I also wonder how many of those who are in UPROAR over Boris also condemned people like Jo Brand when they made comments about throwing battery acid over people, or Angela Rayner.
It does seem to me that we are ready to be horrified by anything Boris does because he’s a Tory, but those on the left are excused saying or doing similar things. Let’s not forget Kier Starmer was also photographed drinking with colleagues in the office during lockdown as well….

@WhatdoImean I'd like to think they realise they were fooled, but some of them still seem to think he's a good man, or lovable rogue.

Have you asked her or have you just decided you have more insight into her rationale than she does?

@MrsWinters I do feel Starmer also made a mistake, even if he was confused by the rules he should have been cautious.

@FourTeaFallOut

Have you asked her or have you just decided you have more insight into her rationale than she does?

I am basing on my insight on many chats with her over the years.

"Your boy punched my son in the playground" 'No he didn't, it's not true, he'd never do that, not my boy.' "He did. Many people saw him"
'Nah. Never. He wunt do that. He wasn't there' etc. You need the mindset of Violet Kray to keep defending Bozo. And Donald. An ability to delude yourself and close your eyes to what is right there in front of you. But there it is, people do it all the time.

So you haven't asked her and you are using her non-answer and your own assumptions to extrapolate a hypocracy to all Johnson supporters? Doesn't that seem a little tenuous to you.

I'm not a fan of Johnson or the Tories but I can't abide this lazy thinking that has been popular, particularly since Brexit, where the assumed other is considered to be a fucking idiot incapable of understanding their own motives and priorities.

And, fwiw, I'm left leaning and a remain voter before someone comes on to tell me that my frustration at the lack of quality and nuance in recent political debate is actually some deep seated .

@FourTeaFallOut I understand your thinking but I have seen a lot of pro-Johnson views on regional and national news, social media, and Mumsnet and also heard them in person locally.

And have a lot of them said that they are more amenable to Johnson being reckless with covid rules than they would be if say, Sunak or Truss were to do the same thing?

Not directly, no but they're hardly going to admit it, if they even realise it.

@MrsWinters

I agree to a certain extent, BUT I also wonder how many of those who are in UPROAR over Boris also condemned people like Jo Brand when they made comments about throwing battery acid over people, or Angela Rayner. It does seem to me that we are ready to be horrified by anything Boris does because he’s a Tory, but those on the left are excused saying or doing similar things. Let’s not forget Kier Starmer was also photographed drinking with colleagues in the office during lockdown as well….

I’m not “on the left” whatever that means, never ever voted Labour I absolutely condemn anyone making comments about throwing acid on people but I think Rayner actually had a point As for KS drinking beer it wasn’t the best idea at that point but very very different from a Prime Minister allegedly hosting/attending 10 or more parties while being in charge of telling the rest of us what we could legally do. KS having a beer and KS supposedly being responsible for all of sick perverts actions are just an attempt at diversion.

We can play all sorts of games filling in the blanks with the things we assume other people we don't agree with won't admit.

But this is is your relative , someone you have had many conversations with, you'd think it would be a courtesy to actually ask or at least not fabricate an answer to a question you never bothered to ask.

@MorningStarling

I'm not a lifelong Tory but generally consider them the best option given how shit the other parties are. Can't vote Labour because they fucked me over by introducing tuition fees. Didn't vote Tory in 2019 because Boris Johnson is a twat (spoilt my ballot because all four options (Tory, Labour, Lib Dem, Green and UKIP - we don't get protest vote parties like the Monster Raving Loonies or BNP standing here) were dreadful.

But I do think the parties are largely irrelevant. They certainly won't change how I vote in future - I will decide that on the important issues like taxation, employment, healthcare, the shit that actually affects our day to day lives.

My view is that every time Starmer or Blackford or whoever harp on about the parties, it just goes to show they don't feel able to attack the Tories on the important issues.

My view is that every time Starmer or Blackford or whoever harp on about the parties, it just goes to show they don't feel able to attack the Tories on the important issues

This is utter bollocks on two fronts -

1. The Parties is an important issue - if the people who make the laws and issue us all with solemn instructions to obey can't be fucked with them they need to go.
2. Starmer and Ian Blackford regularly criticise this wank-faced shower of a government on a range of issues, and they regularly say what they would do differently - it's not their fault if some people can't be arsed to listen.

I absolutely condemn anyone making comments about throwing acid on people but I think Rayner actually had a point
As for KS drinking beer it wasn’t the best idea at that point but very very different from a Prime Minister allegedly hosting/attending 10 or more parties while being in charge of telling the rest of us what we could legally do. KS having a beer and KS supposedly being responsible for all of sick perverts actions are just an attempt at diversion.
I agree and a key point about the various wanky whataboutery levelled at Starmer is HE DIDN'T TELL ANY LIES ABOUT IT.

The stuff Boris did is compounded by his propensity to immediately lie about it.

@Hoppinggreen

Yes but it’s just silly old Boris getting himself into jolly scrapes and japes again isn’t it? It’s not like he’s a lying narcissistic entitled cockwomble who is damaging not only our country but the whole concept of Government and Democracy on a daily basis is it?

This!!!